Grant Proposal Development Workshop

The annual Grant Proposal Development Workshop is an intensive and comprehensive hands-on writing program for faculty interested in developing or revising a proposal.

The 2025 series is divided into two parts.

• PART 1: Open to all faculty and postdocs, but material is geared towards early career faculty and postdocs with little grant-writing experience.
• PART 2: Open by application only for a cohort of 10-15 faculty at any career stage and any level of grant-writing experience who have identified a funding opportunity and are planning to submit a proposal in the next year. Participants will receive personalized support, review, and feedback.

Below is a table summarizing sessions for the 2025 series. You may find details and registration information for Part 1 and Part 2 below.

Please email: RD@uml.edu for any questions.

Series Schedule

Part-01PART 1 - Open to all UMass Lowell Faculty and Postdocs

Please register for each session in Part 1 individually at the bottom of the page.

Sessions (all virtual)

1.1. Grant Writing Essentials: Getting Started

Thursday, April 10: 10:30 a.m. - noon

This first session lays the foundation for anyone interested in applying for extramural funding. Presenters will cover topics such as finding funding opportunities, understanding a funding agency, dissecting a solicitation, identifying agency priorities and review criteria, and the resources on campus available as you get started.

1.2 Grant Writing Essentials: Preparing to Submit a Proposal

Tuesday, April 15, 10:30 a.m. - noon

You’ve found the right funding opportunity for your project. What’s next? Presenters will share strategies that will set you up for success in proposal development including talking to a program officer, researching prior awardees, finding appropriate collaborators and partners, developing a project management plan agreeable to all team members, and addressing the impact of your research.

1.3 Critical First Page

Thursday, April 17, 2025: 10 a.m. – noon

Led by Peg AtKisson of the AtKisson Training Group, this session reviews strategies for writing the critical first page of a proposal. From developing and articulating specific aims to effective wordsmithing, participants learn the importance and nuances of crafting a compelling first page.

Part-02PART 2 - By Application Only, Cohort of 10-15 Faculty Members

Part 2 is organized with time in between sessions for participants to complete parts of a proposal with feedback along the way. Participants work with ORD staff to set goals and agree upon completing specific portions of their proposal by the end of the series. ORD staff will continue to work with participants to bring their proposal over the finish line.

Important Dates

Application Information

By May 2, faculty must submit an application to participate in Part 2. Please check back for the link to the application submission form. Applicants must:

• Be a faculty member at UMass Lowell (UML) at any career stage
• Identify one target funding opportunity with a proposal deadline between October 1, 2025 and October 1, 2026. (Applicants may identify a funding opportunity that is already announced or expected to be announced within this timeframe).
• Provide a summary of their project idea
• Commit to attend all Part 2 sessions
• Commit to submitting a draft of a proposal (sections agreed upon with your ORD staff member) to ORD by August 22
• Consider continuing working with your assigned ORD staff to submit the proposal

Please submit your application for Part 2 by May 2.

Sessions (all virtual)

2.1 Meet-and-Greet and Introductions

2.2 Project Summaries and Specific Aims Pages

Thursday, June 5, 2025: 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Tailored to your specific funding agency, ORD staff will review techniques to craft an effective first page that will hook the reviewer and demonstrate the impact of your project.

ORD Consultations

Week of June 16, 2025: one hour TBD

ORD staff will schedule a one-on-one consultation with you to provide personalized support. ORD will work with each participant to define individual goals and set expectations for the portions of the proposal to be completed by the end of the workshop. 

2.3 Proposal Narratives

Tuesday, July 8, 2025: 10 a.m. - noon

Tailored to your specific funding agency, ORD staff will highlight key characteristics of a compelling proposal narrative.

ORD Consultations

Week of July 14, 2025: one hour TBD

ORD staff will schedule a follow-up consultation to answer any questions and support you as you write at your own pace. ORD will help keep you on track towards your goals.

2.4 Mid-series Check-in

Tuesday, July 22, 2025: 10 - 11 a.m.

Gather as a group to share progress. ORD will host an informal discussion and activity to keep the momentum going.

2.5 Budgeting Basics with the Office of Sponsored Programs

Tuesday, July 29, 2025: 10 - 11 a.m.

A well-planned budget and persuasive budget justification are critical for convincing reviewers that your proposed project will have the resources to succeed. The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) will explain typical components of proposal budgets, the process for drafting and refining your budget prior to submission, and how to prepare a compelling budget justification.

2.6 Supplementary Documents

Tuesday, August 5, 2025: 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Tailored to your specific funding agency, ORD staff will discuss best practices for supplementary documents such as biosketches, descriptions of facilities and equipment, data management plans, and more.

2.7 Full Group Debrief

Tuesday, August 12, 2025: 10 - 11 a.m.

As we near the end of the workshop, the cohort will gather to discuss wins, challenges, and feedback. The group will discuss ways to continue to support each other even after the workshop. Part-1-Registration