Tips for applicants

General

Read the application guidelines and address all the stipulated requirements. Make sure all your answers fully address the questions being asked. Be concise in your answers – detail is important, but this should be relevant and to the point. Ensure that you provide suitable rationale and justify the need to provide funding.

Leave sufficient time for your application – don’t leave it to the last minute! You may want to consider drafting answers in advance so that you can review them and ensure that you are submitting a strong and well thought out application. Rushed applications are obvious and dampen your chance of success. This goes for references and letters of support too; ensure you give the people preparing these documents adequate notice so that your application will be submitted on time.

You want to convince the Awards Panel that they should choose you. Try to avoid vague and generic statements and instead outline how the grant will really benefit you and your professional development.

Addressing assessment criteria

Ensure that:

• the project is relevant, innovative, microbiology-based and communicates underlying concepts, issues and concerns to the target audience
• the aims, objectives, and desired outcomes are clearly described
• the requested costs are appropriate and reasonable
• the project or event contains sufficient applied microbiology content
• adequate justification for the funding is provided
• the benefit of receiving the funding is well described

Budget tips

• Provide as much detail of the required items as possible, giving full justification where requested in the application.
• Explain how these items directly relate to the proposed project/event.
• Provide a full breakdown of items which may be grouped under one heading e.g. consumables, stipulating numbers of units where possible.
• Ensure that the costs you require funding meet the criteria stipulated in the grant’s terms and conditions.