Some Reflections From the
Life and Death World of Academia:
Getting Research Funding

Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Policy

Drake University

Des Moines, IA

Completing the Dissertation

I. The Value of Outside Funding

A. Administrators love the smell of money

B. Indirect Cost Recovery

C. Funding opens doors to institutions

D. Reduces teaching load, increases research

E. It allows you to travel and acquire "things"

F. Equipment, staff and office supplies

G. Expert consultation

H. Co-investigator alliances

I. National reputation

II. Chronology of My Experience with NSF

A. October: Found the data and software

B. November: Contacted the agency

C. December: Software training (PCWGQDA) and grant search on Community of Science

D. Break: Study the Digital Government program announcement assiduously

E. Create a framework for completing the proposal

F. Start a literature review

III. Completing the Grant Proposal

A. Mastery of the documentation requirements

B. Fast Lane submission of .pdf files

C. Approval of the host institution

D. Contact with the program director

E. Specific procedural details

F. More general "how to succeed" advice

G. Multi-year, multi-agency, interdisciplinary pilot

H. A letter of support from USDA was key for me