AE9171 Writing grant proposals

    • Course code
      AE9171
    • Number of credits
      2
    • Teaching semester
      2025 Autumn
    • Language of instruction and examination
      English
    • Campus
      Evenstad
Course content
  • Introduction to proposal writing as a competitive and strategic process
  • Understanding a call text
  • Writing style, perspective of funding agencies and reviewers
  • Planning phase: Identification of a competitive project idea and design of a concept
  • Introduction to basic sections of a proposal
  • Abstract/Summary
  • Aim and objectives
  • Background and state of the art
  • Work concept
  • Work plan/Implementation plan
  • Gantt and PERT diagram as visualisation elements and diagnostic tools
  • Risk analysis and contingency planning
  • Relevance and impact
  • Budget planning
  • Data management and Open Science
  • Ethics and sex/gender issues in research
  • Formal and contextual criteria for evaluation

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The candidate...

  • has knowledge of all aspects of grant proposals writing, from research ideas to submission of application.
  • has knowledge of current rules and regulations for writing grant proposals and good application practice.
  • has knowledge of relevant funding sources to their research area and how to write successful applications for research funding.
Skills

The candidate...

  • can understand the reviewers’ reading behavior.
  • knows how to argument about the relevance and importance of a research idea.
  • can engage the reviewer to advocate on their behalf to the review panel.
  • can design good applications for research funding.
General competence

The candidate...

  • Understands how to develop and present a research idea by matching it to the objectives of the targeted funding body.
  • Has the competence to comply with formalities and manage timelines and deadlines in accordance with different funding bodies.
  • Has the competence to develop a work plan with milestones, deliverables and contingency plans.
  • Understands the role of proposal writing in a competitive marketplace of research ideas and as an instrument for career advancement.
Working and teaching methods

The participants will submit a “mini-proposal” of max. 2 pages describing an own research idea. This mini-proposal will be part of the training material used in the course. Lectures and preparation and re-writing of the proposal before, during and after the course. After the course the students have one-on one meetings with the professors to discuss the final version of the proposal.

Compulsory activities

Participation in the intensive course 80%

Examination
Form of assessmentGrading scaleGroupingDuration of assessmentSupport materialsProportionComments
Home examination
Passed - not passed
Individual
Form of assessment

Final version of mini-proposal

Course name in Norwegian Bokmål: 
Writing grant proposals
Faculty
Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology
Department
Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management
Area of study
Matematisk-naturvitenskapelige fag/informatikk
Programme of study
PhD in Applied Ecology and biotechnology
Course level
Doctoral degree level (900-FU)