Contact Timeline and Available ServicesAnytimeIf you have any questions about our services and how we can best meet your needs, please email Indra Newman at inewman@wakehealth.edu. |
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30-Days* |
60-Days* |
90-Days* |
| · Contacting our services one round of revision · Check for clarity, grammar, style, and RFA alignment/responsiveness to critiques (resubmissions) |
· Two rounds of revision |
· Consists on a more involved participation on your proposal document preparation with up to three rounds of revision · In addition to 60-day items, may include consultation meetings and help with drafting and editing various ancillary documents · Especially recommended for complex projects (e.g., training grants, center grants, multi-center trials and career development awards) |
| *These time frames are suggested as the number of days prior to the sponsor’s deadline | ||
Scientific Editing Services Providing guidance and support for developing competitive research grant proposals.
Grant Proposal Editing Services
The CTSI Scientific Editing Services Team provides comprehensive assistance with multiple aspects of proposal preparation. We augment the assistance available to proposal writers in their home departments, by providing editing services for grant applications of all types. Our goal is to help investigators make their proposals more competitive for funding.
Our services include:
- Editing for grammar, punctuation, style, clarity, and logical flow of ideas
- Editing text for funder/mechanism guidelines
- Drafting or revising boilerplate text
- Drafting letters of support
- Training grant assistance
- Providing assistance with application revisions for resubmissions
- Drafting responses to reviewers’ comments
- Searching for potential funders
- Providing consultations for Early Career Faculty to help with proposal document planning
In addition to the above, we also curate additional resources to support your proposal preparation:
- View the PCORI Toolkit and K Award Toolkit
- View our complete collection of Checklists, Templates, and Quick Reference Guides
*Internal Submission Requirements: All proposals must be submitted to the Office of Sponsored Programs through Huron Research Suite. Final proposals should be received 3 days prior to the sponsor deadline.
Biosketches
NIH Biosketch |
Video Series: The NEW NIH Biosketch Format |
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Access NIH biosketch instructions, templates and examples. NIH has two formats for Biosketches according to the application type: Non-fellowship Biosketch: - This is the biosketch format used for all grant mechanisms that are not a fellowship (not part of the "F" series). E.g. R01 and others from R series, K series, and others - Fellowship biosketch: for fellowship applications and awards, which belong to the "F" series: F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, and F99/K00. Additional resources for biosketch preparation:- How to review for PMCID and other identifiers in NIH Biosketch citations - Biosketch preparation resources - NIH and beyond |
Watch our short video series to learn tips and suggestions on how to prepare an NIH biosketch! Note that NIH frequently updates forms and instructions - visit the NIH biosketch page for the latest information.
Previous Videos: |
The NIH's FAQ page for Biosketches contains information on which format of biosketch to use, citations rules and acceptable formats, preparation of the Contribution to Science and more. If you need help with biosketches for other types of grant proposals or other formats, please send your questions to Indra Newman at inewman@wakehealth.edu.
SciENcv
SciENcv or Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae is a researcher profile system available in My NCBI, for all investigators that apply for, receive, or are associated with federal research funding. SciENcv helps centralize your profile information, feeding from NCBI My Bibliography, NIH eRA Commons, NSF FastLane, and ORCID ID (now mandatory for NIH training grants [T series], fellowships [F series], and career development awards [K series]).
Researchers can use SciENcv to create and maintain biosketches that are submitted with grant applications and annual reports. The greatest advantage of SciENcv is that it eliminates the need to repeatedly enter biosketch information.
- NEW! National Science Foundation (NSF): Use of SciENcv for preparing a biosketch will be required beginning October 23, 2023 by NSF and is strongly encouraged for current NSF applications. SciENcv will produce an NSF compliant biosketch.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH): While not (yet) a requirement, you may also use SciENcv to prepare your NIH biosketch.
For detailed instructions on how to create your biosketch using SciENcv. Find answers to your frequently asked questions on using SciENcv.
The Wake Forest Carpenter Library has resources to help you explore and build your SciENcv.
ORCIDThe ORCID ID is a persistent digital identifier that you own and control.
Please note that ORCID ID is now mandatory for NIH training grants (T series), fellowships (F series), and career development awards (K series). Register for your ORCID ID by clicking here. The Wake Forest Carpenter Library has resources to help you with registering for your ORCID. |
Clinical Research Resources
If you are looking for resources to support the planning and preparation of clinical research studies and proposals, please take a look at the Charlotte Market Clinical Research Infrastructure Resource (click to download a Word document version or a PDF version). It contains boilerplate language to help grant proposal preparation and lists key contacts within various departments that can assist with establishing collaborations, gaining access to specific equipment and expertise, and providing on-the-ground insight that can help get things accomplished.Boilerplates
The CTSI Scientific Editing Services Team provides boilerplate text of facilities and resources provided by the institution to assist investigators in preparing grant applications, manuscripts, and other related documents.
