A grant application is a very targeted document. It is used to determine whether your research will get funding. A business plan for your research program, if you will. As with any funding request, whether it be from a granting agency, a bank or a venture capitalist, you have to make sure that you give the funder the information that they are looking for so that they know you will give them what they want.

In the case of NSERC, they want to “make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports university students in their advanced studies, promotes and supports discovery research, and fosters innovation by encouraging Canadian companies to participate and invest in postsecondary research projects. NSERC researchers are on the vanguard of science, building on Canada’s long tradition of scientific excellence.”

Canadian scientist = check!
Discovery research on the vanguard of science = read all about it in my proposal!

NSERC helps applicants by clearly spelling out the criteria evaluators/reviewers are measuring applications against. Print out a copy of the selection criteria and the evaluation indicators and look at them often to make sure that you are addressing each of the selection/evaluation points. I cannot stress how important this is.

Of course your research is important and significant, but if you don’t tell your reviewers why it is important and significant and how it will deliver on NSERC’s key goals, they aren’t going to help you out by approving you for funding.