Grant Writing
Top 3 Benefits of Securing Funding
Securing research funding isn’t just about financially supporting your current project; it’s a catalyst for career growth.
Demonstrate Leadership
Securing funding demonstrates your ability to lead projects and builds your professional reputation—within and beyond academia.
Develop Key Skills
Grant writing helps you become a stronger communicator, an strategic thinker and helps you build resilience.
Build Independence
Securing your own funding is a powerful step toward defining your unique research vision.
New to U.S. Research Funding?
Start Here
Research funding fuels your work, builds your reputation, and opens doors across sectors. If the U.S. funding system is new to you, figuring out where to begin can feel overwhelming.
To help you navigate the process with clarity and confidence, we’ve broken down the essentials: types of funding, how to find the right opportunities, aligning your work with funder priorities, and what it takes to apply successfully. Whether you’re just starting out or preparing your first application, the guide below will walk you through each step.
The Grant Lifecycle at a Glance
From identifying opportunities to managing your award, the grant process unfolds in stages. This visual guide breaks down the full lifecycle to help you see where you are, what comes next, and how to navigate each step with confidence.
The process is cyclical because you continuously plan, apply, do the work, and use results to fuel future proposals.
Below, you’ll find curated internal and external resources aligned with each stage to support you wherever you are in your funding journey.
Demystify the NIH K award application process with confidence. Our curated library is designed specifically for postdocs navigating career development awards like the K99, K01, K08, and K23. Explore real-world examples, learn from reviewer feedback, and avoid common pitfalls by seeing what works—and what doesn’t.
What You’ll Find:
- Funded & Unfunded Proposals: Compare successful and unsuccessful submissions to understand what sets competitive applications apart.
- Reviewer Critiques: Gain practical insight into how proposals are scored and evaluated.
- Award Variety: Access examples from K99, K01, K08, and K23 applications across a range of disciplines.
Log in with your Johns Hopkins University SSO credentials to explore the library and find examples of successfully funded K Awards.
This workshop provided all the essential foundations I desperately needed to write my K99 grant. It covered everything – from navigating resources and interpreting the notice, what the grant is designed for, how to write each section, and incorporating practical tips. It was incredibly helpful”
-JHU Postdoctoral Fellow, attendee at the CareerVolt Advanced K Award Workshop