See the entire boilerplate list by logging on to our SharePoint Boilerplate collection page. If you have updates or information that is not included, please let us know by emailing Tracey Robertson trrobert@wakehealth.edu and we will update accordingly.
Cite the CTSA
Publications and other documents resulting from utilization of WF CTSI resources are required to credit the CTSA grant. Learn how to cite the CTSA.
2023 Final NIH Policy for Data Management & Sharing - Effective January 25, 2023
Are you ready for the implementation of the changes that come with the release of the new Data Management and Sharing (DMS) policy? Please check out the following resources our team has prepared to support the transition to the new DMS plan document in preparation for grant proposals due on or after January 25th, 2023.
New DMS plan Resource collection:
In this guide, you will find a collection of helpful links to the NIH guidance on the 2023 DMS policy, including:
- Plan and budget for the managing and sharing of data
- Submit a DMS plan and budget request as part of grant proposals for review when applying for funding
- Comply with the approved DMS plan
New DMS plan preparation FAQs:
Here you will find some tips for common questions, such as:
- What does the new plan need to include?
- How do I know if the new plan is applicable to my proposal?
- What are the major changes coming with the 2023 DMS policy?
How to prepare the DMS plan for NIH grant proposals:
In these slides, you will find step-by-step guidance on how to write a new DMS Plan according to the final NIH Policy effective on and after 1/25/23, including:
- An overview of the DMS plan
- Do's and Don'ts
- Elements required to be included in the plan
- Download the most recent template of the DMS plan including boilerplate language
- The NIH has also posted several Sample Plans with language that may be helpful to draft your plan.
- Watch a panel discussion on the 2023 Final NIH Policy for Data Management & Sharing with Wake Forest faculty Justin B. Moore, PhD and Ellen Quillen, PhD, and guest participant Sr. Scientific Writer Indra M. Newman, PhD.
Grant Application Sections
View our helpful resources and tips to help you navigate the preparation of common sections of NIH proposals.NIH is committed to promoting the rigor of experimental design in research, and to increase the reproducibility of scientific experiments. Learn more and view tips from the NIH.
The NIH limits this section to 30 lines of text; other funders typically have length limits as well. Consider the Summary as your “elevator speech” to reviewers and the funder. Stress what you really want them to know about your proposal – the need for answers to a scientific question, public-health importance, or timeliness of a particular opportunity, for example. Try not to merely repeat what the Specific Aims are, since those are explained in detail elsewhere.
Be sure to mention each point you consider a strength, such as strong preliminary data, a unique animal model, or a strong investigative team. The Summary is read by all reviewers, including those not expert in the field. Keep abbreviations to a minimum and use as little jargon as possible.
This page is read the most carefully by reviewers – repeated revisions are worth the trouble Remember that if the proposal changes, the Specific Aims page needs revision too. Make sure you allow time for that critical polishing phase. The budget and justification also should match the Specific Aims.
Writing Style
- Some people like sentence fragments: “Aim 1: To examine the prevalence of X in a hitherto understudied group”
- Some like the topic sentence format: “The primary aim of this proposal is to examine the prevalence of X in a hitherto understudied group. X is a high predictor of disease Y, and…”
- But there is no one “right” approach. Writers should focus on 3 key aspects:
- Clarity
- Consistency with subsequent text
- Is it a “preview of coming attractions”? Does it whet the reader’s appetite for more?
Writing Tips
- Use the full page for the Specific Aims
- Include a paragraph of “Background” information – it will put the Aims into a broader context for the secondary reviewer
- A well-designed figure on this page (e.g. logic model or proposed mechanism of action) can be effective
- The context (e.g. gaps in knowledge, hypotheses) can precede the Aims, or follow them to segue into the “Significance” section
Keep “Significance” and “Innovation” brief – about ¾ page together. Review Tips on Significance and Innovation from the NIAID.
Significance
- Explains the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses.
- Explains how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields.
- Describes how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.
Innovation
- Explains how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms.
- Describes any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s) to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s).
- Explains any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions.
- It is reasonable that a pilot or proof-of-principle project (e.g., NIH R03 or R21) can have 2 or 3 points of innovation. More than that will strain the reviewers’ credulity.
Aim for 4/6 pages (NIH R03 or R21), or 10/12 pages (NIH R01), to be the “Approach” section. The NIH offers phenomenal guidance that is germane to any proposal topic.
Reviewers decide a proposal’s fate based on details in the Approach. Make sure you have enough room to satisfy their curiosity.
Reviewers decide a proposal’s fate based on details in the Approach. Make sure you have enough room to satisfy their curiosity.
Resource Sharing Plan
Your application may need to include a Resource Sharing plan if you are creating model organisms, plan to have a repository of final research data, or will generate data or other information related to genome-wide association studies. If so, describe your plan or plans in this section. It does not count against the page limits for the Research Strategy section, and is uploaded separately when you submit your application. Review the NIH policies on resource sharing.
Samples of Other Sections of Applications