The Academic Revolution

76. What Gets Your Grant Funded: Boost Your Impact Beyond Science and Data

Inga Hofmann

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In this episode of the Academic Revolution Podcast, we’ll explore the often-overlooked factors that influence grant funding success. Drawing from her extensive experience in academic medicine, Inga highlights the importance of appealing to the emotional aspects of grant reviewers, crafting a compelling narrative, and focusing on both problem and solution orientation. She offers practical tips on how to write an impactful grant that stands out in a competitive field. Tune in to understand how selling your grant effectively can increase your chances of securing funding.

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Grant writing is the bread and butter off. Academic. Job security And let's face it. It's not always that easy. And when your grant gets de. Or has a poor funding score, then it's a real punch in the gut. You put all the work in and you didn't get funded into your wonder, why that is in this episode, we're going to look at some hidden factors that might not be so obvious to you by this happens, stay tuned for after the music and we will be right back. Well, welcome back to another. Episode of the academic revolution podcast. I'm so glad you are here. My name is Inga Hoffman. I'm the host. For this show and I have been an academic medicine for two decades. And I struggled a lot, so I like to share. Tips and thoughts. And we understood this things I learned along the way that has helped me to overcome the challenges of academic medicine in this very podcast episode today is titled what gets your grant funded? Because let's face it. We all want to get our grants funded because. Funding and manuscripts are the currency of academic medicine. They. There's just no way around it for most of us. But it can be really frustrating when your grant doesn't get funded. And understanding why that is. This very episode is actually inspired by a wonderful discussion we had in a Facebook group. Full of academic physicians. And I thought I will just talk about some aspects that are perhaps not so obvious. Y your grant doesn't get funded. With that said. There can be so many reasons why your grant doesn't get funded. Obviously the payline the competition. Review a number two, right? We always joke about that. And get frustrated with all the comments. If you do get review or comments, And all of these factors are definitely factors that play into whether you get funded or not, but let's face it. None of these factors are truly under your control. You don't control the pay line. Neither do you control review number two, and that can be super frustrating. So what I will say over and over again. When We look at academic medicine and our careers. Is that we have to look at the factors that we can actually control. What are the things that we can do to make our lives better, to have higher chances of success and to take the steps that are needed for us to just help moving forward every step of the way. So what is in your control with grant writing? Is really pretty obvious in some ways, obviously we want to make sure we put our best foot forward and write an excellent grant. That is well laid out. And it's a beautiful proposal to read. And then of course, we want to make sure that it is a relevant and well laid out scientifically that it doesn't have major flaws. And we could talk about those a lot. And honestly, that is subject matter expertise. And that's why you have mentors that give you feedback no matter where you are in your career. To help you. Kind of see the blind spots of writing a grant with excellence, especially to identify scientific blind spots or loopholes. So. That is really important. But I don't want to talk about these obvious things so much. But rather look at some of the hidden factors. The last thing I wanted to mention, and this is also kind of a teaser for the next episode. You do want to make sure that you put sufficient time into your grant writing, you know, the best work needs time. So what it seems obvious. I know that many of us are struggling with getting things together last minute, just because we juggle so many different things. And I just want to point out What seems to be obvious, but it go to grant just will take a good amount of time to really get it in a stage. In an, a product. That is not sort of half put together in a time crunch. But rather well-thought out and that just takes time. So we're going to talk about that aspect in the next episode, because I know many people struggled with that. I want to give you some practical tips. But for today, I really want to focus on the aspect of what can we do and what are the hidden factors. That sometimes. Are critically important to get our grant funded, but that don't seem so obvious. So today let's look at this one less known factor. And this probably sounds a little funny to you. But we must sell our grant. You and I, when we write grants, any proposals, you really need to sell your product. And you're like, Why shouldn't I just put my best science forward and should enter their scientific merit and my writing. Be the part that gets me funded. Shouldn't the data speak for itself. And the answer is yes and no. Obviously your science needs to be solid. But guess what hundreds of grants go in with you? A timeline? Under the same Institute at NIH. Or wherever you get your funding from. And chances are a good chunk and a good majority. Have great science. They have great proposals. They're scientifically well thought out. And so that is a given. So I don't want to speak about that again. How to spend time to actually do that well, but going to talk in the next episode. But let's say you, a scientific outline is really excellent. Like the scientific idea. The proposal, the methods. The pitfalls are all very well thought out and done well. Great. But then how do you actually stick out? In the sea, an ocean of other grants that their reviewers need to review with limited time. And that is really the aspect. When it comes to selling your grant, you got to sell the product, you gotta sell the story to them. And he has what I know. That all of us at some level. Do not make decisions based on pure data and analytics. But we make decisions on an emotional level. And the might sound, a little surprising to you, and you might think, no, I don't do that. Especially our scientifically inclined people. We think we make rational decisions all the time. But in fact, we don't. In fact, I would challenge you and say that. Aspect, you're listening to this podcast right now. You probably already have some emotions. And conscious or subconscious thoughts in your head. That just determined whether you like me, whether you want