Proposal Writing Assistance
Proposal Writing Workshops
The Graduate College conducts workshops introducing students to the art of proposal writing. Most of our workshops are offered in Coble Hall, but we also offer workshops to interested departments or on-campus groups. To request a workshop, contact Dr. Ken Vickery, Director of External Fellowships, at ExtFellowships@illinois.edu or 217-333-3464.
One-on-One Review & Critique of Proposals
The Graduate College can help you refine your fellowship or grant proposal. Once you have completed a draft that encapsulates a well-defined project and has been reviewed by your advisor, and once you are ready for an outside reviewer to offer critical comments and suggestions for improvement, we can serve as that outside reviewer. To access this service, you need to submit us your draft early, preferably four weeks ahead of the deadline. To make an appointment, contact Dr. Ken Vickery, Director of External Fellowships, at ExtFellowships@illinois.edu or 217-333-3464.
Proposal-Writing Guides
There are excellent articles, websites, and books designed to help students write effective proposals. Here are our recommendations:
For the humanities and social sciences:
- The Making of a Successful Proposal.
- The Art of Writing Proposals.
- Berkeley Dissertation Proposal Workshop.
- Scholarly Pursuits: A Guide to Professional Development during the Graduate Years. Chapter Five: Grantsmanship in Support of Study or Research – Writing a Fellowship Proposal.
- Writing Proposals for ACLS Fellowship Competitions.
- Grant Proposals (or Give Me the Money!)
For science, technology, engineering, and math:
- How to Win a Graduate Fellowship.
- Advice for Applying for Graduate Science Fellowships
- Advice for Applicants to the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
- National Science Foundation’s A Guide for Proposal Writing.
- How to Win a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship - Sept. 2011 Workshop - PowerPoint Slides.
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Guide Sheets for crafting Personal Statement, Previous Research Experience Statement, & Proposed Plan of Research Statement – courtesy of Dr. Robin Walker and the University of Missouri.
- Workshop – NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Fellowship – Jim Slauch’s presentation.
- Workshop – NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Fellowship – Lori Raetzman’s presentation
- NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Fellowship Application Checklist
- Funding Your Research: How to Apply for an NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein/F30-31 Fellowship.
- Video of NIH Proposal Review Process.
Books on NIH Proposals:
- Yang, Otto O. Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write an Effective NIH Grant Application. 2005. New York: Springer Science Business Media, Inc.
- Ogden, Thomas E., and Goldberg, Israel, A. Research Proposals: A Guide to Success, Third Edition. 2002. San Diego: Academic Press.
Books on NSF and Related Science Proposals:
- Friedland, Andrew J., and Folt, Carol L. Writing Successful Science Proposals, Second Edition. 2009. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Sample Proposals In-House
The Fellowship Office maintains a catalogue of successful proposals written by Illinois students. We have proposals for NSF, NDSEG, Fulbright-Hays, Fulbright IIE, Google, Spencer, DAAD, and several others. If you would like to obtain copies, contact Dr. Ken Vickery, Director of External Fellowships, at vickeryk@illinois.edu.
Sample Proposals Online
- Rachel C. Smith (NSFs).
- Dissertation Proposal Workshop (Fulbrights, NSFs).
- Scholarly Pursuits: A Guide to Professional Development during the Graduate Years. Chapter Five: Grantsmanship in Support of Study or Research – Writing a Fellowship Proposal.
Advice on Writing a Personal Statement
General Writing Tips
- Style for Students Online - courtesy of Joe Schall and Penn State's College of Earth & Mineral Sciences.
- Strunk & White's The Elements of Style.
- Dan Simon's Writing Guide - Psychologist and author of "The Invisible Gorilla" provides guidance on how scholars can communicate to a wider audience, which is key to job talks and public presentations as well as to grant proposals.