Current Workshop Dates

Now registering for February 2020 deadline submissions! You must attend both sessions for your type of grant, one in September and one in October.

Part I
K Grants – Monday, September 9, 2019, 1 PM – 5 PM
R Grants – Tuesday, September 10, 2019, 8 AM – 12 PM
2525 West End Ave., 3rd floor, Room 338 (VPRAD Classroom)

Part II
K Grants – Monday, October 7, 2019, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
R Grants – Tuesday, October 8, 2019, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
2525 West End Ave., 3rd floor, Room 338 (VPRAD Classroom)

Email adrienne.babcock@vumc.org to register by August 2.  Workshops for the June 2020 deadlines will be announced in Fall 2019.

What’s a Grant Pacing Workshop?

Break It Down to Build It Better is a practical series of workshops and peer accountability meetings designed to pace attendees smoothly to the completion of a grant.  Topics covered include making a customized grant preparation timeline, using task lists to ensure continuous momentum, constructing flow diagrams, navigating Vanderbilt’s submission process, and maximizing assistance from mentors, staff, and students.

Break it Down to Build it Better consists of two workshops: A half-day session followed by an all-day workshop about four weeks later. Both sessions involve pre-work. During workshops you will have many opportunities to ask questions, troubleshoot problems, and work on your upcoming submission.

You must be submitting a grant in the associated cycle to participate and must commit to both sessions and the majority of the group meetings. Up to 16 individuals are able to participate in each series of workshops.  The first workshop is typically held five months prior to the intended major NIH grant submission deadline.

Yearly Schedule:

A registration email with exact workshop dates typically goes out two-three months before the first workshop of a series.  Email Adrienne Babcockto get on the distribution list.

Materials for Pacing a K or R01 Award

Presentations

• K Awards Session 1 (Sept 2019)
• K Awards Session 2 (Oct 2019)
• R Awards Session 1 (Sept 2019)
• R Awards Session 2 (Oct 2019)

Checklists

• Checklist for Letters of Institutional Support (K)
• Checklist for Mentor Letters (K)
• Checklist for Biosketches and Letters of Support
• Checklist for Career Development Plans (K)
• Budget Checklist (R01)
• Proposal Components (K)
• Proposal Components (R01)
• Proposal Preparation Approach Checklist (R01)

Suggested Activities

• Suggested Activities for K Award Timelines
• Suggested Activities for R Award Timelines

Examples

• Examples of Phrases from Letters of Institutional Support
• Examples of Mentor Activities

Other

• Goals versus Objectives
• Matrix (K) (shows relationship between/among goals, objectives, activities, mentors, consultants, and collaborators)
• Roles and Responsibility Assignment Matrix (R01)
• 2018 NIH updated resources v4
• Long Term Goals
• Short Term Goals
• Powerful Aims Grid
• Flow Diagram Symbols
• Personnel Planning
• Detailed Budget Justification
• Excel Timeline Template
• Example of a Trello timeline
• Vanderbilt Institutional Submission Process
• Edge Reviews Link
• Study Section Scoring System and Procedure
• Link to NIH’s “Open Mike” Blog

Writing, Editorial, Personal, and Other Types of Assistance

•  Medical-Editors
• “No Help? You Can Still Delegate. Here’s How.” – Getting the most out of virtual assistance.
• Upwork and Fiverr– Lets you post task or project descriptions, receive bids, and choose the one you like best.  Good for editorial jobs and writing help.
• Fancy Hands – Describe your task, let Fancy Hands choose someone for you.
• Zirtual and RedButler – Assign you a dedicated assistant for the number of hours you choose. You then assign tasks directly during that time.
• “Rules of Thumb for Writing Research Articles” by Tomislav Hengl and Michael Gould
• “The Science of Scientific Writing” by George D. Gopen and Judith A. Swan

Office of Clinical & Translational Career Development OCTSD