to further listen to this, whether this is worth your time or not. And that's totally normal. And we make those decisions consciously or subconsciously. On an emotional level. And the same is happening when we look at grants. In fact, I do remember a time when I reviewed. Grants for. I need a foundation and it was a lot of fun to do that with wonderful colleagues. And he know you'll read through a number of grants and a lot of them are really quite excellent proposals. And from some very, very well respected people. But they were certain grants. You could tell, I had sort off a somewhat emotional response in either direction. It. Me really excited for some reason. And it wasn't just because of the science. Or it kind of felt blah, as. As I was reading it and not because it wasn't well thought out or written. And I realized later when I came back to it. Wow. I made a decision based on an emotional state and emotional response that maybe that grant triggered in me. And so I laid up was like, I don't actually know why I graded at the lower than some others, because it's really an excellent proposal. A lot of times you do a buying decisions. All the time based on an emotional decision. And because of that, because that's how we wired as people. I think it is very important that we keep them in mind as we're writing grants. And I think we have a lot of times comes into play. It's not so much in the methods section and how you lay out the proposal in terms of just the scientific aspects and the pitfalls. And how are you going to go about. Doing the research and the analysis, et cetera, but it often comes down to the impact statements, which are critically important, right? We all want our work to be impactful in some ways, whether you are on the more basic research and whether translational or even clinical, and we're hoping to make an impact. At some level. And a lot of times, I think we've all done this. I have done this and I have read it and you have read it multiple times. Ah, these generalized blanket impact statements at the end off a. Grant proposal or even manuscripts and publications. Where we say things like, well this study will lead to future understanding of disease X, Y, Z, and a possible new therapies. For disease or complication, why. And we kind of read these generalized statements and you're like, yeah. Or. At the end of a publication, further studies are needed to blah, blah, blah. Of course they have further studies needed. We searched as always that way. Right. And never ends. You never have a question completely answered. That's the fun of it. It's like an evolving cycle of investigating more and deeper as we learn more. So I wanted to share a few quick tips that hopefully will help you just being a little bit more thoughtful. Number one. Understand that every decision we make, especially if by your decision and think about your reviewers. buyers of your grant, you're selling them an idea, a proposal, in fact, yes, you want money for that? Right? So you can carry it out. So understand that you need to appeal to the emotional aspects of that reader. So you cannot just keep it cut and dry. That's why we often say, you know, tell a story as you write your grant. Now it doesn't have to be always personal and super emotional, but it means that you want to a Voke, an emotional response, whether it's excitement or. Desperation for that's a strong word for a certain disease that is maybe having really poor outcomes. You want to take the reader on a clear journey. To evoke an emotional response to get them really excited about it. So that's one part and I think the. Sort of background and introduction section as well as then the impact statement. Is really a great place where we can put that in. And keep in mind as somebody else is reading that. Give it to other people and see if it evokes an emotional response. Are they excited to read this? Are they like, oh my, I really have no clue what you're talking about. This is not even my subject matter expertise, but give me the money kind of thing, and actually have giving you a practical example in the business world. I've been in business type of coaching programs. Since I run a business. As well as hearing just people pitch their ideas. And I have seen and heard such excellent proposals from other people. Totally. I could care less of what they are doing it. Wasn't my subject matter expertise. It wasn't necessarily a product I needed. I wasn't their ideal client. Yet, when I listened to the pitch or proposal or looking at their. Webpage at their sales page, what they were offering. And I was looking at either reading the copy or listening to the words. I was like, wow. And this is so good, even I'm not your ideal client and I don't even need this product. This was such a good proposal. Not just based on data or how important this is, and maybe we're results and statistics about using that product or service. But based on the emotional response. That I was like, wow, I'm ready to give you. All my money, even though I don't need, but what you just proposed to me? It was that good. And you want to have that in mind as you're selling your grant. They want to feel like, oh my goodness, I cannot wait to fund this person. This is so awesome. And again, it's not because of just data. It is because of an emotional response and connection you are creating often on a subconscious level. So that is really important appeal to the emotional aspects. Take the buyer, meaning their grant for view all. On a journey. So that they can really feel like, whoa, I'm getting kind of into the story. And I want to be part of the next step, meaning that you're funded. Also make sure that what you're having in your grant is problem and solution oriented. So he has a problem and he is my solution. Of course, you don't know if his solution's gonna work yet. Right. That's why you're doing research. But have a clear problem stated here is something we are facing here is something we don't know yet. These are the consequences. And then have a solution. So that in the end they read our fields. Wow. That is a solution to this problem. That gets us a step closer to at least finding an answer. And. That again, provokes in emotional response on some level because people get excited when you're reading about a problem. Our minds go to a wild. Wow. That's it. That is a problem. If you stated at what, how, how do we find a solution for that? So, problem solution orientated as really important. And then people in the sales world say sell them what they want, but give them what they need. So you may sometimes have to look at What do the people want? We have often ideas of what the reviewers is, want what we want to give them. We have perfect answers. And in part is because we are thinking about this material all the time. But always