Evidence-based strategies for delivering grant writing skills to clinical and translational science faculty in the Mountain West

TL;DR

This paper describes how grant writing workshops helped researchers in clinical and translational science improve their skills and secure funding.

Contribution

The paper presents a successful model for delivering grant writing workshops in both virtual and in-person formats.

Findings

Participants showed improved knowledge and confidence in NIH grant writing after attending workshops.

12 participants secured external funding with a 21% success rate and over $12 million in total funding.

Workshops were effective regardless of being in-person or virtual during the pandemic.

Abstract

Acquiring the skills to obtain extramural funding is a major challenge for early- and mid-career investigators. The Professional Development Core (PDC) of the NIH-funded Mountain West Clinical and Translational Research Infrastructure Network (MW CTR-IN) aims to support early-stage and mid-career investigators pursuing independent careers in clinical and translational science research. Since 2018, the PDC’s Grant Writing Workshops (GWWs) have provided CTR investigators with didactic content and interactive feedback on their NIH grant applications, helping them reach this key career milestone. Four one-day GWWs were offered in person, and two half-day GWWs were offered virtually across two days during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evaluation data for each cohort revealed that participants’ knowledge and confidence in the relevant sections of NIH R-series grants consistently improved following GWW attendance and resulted in notable enhancements in participants’ feelings of positivity toward grant writing, regardless of delivery mode (virtual vs. in-person). Follow-up data showed that 12 GWW participants acquired external funding with a 21% success rate and $12,584,938 in total funding. This manuscript provides a roadmap for planning and implementing a successful virtual or in-person GWW that positively impacts the careers of early-stage and mid-career investigators.

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