We are happy to announce our next GAUSS Career Service online workshop on the topic “How to plan and write a competitive research proposal” by Dr. Thomas Koch.

This workshop is is designed primarily for late-stage doctoral researchers, early-stage
postdoctoral researchers and researchers at other career stages who are relatively new to
independently developing research grant proposals. It is particularly suitable for participants
preparing their first fellowship application or independent research-grant proposal.
Participants should bring a research idea, emerging project concept or defined area for which
external funding may be relevant. A fully developed project or draft proposal is not required.

• Date: Tuesday, 9 March 2027 plus 4h pre-teaching prior to the workshop
• Duration: 1 full day + 4 hours self-study
• Location: online
• Trainer: Dr. Thomas Koch

Registration: Please register here (in case you are not yet registered) and send an email to career@gauss.uni-goettingen.de including a short statement on your motivation to attend the workshop.

Workshop description:

A competitive research grant proposal requires more than a strong research idea. Applicants need to identify a suitable funding opportunity, understand how proposals are evaluated, develop a coherent and feasible project and communicate a convincing case for support. This programme develops the transferable foundations needed to connect funding fit, project design, evaluation logic and proposal development.

This compact, yet highly interactive workshop employs theoretical input, plenary discussions, individual and small group work, experience sharing and expert advice. Participants are expected to complete some assignments for the pre-teaching activities, which will be provided one to two weeks before the workshop.

Key areas

• Funding opportunities, selection and strategic fit
• Evaluation criteria and reviewer perspectives
• Developing a coherent and fundable research project
• Proposal architecture and development process
• Clear, persuasive and reviewer-oriented proposal writing

What participants take away
Participants develop a clearer basis for preparing a competitive research grant proposal: they
assess the fit of a potential funding opportunity, strengthen the core logic of their research
project and define a realistic process for developing the proposal further.

Indicative Programme Flow

• Recognising your research and funding context: Understanding how research setting, career stage and project needs affect the relevance and suitability of different funding opportunities
• Finding and selecting suitable funding opportunities: Comparing potential opportunities through eligibility, programme mission, strategic fit, timing and required effort
• Understanding evaluation and reviewer perspectives: Examining how proposals are assessed and what reviewers and panels need to see
• Developing a fundable research project: Turning a research idea into a coherent and feasible project logic
• Structuring and developing the proposal: Building a convincing case for support and planning a realistic proposal-development process
• Writing for reviewers: Applying principles of clarity, coherence, readability and persuasive research communication

Testimonials by former participants:

• “The workshop was highly practical, teaching me how to effectively structure a research proposal and design a project within time and budget constraints. The ‘Lean Canvas’ method and insights into European funding were especially useful. It’s an excellent resource for those new to grant writing.”
• “The workshop was extremely beneficial and more fun that I anticipated. The balance between the lectures and the interactive exercises was really good. Thomas expertly managed to summarize a great deal of information in a very short time, in a very condensed but clear form. Thank you!”
• “The workshop gives a compact overview of the German funding landscape and provides excellent efficiency strategies for grant writing. A great way for early -but also for late- career scientist to learn about funding options and how to successfully approach them!”