The Researchers' Newsletter – July 2025

Five things you must do for a successful grant application

Feedback, queries, suggestions for topics most welcome; please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • Make sure that you have a clear research question and that you argue that you are the best person to undertake the research and that it will build your career

The success of your research application will be about showing a competitive edge over others. Your project has to be well situated in the field(s), be arguably a critical ‘next research step’, be innovative but realistic. It needs to be a project that you can argue that you are the best placed person to pursue, and that you have a strong likelihood of successfully completing it and that it builds on your career trajectory in a clear way. This includes setting out research methodologies, stakeholder engagement, project plans and budgets that evidence ability to manage the project and have success.

 

  • Make your claims under each criterion and argue from evidence within and across each criterion

Put your key claims front and centre. Back them up with evidence and argue why your research question, why your intended approach, why you are the best person to do the research, that the outputs and outcomes are important and that the work will build your career. Use claims under one criterion to back up other criteria, without repetition.

 

  • Write well

Be as clear as you can – for the general audience. Minimise jargon and overly technical writing. Make any required NIT statement for the public as plain English as you can and as important for Australia as you can. You must have others read your application for clarity, for understanding as well as for the grants strategy.

 

  • Make sure your track record is correct

No lack of clarity, no gaps, no ‘fluffing it up’. Everything has to be evidence based and able to be verified. If external data bases, such as RMS, are required most of your background data will be directly taken from it. Make sure it is up to date. Test yourself how the (say, RMS) feed will be presented when down loaded.

 

  • Final draft asap – then lots of feedback

The best institutions at supporting these processes insist on very early completion of a final draft. Then there are several months available for seeking feedback from a wide range of people. Probably over 20 would not be unheard of, detractors as well as supporters.

 Next steps: RCA coaches for grants strategy and grants success. RCA has written materials that you can access to complement this coaching.