Define Goals

  • Define Goals
  • Find Funding
  • Prepare Proposal
  • Submit Proposal
  • Award Set Up
  • Managing Projects
  • Close Out

Always keep the following questions in mind

  1. Why is this project important?
  2. Why is it an interesting/difficult/unique question?
  3. Are there ongoing or earlier research efforts that influence the outcomes of the proposed project?  What might be duplicative?

Goals/Outcomes: The purpose of your project or program (i.e. the final impact or outcome).  A goal is an overarching, long-term statement of achievement for a project or program. It’s a brief, general statement outlining the long-term effect of your work. Goals should be only one sentence.

  • Make sure they are directly related to solving the problem addressed by the sponsor
  • Use words such as decrease, deliver, develop, establish, improve, increase, produce, and provide.

Objective: The objective represents a step toward accomplishing a goal.  Use the S.M.A.R.T. method of writing your objectives. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

  • Target 3 – 5 objectives per goal (most proposals should have only 1 overarching goal but some of the larger, more complex interdisciplinary projects may have multiple goals)

Resources

STEP 2: FIND FUNDING