Are you submitting a proposal to a new program or funder for the first time? Are you working on a resubmission? Do you have an idea for a grant but are unsure if it is a good fit? If so, reaching out to a Program Officer is a very helpful part of submitting a successful proposal for funding.
Federal funding agencies such as the NSF, NIH, and NEH encourage potential applicants to reach out to a program officer to discuss new submissions, ideas, and resubmissions before submitting the funding proposal. Grant seekers should make this their first action item when considering applying for a grant. A program officer's contact information is typically listed within the contacts section of a Request for Proposal (RFP), or on the program's website.
When reaching out to a program officer, make sure to first provide them with a one page overview of your idea so that they can review this ahead of time, and then ask for a meeting to discuss your proposal. From there, the program officer can help you determine appropriate funding opportunities, discuss appropriateness for a specific RFP, and even offer suggestions on timing your submission. When considering a resubmission, make sure to discuss the summary statement from peer reviewers with your program officer before diving into the full resubmission.
Program Officers can:
- Let you know if your proposal idea is a good fit for the funding opportunity
- Let you know of other programs that might be a better fit for your proposal
- Provide general advice on writing the proposal
- Let you know about current trends in funding
Be sure to reach out to them early - well before the proposal deadline - so that you have enough time to incorporate their guidance into the proposal.
Below is a general list of items to include within the one page overview. The purpose of the overview is to provide the program officer with enough information so they can determine if your idea is a good fit for the funding opportunity. Keep in mind that some sponsors or programs may require specific information that is a bit different from the points below.
Include the following in your one-page overview:
- Title of the proposal and the program you want to apply to
- A brief project summary, including significance, objectives, and a description of the proposed work
- Project impact, such as intellectual merit, broader impacts, policy related impact, and the fit with the sponsor's mission, vision, values
In the email you should also include information about your expertise, describing how your experience demonstrates your capacity to lead the project.
Finally, remember to thank the project officer for their time and provide your full contact information.
September 28, 2023