I was a bit of a featherweight in my posting schedule last week. Sorry about that. As we move into October my posts might get increasingly erratic – I think I have a deadline every week for the next few months.

As I mentioned last week, I am trying to get clarification on the binning process and have been sent reams of information by NSERC that I need to wade through. I think that I am starting to understand things a bit better, but unfortunately it also raises more questions and concerns about the process. Hopefully, I can collect my thoughts on this topic so that I can post them later this week.

For anyone that is visiting the blog for the first time and would like to see post summaries, use the drop down box on the left sidebar to search for the category “recap” or click this link and you will find posts that summarize the blog topics over the past few weeks.

Here is a recap of last week’s posts:

Grantsmanship = positioning for success covered some basic grantsmanship principles such as following the rules, taking ownership and avoiding ego creep.

DG2010 – Hurdling writing reluctance focuses on another element of grantsmanship, which is getting something on paper. Procrastination can kill a grant application before it starts, as inadequate preparation generally shines through.

While not directly related to the NSERC Discovery competition, the post SSHRC tips and tricks includes some handy links similar to my much earlier post Discovery 2010 – Important Links (which someone told me they made their homepage).

Speaking of feeling loved, thanks to Rob Annan of Researcher Forum for the kind word on the DG2010 post series and linking to my blog. If you ever have the time or interest to learn more about Canadian research policy and relevant news, this blog is definitely worth a read. Rob always has well thought out insights into the news of the day and also hosts and writes CanadaResearchFunding.org that contains many resources for Canadian health researchers.

While a five page proposal isn’t terribly daunting, there are many different pieces of information that need to be pulled together to make a proposal work. Whether you are applying for an NSERC Discovery, a CIHR Operating or a SSHRC Standard grant – it is important to understand the basics of grantsmanship and common pitfalls to avoid.

The best reference for grantsmanship is Dr. Jacob Kraicer’s 1997 article “The Art of Grantsmanship. I have posted this before, but I still believe that there are important kernels of information that every new and returning applicant should keep in mind.

Even if you are overwhelmed with the required reading already on your desk, make the time for the 12 pages of

You will not regret it.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s President, Alain Beaudet, announced that CIHR will be providing a one-time supplement to all operating grants awarded in the Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 competitions. It appears that grant holders will receive (on average) a 3% retroactive increase in funding.

Interesting.