Getting Science Grants: Effective Strategies for Funding Success [Paperback]

Thomas R. Blackburn (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787967467 | ISBN-13: 978-0787967468 | Publication Date: August 12, 2003 | Edition: 1

Getting Science Grants is your hands-on guide to writing compelling proposals that will attract funding. Written by Thomas Blackburn— a scientist, experienced grantmaker, and consultant— this book provides a step-by-step process for writing grants to support your research projects. Getting Science Grants offers you an insider's look at the motivations and inner workings of the scientific grantmaking community. No matter what your scientific discipline, Getting Science Grants will help you develop the skills you need to write dynamic proposals and

• Learn the qualities that distinguish outstanding proposals
• Write each section of the proposal clearly and persuasively
• Choose the funding agencies that will give you the best chance of winning support
• Avoid common pitfalls and mistakes when writing proposals
• Develop productive relationships with funders
• Reduce the chances of being turned down by funders
• Succeed after securing your grant

Editorial Reviews

Review

an excellent book, written by someone who has considerable experience as a scientific proposal writer, reviewer and funding program manager. -- Materials Today, 25th March 04

“…an excellent book, written by someone who has considerable experience as a scientific proposal writer, reviewer and funding program manager.” (Materials Today, 25^th March 04)

Review

"Informative and instructive in a highly readable, relaxed style, this book is invaluable for newcomers to the research-funding game and a great refresher for the rest of us. Read it and re-read it; as experienced grant writer and grants administrator Blackburn deftly blows away the mystique and guides you through the steps of grant writing— and rewriting— in a manner that encourages you to do your best, and then to build constructively on inevitable setbacks."
— Joanne Bourgeois, professor, Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington

"As increasing numbers of faculty and administrators recognize the importance of research, this publication is unique in providing timely, useful, and accurate information on grant writing. Tom Blackburn's book is rich in insights on how to navigate through this complex field and is a resource that people will come back to time and time again."
— Mitchell Malachowski, professor of chemistry, University of San Diego, and president, Council on Undergraduate Research

"As someone who has written many grant proposals I found myself wishing that I had the chance to read this book muc h earlier in my career. He covers all the bases. The book is clear and focused. It should be an invaluable tool to anyone who needs to write a first, second, or fiftieth grant application."
— Michael Kalichman, adjunct professor of pathology and director of the research ethics program, University of California at San Diego

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (August 12, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787967467
• ISBN-13: 978-0787967468
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #655,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cellist and geochemist Thomas R. Blackburn taught chemistry and geology in liberal arts colleges for over 30 years before joining the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS-PRF)as Assistant Program Manager. He retired in 2002 as Senior Program Officer of ACS-PRF. He is the author of two books on undergraduate chemistry and of Getting Science Grants, a lively, clearly written how-to book for academic scientists who seek funding for their research. He is a member of the Council on Undergraduate Research, AAAS, The Trinity Chamber Orchestra, and the Dumbarton Chamber Players. He lives in Washington DC with his wife, the poet Kate Blackburn, and two reliable dogs.
Writing as "Tom Blackburn," he has published two novels, Surviving Mozart and Thanks to Mister Merrydown, which explore and expand on his two major loves, music and academic life. A third, Balderdash, about the loves and coming-of-age of a musician and engineer, is in the works.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!, August 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Getting Science Grants: Effective Strategies for Funding Success (Paperback)

This book is GREAT!!!! Why do they make us learn all this by trial and error with tenure and support for our graduate students at stake!!! They should be training us in this kind of stuff in graduate school!!!! I now know why my proposals so far have not been very successful, and, better yet, I now know what I can do about it and I actually can hardly wait to get started!

You can tell from what's in the book that it was written by a real funding insider and I learned more about grant writing in the few hours I spent reading it than I have from all my previous proposal-writing efforts and discussions with colleagues and friends to date. I now understand that a successful proposal is not just about the science, as much as all of us would like to think it is. The author makes clear all the elements you really have to take into account, on top of the science, to have the kind of proposal that can compete successfully at places like NSF and NIH. He even demystifies budgets, how to interpret and handle reviews (the good, the bad, AND the ugly), networking with agencies, and what it is that a successful proposal needs to emphasize and where. He even gives you advice on how to find agencies where you have the most success so you can build a strong funding track record quickly. Lots of good insights that I never would have thought of (and I am going to take his advice!).

On top of all the excellent information in this book, like it says above, it is an EXTREMELY easy read. The author has a way of talking about the subject that makes you feel like you are chatting with a friend at the bar who is giving you the inside scoop on everything. I read it in two nights in about an hour or two each night. It doesn't get much better than this! I highly recommend everyone who has to write grants to fund their science to read this book. It will be the best investment in time and money you will ever make!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grant writing-the way it *should* be, September 11, 2003

By 

Cushla McKinney (Bethesda, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Getting Science Grants: Effective Strategies for Funding Success (Paperback)

For those of us who indulge ourselves in the pursuit of science, the constant quest for funds to support our habit can occupy more time than any actual "hands on" research. Justifying ones existance to a beaurocratic body, and begging for money is at best embarassing (over here, pick ME, I'm better than all those other tossers who want your cash), and at worst, downright terrifying.
At least, that's how I felt recently as I was faced with the prospect of submitting my first ever grant application. Not only did I struggle to convince myself I had ideas and skills worth selling, I had no idea of how to go about it. Sure the application form gave a vague idea-title, abstract, background-what did they actually want to KNOW? How was I supposed to sound confident and competent without sounding like an egomaniac? How should I present a solid, reasonable proposal without it being deathly boring or promising unachievable breakthroughs?
Finding Thomas Blackburn's "Effective Strategies for Funding Sucess" was a real stroke of luck. It not only answers questions such as these in an entertaining and easily read style, it includes a series of exercises that allow you to give good (and bad) strategies a go BEFORE you face the real thing. It gives a detailed description of what most funding bodies want to find out from each section, a discussion of how these criteria can be met, and descriptions of what differentiates a bad from a good from an exceptional application. It also contains many sensible (but often overlooked) reminders such as "read the abstract again after finishing the detailed proposal section to make sure they agree with one another".
I read the book before starting, and then used it to guide me as I wrote each section, and found that I was much more confident the way I wrote than I would have been otherwise. I also found that I felt better about my own abilities as a scientist, and much less of a fraud, because the final product looked and sounded very professional. I would recommend this book to anybody who is contemplating their first application, or who finds grant writing a harrowing or unsuccessful occupation. I also think that working through the steps outlined in the book could also be used as a self-assessment tool, because having to examine ones own research in terms of funding application is a great way to check the direction and focus of what you are doing right now. I thank Dr Blackburn for providing such a readable, comprehensive and timely guide. I hope it helps many people as much as it helped me.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a "how-to" manual and more, December 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Getting Science Grants: Effective Strategies for Funding Success (Paperback)

Among the relatively few books available that focus on getting science grants, "Getting Science Grants" is unquestionably the very best of the bunch. Blackburn has the perfect mix of credentials (college professor, research scientist, grants officer) to craft this concise treatment of the whole enchilada, from concept development through proposal writing, revision, submission (and resubmission), and grant administration. Giving frank, qualified advice in friendly prose, the author succeeds in creating more than just a "how-to manual" for scientific proposal writing. In roughly a hundred pages, this book shares insight on the science research funding process that would only be acquired by a decade or more of study in the school of hard knocks. As one whose career success is significantly influenced by external funding success, I couldn't recommend Blackburn's book more strongly.