Good grant applications (especially large ones) take a considerable amount of time to put together. In general, you can't bang one out in a couple of days or e

Good grant applications (especially large ones) take a considerable amount of time to put together. In general, you can't bang one out in a couple of days or even a week. Some large ones I've worked on have taken months to pull together. A few quick tips: - Start as early as possible so that you can write, develop ideas, rewrite and rework. - Find a mentor, preferably one in the same or related area who has a good record of success. - Ask colleagues for copies of successful grant applications to the same programs. - Have your mentor and other colleagues review your grant and provide feedback. - Listen to advice from others, but ultimately trust your own judgement. - Apply to as many programs as possible--you can't get funded if you don't apply. - Don't get discouraged if you are not successful, as many programs have small (and ever dwindling) success rates. - Reapply if turned down, being sure to address the concerns of the reviewers.