(no subject)

[sebastienne]

AHRC funding application is currently 506 words of "plz to be giving me monies. world is can be saved wiv innanetz".

Really, it is wankier than I have ever wanked before.

Anyone who has succesfully screwed money out of a funding body before care to divulge thier secrets? Anyone care to give me any advice, beyond "start again from scratch"? I'm sure there is good material in there, I just feel dirty. Offers of proof-reading also gratefully recieved. Can anyone help me weed out those last 6 words?

Comments

[stronglight.livejournal.com]

No experience of getting funding but happy to proof read if it helps. Email to me if you'd like?

[sebastiality.livejournal.com]

Letters that have got me the monies have always ended with:"Thank you for your time and consideration." Whoa. I'm so helpful...*masculine sigh*

Email me the whole thing too. You might have to wait. May sleep very soon...
x

[deepbluemermaid.livejournal.com]

Is this for library school? Are you seeking fees support or funding for a specific project?

Funding applications are the epitome of wank, honestly; it can't be avoided.

Most of my applications have been more about 'hey, look at my awesome and unique research project' than 'I am fantastic, give me cash'. Definitely emphasise why your project breaks new ground. If similar research has been done before, show how your take is different or fresh. If it hasn't been done, explain why not and then why it's worth doing.

But bear in mind that the funding committee may be comprised of old fogies who type with two fingers and have recently discovered the wonders of Google. You might need some explanation of the background ("the internet, well, it's a series of tubes...").

The biggest funding success I've had was getting the 9-month scholarship to do fieldwork in Rome. I asked the School's assistant director why they gave it to me, and she said my project was eye-catching and original. However, I think I've also been turned down for a lot of stuff precisely because my subject is so *weird*.

I can proof-read, sure - send it my way whenever.

[sebastienne.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's library school. I'm applying to the "Professional Preparation Masters Scheme", so it's more about showing that I need this degree for my career than about originality of research area.

[deepbluemermaid.livejournal.com]

In that case, I guess it's a matter of showing your deep abiding love for libraries and working therein. Your experience at the SSL has provided you with the basic training to be a library assistant, but you have greater ambitions and wish to develop your skillset. Your interest in digital technologies and the fast-growing field of online data provision made you choose this particular course. Getting this Masters will make you the bestest librarian in the world evah, and don't the AHRC want to help you achieve that worthy aim?

Blah, blah, fishsticks.

[like-achilles.livejournal.com]

I've never made a successfull bid for AHRC funding, so could only really advise on what not to do. Am happy to proofread though, and best of luck.

[vampire-kitten.livejournal.com]

Will happily proof read :)

[neoanjou.livejournal.com]

Have you contemplated emailing or web searching asking for what they want? I'm just a little reminded of pozorvlak's post A research proposal is not about the research you propose to do! (http://pozorvlak.livejournal.com/83814.html)

[sebastienne.livejournal.com]

I've got a couple of pages of guidance notes, so I'm pretty clear on what they want - it's why I'm so certain that I'm not currently giving it to them!

[half-of-monty.livejournal.com]

Aha! Go back to these pages of guidance notes. Re-phrase them in terms of boxes that can be ticked. Re-write your proposal until it ticks all the boxes.

Seriously. It's the way the world works. :-/

[sebastienne.livejournal.com]

Oh I know, and I'm normally very good at this kind of box-ticking. Depressingly so.

But it's too vague, this time - they ask for much more than can ever be fitted into the strictly-enforced 500 words, and then say "You do not have to answer all the questions detailed below; this section is to provide guidance on the issues you might cover when making your case for support."

[half-of-monty.livejournal.com]

Heaven forfend that they may actually want to hear your plans, then!

[pozorvlak.livejournal.com]

The best way I know of dealing with the dirtiness is to write the most self-critical (or as I prefer to think of it, "honest") version 1 possible to get it all out of your system, then throw it away and realise that talking up yourself is just something you have to do, and you're not actually lying are you?

[sir-rosealot.livejournal.com]

I'll proof-read it for you if you like!