The Research Development Office offers a review and editing service for grant proposals, including:
- Candid notes on strengths and weaknesses in promoting your project;
- Suggestions to increase appeal, based on research of your target funder and competition;
- Formatting/design of headings, tables, graphics, etc. for efficient flow of ideas;
- Review of grammar, spelling, math, and editing for length if needed.
The service is available to all WashU departments, though not designed to provide subject matter expertise or technical critiques in all disciplines. The aim is to review the “grantsmanship” factors described above, to make the project accessible and intriguing to reviewers. Even for science-intensive funders such as the National Institutes of Health, presenting ideas in plain language is an important consideration.
To request a consultation on a first-come, first-served basis, simply send an email to Mike Marcinkowski at mikem@wustl.edu. While there are no upfront requirements or guarantees on turnaround time, the sooner material is received before its submission deadline, the more thoroughly it can be reviewed.