Grant-writing Webinar

Grant Writing Webinar 1

Covenant University in collaboration with the Education Collaborative organized a webinar titled "Crafting a Winning Research Idea: From Concept to Proposal." The webinar, which is the first of four webinars on grant-writing capacity building, was held on Tuesday, 21st May 2024, from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm WAT. It was aimed at providing valuable insights into the process of refining and shaping research ideas into compelling grant proposals. It focused on identifying research gaps, developing clear and impactful research questions, and aligning these with funding objectives. It was targeted at providing guidance to researchers and academics, postgraduate students, research administrators, early career researchers, and anyone interested in research funding.

Prof. Friday Okonofua was the speaker. His presentation was rich with insight and grounded in extensive experience, captivating and inspiring the attendees. The five key principles he shared provided a clear and practical framework for approaching grant writing:

• Developing an innovative and fundable idea.

• Transforming the idea into a concept note/paper to introduce the idea to the funder.

• Creating a winning proposal and project management plan that addresses the identified developmental challenge.

• Ensuring a good flow and internal consistency of the proposal.

• Preparing a budget that is accurate and appropriate.

Participants were empowered to approach grant writing with renewed confidence and strategic thinking. The actionable advice and practical examples shared by the speaker undoubtedly enhanced the understanding and skills of participants in grant writing. 

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Grant Writing Webinar 2

Covenant University, in collaboration with the Education Collaborative, organized the second webinar in the series on grant writing titled 'Mastering the Art of Persuasive Writing: Writing Effective Grant Proposals.' The webinar was held on Tuesday, 18th June 2024, from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm WAT. It aimed to delve into the essential components of a grant proposal, emphasizing persuasive writing techniques, structuring the proposal, and effectively communicating the significance and impact of the proposed research.

The speaker, Prof. Martins Emeje - the Director-General of Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), delivered an insightful presentation that was both inspiring and enlightening. He highlighted grant writing as a vital communication pathway and stressed the importance of understanding the components of effective communication. Prof. Emeje emphasized the significance of training in cultivating, refining, and improving the writing skills of both early-career and mid-career researchers. His detailed exploration of the A-Z of writing, the 4Ws of writing, and the essentials of writing provided attendees with a comprehensive framework to approach grant applications with renewed confidence and clarity. His discussions on the pre-preparation steps for grant applications, strategies for building a research profile to attract grants, and specific sources of grants have given many participants new avenues to explore for their research funding.

The passion with which he presented and shared his personal grant-writing experiences was exemplary, captivating and inspiring the over 130 attendees. The question and answer session was interactive, allowing participants to engage directly with the speaker.

The webinar not only equipped participants with essential grant writing skills but also fostered a deeper understanding of the intricacies involved in crafting successful grant proposals. 

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Grant Writing Webinar 3

The third webinar in the grant-writing webinar series organanised by Covenant University in collaboration with the Education Collaborative focused on "Navigating the Grant Application Process: Tips for Successful Submissions". It featured Prof. Ganiyu Oboh as the guest speaker and his presentation was highly informative and engaging. Prof. Oboh shared his extensive knowledge and experience, providing valuable insights and practical advice to help participants enhance their grant writing skills and improve their chances of securing funding.

In the preliminary part, Prof. Oboh laid the groundwork by discussing fundamental aspects of research and grant writing. He explained the importance of research and its various types; provided criteria for choosing relevant and impactful research topics; highlighted the key elements that make research successful; emphasized the importance of clear, focused and need-driven research proposals; discussed the significance of grants in advancing research; and encouraged participants to align their research with societal needs.

Prof. Oboh provided a detailed guide on the technical aspects of grant writing. He advised on creating short, simple, and catchy titles; recommended writing executive summaries last, comprising six components: background, objective, methodology, expected output, duration, and cost;  stressed the importance of supporting the background with empirical and statistical data from reliable sources; highlighted the need for achievable objectives and a clearly stated problem; explained that the proposal's theoretical basis should be clear and understandable; emphasized the necessity of a recent and exhaustive literature review; advised on defining short-term and long-term goals and focusing on the social, economic, and technological benefits of the project; suggested breaking down the methodology into phases, activities, and output; underlined the importance of a robust data management and analysis plan; encouraged addressing these considerations in the proposal; highlighted the need for a practical and realistic budget; and recommended assembling a team with a good academic level spread, geographical spread (where necessary), and gender balance, including only those who can contribute effectively to the project.

Prof. Oboh concluded with general tips to enhance the overall quality of grant proposals. He stressed the importance of proper formatting, advised maintaining a well-focused proposal, reinforced the necessity of a practical budget, and encouraged submitting proposals early rather than waiting until the deadline.

The webinar was successful with over 260 participants attending. Prof. Ganiyu Oboh's expertise and practical advice have undoubtedly empowered participants to navigate the complexities of grant writing more effectively. 

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Grant Writing Webinar 4

Overview:

The fourth webinar in the grant-writing series, titled "Budget Essentials for Grant Proposals: Creating Realistic and Impactful Budget Plans," was successfully conducted with Dr. Dawn Nagar as the guest speaker. This session focused on providing participants with the knowledge and tools needed to create realistic and impactful budget plans for grant proposals, an essential skill in securing research funding.

Speaker:

Dr. Dawn Nagar, an expert in grant writing, delivered the presentation. Her extensive experience and deep understanding of budget planning for research projects made her the perfect speaker for this critical topic.

Key Takeaways:

1. Comprehensive Budget Planning:

o Dr. Nagar provided an insightful overview of the fundamentals required for preparing a budget for research projects. She emphasized the importance of developing a comprehensive and realistic budget as a crucial component of successful grant proposals.

2. Essential Budgeting Elements:

o The presentation highlighted several key elements that should inform budget planning, including:

Theory of Change: Clearly articulating the logical framework of the project and how the budget supports its objectives.

Goal Hierarchy: Structuring project goals in a way that aligns with funders’ priorities.

Sustainability Approach: Ensuring the project’s long-term viability through strategic budget planning.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Allocating resources for tracking and measuring project outcomes.

Critical Actors: Identifying and budgeting for the involvement of key stakeholders in the project.

3. Research Analysis and Donor Alignment:

o Dr. Nagar emphasized the importance of conducting thorough research analysis to understand the needs of funders and donors. She advised participants to align their budgets with donors' funding criteria while adhering to the University's funding principles and ethics policies.

4. Practical Budgeting Example:

o A practical example was shared, demonstrating how to develop a realistic and comprehensive budget plan. This example included various budget items such as:

Equipment costs

Costs associated with interviews and focus groups

Travel and accommodation expenses

Conference and venue costs

Publication expenses

For more details and to catch up, check Resource Library | The Education Collaborative (ashesi.edu.gh) Post | Feed | LinkedIn