After a couple of more learning experiences with USDA submissions, I finally got my 2007 USDA NRI grant funded.  It has been almost five years since you were at South Dakota State.  The comment I got from all three reviewers was how well the objectives and rationale were written.  I can't thank you enough for helping me and providing with a template that works.  Sometimes it takes a little time for a seed to sprout.  Thanks again.

Professor
South Dakota State University

I would like to share some good news with you as you are an equal partner of this success.
I met you once when my first R01 application was "unscored" at the University of Nebraska Medical Center workshop that you led.
Although my application was unscored, you thought I had the potential and you picked 5 proposals that you thought were well written, mine was one of them. Although it was unscored, you thought it was worth pursuing in a manner that had potential to be scored. I followed your guidance and advice as "ten commandments" word by word. And you edited vigorously without changing the theme and gradually my proposal looked great and began to make sense.
My revised R01 application (submitted March 1' 2007) had a great critic, and scored in 16.5 percentile (NIDCR) and as a new investigator; I just found out a week ago that it will be awarded very soon.
After you approved my final version of SPECIFIC AIM and BACKGROUND & SIGNIFICANCE part, I could feel that I had a chance at last.
I need not to comment on your outstanding skill in grant writing (your CV attest that already) but the way you generate enthusiasm and confidence in applicant (which are equally important when things go wrong) is truly praiseworthy. Now I can claim to be one of your success stories out of thousands around the nation.
Please accept my "Hats-off" thanks for your help

Assistant Professor
University of Nebraska Medical Center

I submitted a K08 application and it got triaged. As I was preparing a resubmission, I heard about the grant writing seminar, so I signed up for it. After hearing [the presenter's] lectures, I rewrote my entire grant. On the resubmission, the grant was scored and eventually funded.

Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota

It has been almost six months since the last time we exchanged emails. I remember the first day of the workshop. You had read an email from one of the Assistant Professors who had then recently been awarded a grant. While you were reading her email, I was thinking, one day …I will have the pleasure of sending you an email and letting you know that all your hard work paid off. Well…here I am. I have made it!!! I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. If it wasn't for you and your excellent workshop, I would still be struggling not knowing how to submit a successful grant application. I am sure while you are reading this, you are already making positive changes of many Assistant Professors' lives. My only suggestion to those who are beginning your program is to follow the guidelines in the book, listen to you very carefully and learn from the feedback you provide. I will never forget you for what you have done for me. Thank you for touching the lives of many.

Assistant Professor
Mississippi State University

Well, I have the good news to tell you, that indeed the proposal was funded. This is really a rather remarkable thing, as only about 15% of these proposals are funded and all proposals are regarded equally (there is no “renewal”, each proposal is an entirely new project which needs to be presented). The proposal was to the NSF, astronomy division and it was granted a 4 year period with a total of $350K in funds. I believe the intensive grant writing workshop greatly enhanced the quality and clarity of my proposal and was likely critical to its success.

Associate Professor
University of Cincinnati

I've been meaning to email you to tell you that my R21 was funded. Thanks so much for your guidance. I know it had a huge impact on my proposal's success.

Assistant Professor
University of Cincinnati

I wanted you to know that the resubmission of my NIH R01 renewal received a competitive score (e.g., 123; 2.4 percentile) and has been selected for funding.  The reviewers were very supportive of the application, including "the hypotheses that were intriguing, well supported, and novel."  I owe you a great deal for providing me with the training on how to write a competitive grant proposal.   Thanks for all your wonderful assistance!

Professor
UNC- Greensboro

I [used] my new grant skill set to submit two other grants since the workshop.  I was awarded both grants!!  One is for $100,000. This is a two year grant on Assessing Learning Transfer in an E-learning Environment.  The other is for $3,000 for a white paper on Crisis Management in the Meetings Industry.  Your process helped me in writing those grants.

Assistant Professor
Purdue University

Today I learned from my program director at the NCI that the funding of the R01 has been approved. You have played a significant part in the whole process of preparing the revised R01. I truly owe very much to your expert advice and support. Thank you.

Assistant Professor
Wayne State University

I wanted to let you know that I have been awarded an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Fellowship for 2006. I attended the Grant Writer's Workshop held in San Francisco on November 4, 2005. The workshop was very informative and helpful in writing the NSF MPF Application which I submitted December 5, 2005. An NIH F32 that I wrote prior to attending this workshop was not funded.

Postdoctoral Associate
University of Georgia

A few years ago we attended your presentation at Tufts University School of Nutrition. The information and material from the workshop has been incredibly useful, proven by the successful grants we have written since. So thank you very much.

Instructor
Tufts University School of Medicine

Last spring I attended your intensive grant writing workshop here in Cincinnati . Now I am happy to report that I am being awarded a CAREER grant by NSF. I want to thank you for all your help. When I talked to the program officer on the phone he was praising the project, but also explicitly mentioned that it was well written.

Assistant Professor
University of Cincinnati

Thank you to Grant Writers ! I attended your programs presented at AACP and University of Maryland . [They] were excellent . . . my application success rate is nearly 80% . . . and [included] NIH funding (R15 AREA award, NIGMS) leading to promotion. Keep up the good work!

Associate Professor
University of Maryland

I must admit that when I applied your method for a DOD proposal that I submitted in February, it seemed to help focus the reviewers on the essential points they were looking for in generating their review. I make this assumption based upon their comments. Although DOD proposals are formatted slightly different from NIH proposals, the overall approach to writing a reviewer-friendly proposal seems broadly applicable. Incidentally, that proposal was funded.

Professor and Chair
San Francisco State University

I have been quite “lucky” this year with one NSF and two NRI grants… I really really really think that the grant writing workshop I took some years ago at OARDC is finally paying. I submitted a NSF proposal “Collaborative Research: Aboveground-Belowground Interactions: Relating plan and microbial community composition and diversity to methane cycling in wetland ecosystems” last January … with a letter of OARDC stating that OARDC funds will provide $20,000 to support the grant.

Program Manager
Ohio State University

Following consultation work with our faculty, we had six NIH grants submitted, five of which were scored on the first submission and two of which appear likely to be funded! That's a pretty good record, I think.

Associate Dean
Drexel University

A quick note to let you know that the proposal you helped me with last fall got a good score (164) and apparently fundable (15.9; 18 cut-off) percentile. Also, my program officer called me (which is a good sign to me) indicating that it was funded. This is a new experience for me, so I'm learning what happens as it goes. I thank you very much for your help. Regardless of how it would have turned out, I know that your suggestions were helpful. I have been writing grants now at ISU since 1996 and took your seminar in 1996 or 1997, I believe. Since 1996, I have been PI for three funded USDA NRI proposals, this funded R01, and primary sponsor for two funded K08 proposals. I appreciate your help and thank you once again!

Professor and Chair
Iowa State University

I wanted to let you know that I received word today that I received the OCAST ( Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology) grant for 3 yrs ($135,000). This was the same grant you helped me with that I sent to NIH (the subject was the American Indians and stuff.) Again, thank you so much for your help --- without your help, prodding, and guidance I would have never been able to receive this. THANKS A MILLION!

Assistant Professor
University of Oklahoma