UVA grant seekers, working on your proposal or considering applying for a Jefferson Trust grant? Consider these tips:
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- Submit early to have more time for edits, and to refine your Letter of Inquiry (LOI) and proposal.
- Sell your vision. Pitch the idea. Focus on impact.
- Write for a lay audience. Reviewers are not always subject matter experts in your same field. You must write so anyone can understand it.
- Proofread.
- Check your budget – include all expenses, all revenues, highlight what portions you’re asking the Trust to fund. Double check your numbers and make sure it all adds up.
- The third-party authorization must be received by the submission deadline. Send that email immediately. They will not see the document, just the project name.
- Focus on your project’s novelty, uniqueness, or the specific niche it fills. The Trust has recently moved into funding research projects, but it’s often limited to efforts that bring students into the lab, is completely new, or clearly translational. Graduate thesis projects, existing projects, or projects that clearly could be funded elsewhere are not likely to receive a Trust grant.
Ready to share your idea?
Preview the LOI or Annual Cycle Proposal forms. When you’re ready to submit an LOI, log on to our Grant Portal.
Please reach out to Director of Grants, Amy Bonner, at 434-243-9078, abonner@virginia.edu, or schedule a meeting. An idea is more likely to be funded if we have a chance to work with the grant seeker.