If you are a mid-career faculty member, obtaining a large-scale grant (eg, NIH U- or P-series grant) is a great way to advance your research career. Large-scale grants create leapfrog advancements in funding and embed you in a cross-disciplinary community where you can tackle complex research questions using a team approach. By pursuing large-scale grants, you can create an overarching research vision that will have long-term impact; expand your scientific network to mobilize siloed research efforts; and elevate your management skills to position yourself for additional leadership roles.
The Medical School Office of Research will provide planning and preparation grants of up to $10,000 to facilitate the submission of large, multi-investigator research proposals. The funds (available only to those employed by the Medical School) may be utilized to offset the costs of hiring expert consultants; assembling and hosting brainstorming sessions; paying reviewers; or hiring temporary incremental secretarial, administrative, and/or expert services required to assemble and submit large proposals. Click here for more information.
The Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR) has a cadre of resources that can help you (no matter where you work on campus) transition your individual grant (eg, NIH R01) successes into competitive large-scale grant submissions.
Research Jams
MICHR’s Research Jams are designed to assist groups of faculty, from a diverse range of disciplines, surface cutting-edge research ideas, build collaborations, create shared research agendas, and develop strategic action plans or grant proposals. Our engaging in-person and virtual workshops will immerse you in a creative and collaborative environment that fosters ideation and drives productivity. For large-scale grants, Research Jams are ideal for teams synergizing efforts years in advance of submission as well as teams ready to build the framework for their application. You can learn more here.
Strategic Advice
MICHR offers free in-person consultations with faculty grant experts who can help you refine hypotheses, specific aims, and study design; delineate cores and projects for your large-scale proposal; ensure your application has a compelling overarching vision; and connect you with potential collaborators. Visit here to request a consultation meeting.
Proposal Management
MICHR’s proposal managers can develop timelines, checklists and communication and document storage plans; craft writing templates tailored to the FOA; provide resources to help you write your application and coordinate administrative sections; and consult with your research administration team. To learn more about proposal management support, contact MICHR.
Grant Editing
MICHR’s grant editor can polish your proposal prior to submission by ensuring logic, flow and clarity of ideas; creating cohesiveness across all cores and projects; and identifying red flags. To learn more or to schedule editing assistance, visit here.
Education
MICHR hosts roundtable presentations/discussions that provide an introduction to large-scale proposals, tips for developing the grant and research team, and access to MICHR services that can help you create a competitive large-scale proposal. Contact MICHR if you want them to host a roundtable with your group.