To continue our series on listening in the research funding process, this week we will consider how you can ‘listen’ for what’s really being said in writing.

Reading the Announcement

At first, it’s a good idea to simply scan an Announcement to learn if there could be an opportunity for you there. However, if you do decide to start writing, read the entire document. Keep in mind that the format of Announcements can differ. Sometimes, almost all of the information you need will be contained within one document. Alternatively, you may be referred to other documents for preparation instructions, topic areas or other information.

Whether it’s within the Announcement or another document, locate the evaluation criteria and read those before you start writing. How much information is provided here can also vary, but you want to make sure you understand exactly what you are writing to. Keep in mind that while you may have one impression from your read of the document, understanding how each of the evaluation criteria contributes to a total score lets you ‘hear’ directly the intent of the sponsor. This is objective info and keeps you from getting the wrong impression from a lengthy text about the aim of a program. When multiple people read a document they often take away different messages. There’s less ambiguity in the evaluation criteria.

After you have a rough draft of your project summary and description, go back and read the Announcement again. You will hear something different this time. Now that you’ve really engaged with your own material in the context of the call, information from the Announcement that didn’t jump out at you before will. Of course, when you have questions throughout the writing process, you refer back to the Announcement, but the suggestion here is to give it a reread even if you don’t think you have questions or need clarification. When you do, you will usually find one or two points you want to add to your proposal that directly address what the sponsor is looking for.

Reviewing other media from the sponsor

After considering the Announcement and related documents, pull the lens back and consider more general information from the sponsor. This can be found on government agency or sponsor websites and social media accounts.

Government agency websites vary greatly both in how easy they are to navigate and how up-to-date they are. Even so, information on their websites provides broader context for what you read in an Announcement. Even if you are very familiar with a particular agency and don’t feel you need to review their site, it’s worth visiting to learn about any new initiatives or emphasis areas that may be relevant to your proposed research.

Similarly, some organizations have a strong presence on social media and some do not. Look for them on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and/or Facebook.

Here are examples of valuable information that you can learn from sponsor websites or social media accounts:

• New initiatives relevant to your research that you can reference in your proposal

• Events (including virtual ones) that you may want to attend

• Contact information for people you can connect with on LinkedIn or email with questions

• Information on currently funded work, intramural or extramural

• Examples of the types of research projects the sponsor has recently highlighted

This type of information will not only help you frame your research in a way to best capture the attention of the sponsor but it will also show that you took the time to dig a little deeper, that is, that you care. Staff at mission-driven organizations care about the mission, and they are looking for partners in advancing it. Doing this extra work shows you are listening, and that goes a long way in gaining a receptive audience for your proposed research.

Next week, I’ll discuss how listening can support and grow new collaborations with government scientists and engineers.

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