by Scout, Ph.D.
Director, Network for LGBT Health Equity
At The Fenway Institute
Not Everyone Needs To Start Grantwriting — It Depends on Your Agency
There’s been a slew of new federal grant opportunities for LGBT people in the last few weeks. With any hope, they’ll keep coming. But as I’ve talked to tobacco folks in a few different areas recently I realize – sometimes it’s hard to figure out if the new stuff might be valuable for you or not. I was a pro grantwriter in a past life who’s written some of each of these. So let me lay out my highly unofficial micro-guide to whether you should start grantwriting over these new opportunities or just smile and be pleased about them.
- Are you an LGBT community based organization that does HIV-related work, has trans women of color in your constituency, and has evaluation skills or can partner with a group that does? (we can suggest partners) IF Yes to all –> Start writing NOW for this funding opportunity!!!! My estimated odds of a strong proposal getting funded? 80% yes 80%.
- Are you an academic and/or research organization with HIV expertise? IF you have trans expertise start writing for same opportunity as in #1 please, IF NOT partner with an organization that does! (we can help suggest partners)
- Do you have individual expertise in LGBT access to care? HIV services? Trans services? Please apply to be a volunteer grant reviewer here. Est odds of getting funded? 0% Service to community? 100%
- Are you strong evaluation and technical assistance organization with HIV and trans expertise? Start writing NOW for this funding opportunity. My est odds of a strong proposal getting funded? 30%.
- Are you a hotshot LGBT researcher or shop with past experience in the odd super challenging beast that is NIH funding? Or a new LGBT researcher with mentors? Then you know what I’m talking about when I say please start writing NOW for this R03, or this R21, or this R01! Wide range of projects welcome, but rumor is a few shops are esp interested in trans. Again, play heads up ball, always best to test if friendly, and please tell us if you have any reason to think an LGBT proposal did not get a fair shake. Est odds of strong proposal getting funded? Varies widely, maybe 20% overall?
- Are you a community based non-research LGBT group that has a research partner or can find one? Then encourage them to team with you in applying for any of the opportunities in #5. A wide range of research studies can be proposed – you decide what to go after in partnership with your researcher since they do lots of heavy lifting on the proposal end. And prepare to wait up to two years to get funded, it’s a long haul with those puppies.
Hope this helps!
LGBT HealthLink, The Network for Health Equity 
This is really helpful. Thank you for sparing me the long hours and hard work, taking me away from other important work, of applying for money we have a nearly-zero chance of getting.
The federal response is encouraging but in the context of NIH flat funding, and no set aside $ in those R03, R21, R01 RFAs, LGBT focused research will be competing with all other grant proposal in an time when NIH paylines are at an all time low (about 10% right now).
The effort to get these RFAs issued is only half the battle, to make them COUNT we need to fight against the flat NIH budget. Federally funded LGBT research can not thrive under these fiscal conditions. Join the effort to petition the White House to address the flat NIH funding.
The petition link is here- http://wh.gov/81O