put yourself in the shoes. Of quote, unquote, the buyer, the grand Ruby you are and say, what is it. That they want. What does that they want to see, which might not be exactly what you think. Is important or what they want to see. And I think that is where it often becomes challenging for us because we are the subject matter exports. They might be subject matter experts to some degree, hopefully. But there. Aren't always subject matter experts. And then that case, we have to be making sure we can take them on a journey and still make them believers and buyers and buyers into our idea, even though they are not subject matter experts. And again, that is putting yourself in the shoes and seeing. What would they want? And I think that challenge, especially when you're talking to somebody who isn't your same subject matter expert as. That because we are further along in their journey. Meaning we know more. We think about this stuff all the time. It is often hard for us to conceptualize the very basic ideas. And I would encourage you to help you with that. Going back to your journey. Go back in time when you were not yet the expert in your field, in your scientific or clinical field. And talk from that perspective, because that is likely where your grant for viewers that doesn't necessarily mean dumb it down or being completely Sort of basic, but help them understand what you are seeing. Because the part is. That our perspective. I have people that think about a certain area of expertise all the time is very, very obvious to you. That's why you're the expert. That's why people come to you. But it isn't obvious to the other person. And it might not be obvious to the grand reviewer. It might not be even obvious to a colleagues. And if you're a subject matter expert in clinical expertise, I have very rare niche diseases that people come to me for that I used to get. When I was still in Boston, I used to get. Second opinion consults from all over the country for wherever you are. We are niche diseases. I founded a nonprofit for that. And the interesting part is that things seemed so basic to me that I'm like, these are all no brainer to me. I mean, why do people even ask me these obvious questions? When he has the thing. They will obvious to me as the subject matter expert, but they were not at all obvious to even experts in my field. For example. I would talk to pediatric hem-onc doctors. In well, think they know all the stuff that I do. But no, that wasn't always true. I was a subject matter expert in very rare ultra rare. Niche diseases. There might have been subject matter experts in other diseases. So you see this in medicine all the time, especially in academia. And we have to remember what is obvious to you? Isn't obvious to the grand reviewer. So you really have to take them on that journey and then give them. The clues and the steps, they need to connect the dots and see that storyline come through. And then that might mean that you might to have to give them some breadcrumbs. That they need in order for you. To get the story across and get funded. Even though it seems to you like, well, Ah, that's obvious. And then the last thing about, say To step away from this very generic impact statements, really think through. Where we specifically. How this would be impactful, perhaps. It will be helpful to journal on a couple of questions. If you would reflect on what would success look like for this particular grant? That you're proposing. At the end of the funding period. Let's say in a couple years from now in three to five years from now. What would success look like? Really journal on it and craft a picture that you can see in your mind. And then verbalize it in such a way. That the reviewer can see that picture UBT wanted in that impact statement. I can not. These generic sentences of this study will help us in future understanding of disease X, Y, Z M you know, help us to discover potential treatments. I mean, how often have I written and read that? Nonsense. Intense. Before, but we feel like, okay, I need an impact statement. Okay. That's an impact. Right. We always hope there is a clinical impact even to a basic study. But really that's not impacted at all. That's just giving lip service. So you eat one tool reflect how would success look like maybe journal on that really visualize how that will look like even perhaps have a patient in mind is, think about that scenario. I was just talking to a coaching client the other day who actually really could conceptualize it and say, wow, I can see my patient coming into clinic and experiencing X, Y, Z. And it was amazing. So that's what we're looking for. So you want to. Conceptualize that visualize that and then write that down. In your own boards, and then you can wordsmith that for the impact statement so that the reader would say. Wow. I feel I'm there with you. I'm feeling like I'm there with you at the end of this journey, and I can see what you are seeing with your help with you riding through the end. And that's why I want to get you funded. So I hope that helped you. Remember by Urus meaning grant review S don't just make decisions based on data and intellect. That's important. Let's just say to be very clear, that is a given. That your grant is excellent in terms to off scientific merit and outline and scientific method and pitfalls and all these things. That should be a given. And that is something you can think about with your mentors and other people. But remember that we all make decisions, not just on intellectual things, but we make decisions based on emotions. So see how you can. Speak and appeal to an emotional aspects. Make sure that you take the grand for view. On a journey in your grant. Be sure to be problem and solution orientated. Make sure that you understand what they know and don't know. So sell them what they want and give them what. They need in the end to again, get carry on this journey and understanding what you are. Service your research will lead to, and then make an impact statement that is highly specific. I know your book probably feel like, well, I don't know all these things yet. Well, you're not promising the impact. That's why you do the research, but let's say your research is successful. What, what the end of that success look like? So I hope this served you stay tuned. For the next episode. Where we will talk a little bit about the timing of writing grants. So we are not so much in this last minute, hassle. if the serve tool shared with other people share this podcast with as many people as you know, Subscribe to the show, because that really helps a lot. To just increase, reach and visibility because we want to help as many academic physicians. As we can. And so with that have a wonderful day. Talk to you next week. And Say to you and far after the music by.