I’ll repeat for the NORDP crowd what I just said to your related post on RESADM-L

First and foremost, get them to do homework and prep work before making the trip. Decide ahead of time which agency or agencies are best suited to their research interests, and then identify specific programs that are relevant to those interests.

Then help the researchers dig into the history of those programs—strategic plans, white papers, recent funding history, budget requests, etc. That information helps them prioritize which projects to put in front of program staff.

Then, well in advance of the trip dates, have the researchers contact the POs they want to visit (email is better than telephone). They should include in that email the following:

  1. A brief summary of their research interests and the priority projects they want to discuss with that PO (not more than two pages in length; shorter is better)
  2. Dates when they’re going to be in Washington, and suggested times for meetings
  3. A request for suggestions of alternative staff members to contact if the PO they approached either isn’t going to be available during the visit or isn’t the best person for the researcher to discuss their interests with

When scheduling, again, less is better. These conversations may take more time than you think, and the agencies themselves are scattered around the DC metropolitan area. You should have no less than 90 minutes in between appointments, to allow for over-runs and transit time.

I think there’s benefit to meeting appropriate program staff face-to-face, and while the expense involved is certainly a factor, it can pay off handsomely—especially if they’re already going to be in the area for other reasons (such as presenting at a professional meeting).

Michael Spires

Proposal Development Specialist

Office of Sponsored Projects

Smithsonian Institution

Mail: MRC 1205, P. O. Box 37012

Washington, DC 20013-7012

Voice: (202) 633-7436

Re: the suggestions on how to work with Program Officers. I have been on both sides (PI and PI representative and PO) and there are many good ideas coming in these responses.

I would like to emphasize that unless you are going to be in DC for another purpose it is not necessary to make a special trip. A phone conversation can work fine. Arrange a mutually agreeable time and prepare for the call. Send documents ahead if necessary but not too far ahead and only a few documents. Keep it light but remember there may be some POs who hate to speak with investigators/administrators. They don't last long.

Jane Schultz

Dianne,

I would recommend David Bauer’s excellent work The “How To” Grants Manual. It contains several chapters about contacting and following up with program officers.

Michael Preuss, Ed.D.

Grants Consultant

Quickly, b/c, like many, I'm on deadline but ...

  • search the prior awards from that division so that faculty knows what's been funded and how their research complements current trends funded by NSF. Ask the POs to comment upon how your research fits with their funding priorities: key question.
  • write a brief (1-2) page summary or if a preliminary proposal is required, send a draft of that document WELL in advance of the meeting (at least one week)
  • were they invited to meet with POs in DC? I see you're in SD so that meeting alone is a big expense. POs do very well by telephone. They don't want you to spend $$ frivolously so I would reality check whether a face to face has been invited or is, for some reason, advantageous. Otherwise, phone, skype is the way to go. That is in fact the customary approach.
  • Any "presentations" in person should be very brief: no longer than 15 minutes. You're there to listen to what the PO has to say. That's why the upfront white papers/drafts of preliminary proposals are a very good idea. If you've prepped faculty and they have pre-prepared the PO about their project, the program officers know why you're there and they know what they want to say
  • At the end, ask if there's similar projects that the PO thinks might inform your thinking. Ask if they feel an external advisory team would make your proposal more competitive.
  • Good Luck!

Carol F. Inman
National Grant Writer and Strategist