Have you had a grant rejected lately?
It’s grant outcome season; that time of year when our nationally competitive grant outcomes are released. In addition to ARC and NHMRC fellowships and projects, other funding bodies such as the MRFF, Heart Foundation and Diabetes Australia also typically share outcomes at this time.
The reality is that for most people, most of the time, the news is not positive. These days, most research schemes have a success rate of ~10-20% of applications, leaving many people feeling disappointed, frustrated and wondering about their future as a researcher.
Like others, I submit a lot of grant applications, and many are initially rejected. Here’s what I do to bounce back with passion, integrity and a positive drive for the future.
1. Expect the most likely outcome.
For each scheme I submit to, I look carefully at the outcomes of previous rounds and moderate my expectations accordingly. Most of the time, I consider there to be a 10% chance of ‘success’, which means I expect a rejection every time. Rather than seeming morbid, this calm and rational attitude protects my emotional energy. I remind myself that many grant applications are assessed as ‘fundable’ or even ‘excellent’ and still are not awarded due to a scarcity of resources from the funding body.
2. Let yourself be disappointed, but not forever.
Unfortunately, rejection is a common part of the research funding process. It’s natural to experience negative emotions and feelings of hurt and frustration. After I hear news of an unsuccessful grant outcome, I acknowledge my feelings and take extra care of my needs that day (e.g. go for a walk or call a friend). Then, I set a specific time in my mind, usually 24 hours, as the time to move on, regroup and take action.
3. Carefully decipher feedback.
If the funding body provides scoring or feedback, carefully review it as the first step towards making an action plan. Understanding the reasons for rejection can help you decide whether the funding scheme was appropriately targeted, whether more pilot work is needed and whether it’s worth applying again to the same funding body. Here, it may help to speak with a close colleague, supervisor or mentor about your interpretation of the feedback and what this means for the future of the proposed work.
4. Peruse the successful applications.
Carefully exploring the topics and researchers that were successful in this round allows you to identify priority areas or research environments more likely to succeed. This can help you reposition or reorient your work to offer a more compelling case for investment in the future. It also keeps you abreast of where and how research funding is being allocated, and, over time, you will develop a more intricate understanding of the broader objectives and outcomes of the scheme.
5. Explore other funding options.
You have worked hard to produce a valuable, fully prepared proposal to create new knowledge for a positive impact. There are likely other funders that you could directly approach to offer investment in. Examples include professional bodies, private foundations, state health services, health insurers, hospital foundations, private enterprises, community grants and more. You may like to ask your institution's Office for Research or Enterprise office for suggestions and also undertake a stakeholder mapping exercise. Consider who is in your professional network and who can introduce you to someone if you decide to make a direct pitch. Matching your value proposition with the outcomes desired by those investing in your work is often just as important as designing high-quality experiments. I work through this step rapidly to quickly reorient to the new opportunities.
6. Communicate your suggested direction with the wider team.
Every person named on the grant application deserves clear communication about the outcome in a timely manner. In the communication, state whether there is an embargo period, provide a brief summary of any feedback and then outline your suggested plan for the next steps. You can ask for input on any challenging feedback points and clarify who on the team is interested in staying involved in future proposed work. I always keep a positive, productive tone and focus on what has been learned.
7. Stay organised.
Maintain a record of the grant outcome letter and any feedback. Then, list the tasks required to reposition the proposal for the next funding request. Remember to communicate the new internal and external deadlines, including when you need feedback or input. In our team, we have a register of archived grants that includes the guidelines, application, feedback and summary of our interpretation of the feedback and the next funding target.
8. Remember the bigger picture.
A highly competitive research funding system does have overall benefits. Most institutions have extensive review and support processes that ensure researchers only submit very high-quality applications, and the standard of work proposed by all researchers is enhanced by having such a competitive environment. A greater number of excellent applications also builds research capacity overall, even if they aren’t all funded initially. Many unsuccessful proposals can be subsequently improved through feedback, funded by different schemes, or inform quite impactful PhD projects.
Remember, persistence over resistance! Let me know your other strategies to bounce back with your funding applications.
