Page 10 - Dare to Make an Impact

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Here are Some Tips:
Tip 1. Start small and early. As a postdoc or a new faculty member, you are often tempted to try to “land a big grant” quickly — even in the absence of a track record. You would be better served securing a series of small grants first. Given that grant funding today is more difficult to obtain than ever before, starting early in your career and capitalizing
on the advantages of your early-career status is key. Grant programs specifically aimed at new faculty members and postdocs provide the highest chances for success. Those grant programs typically do not require significant preliminary data. Instead, funding decisions rely most heavily on the promise and potential of a candidate — your training to date, your mentors and your topic’s importance.
Another key advantage of early-career grant programs: You are competing against a smaller pool of people, instead of regular grant programs where you are competing with a large pool of midcareer and senior investigators with established track records. Remember that your eligibility for early-career grants will expire in a few years, so seize the opportunity while it lasts.
Tip 2. Dream big. Early in your career, envision your ultimate large grant. Typically, a major grant (for example, an NIH R01 grant) would include three aims. Once you’ve envisioned your big grant, your next
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