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The goal of the Partners in Information Access for the Public
Health Workforce is to provide public health professionals timely,
convenient access to information resources to aid them in improving the health
of the American public. A major objective of this program is to assist public
health professionals in obtaining the equipment, software, Internet connections,
and satellite broadcast access needed for effective access to information
resources. This Toolkit is designed to assist public health agencies with
writing an application for the
Internet Access to Digital
Libraries (IADL) Grants program announcment issued by the National Library
of Medicine. [NOTE: The IADL grants replace two defunct program announcements;
October 1, 2002 was the final deadline for applications in the Internet
Connection and Information Access grant programs. The first submission cycle
for the new IADL grants is February 1, 2003.]
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Review all relevant information
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Program Announcement
The program
description for the IADL Grant is available on
NLM's web site .
This is the starting point for any grant application, since it
describes the goals and review criteria.
All applicants interested in IADL grants, particularly those relatively
unfamiliar with the application form and with National Institutes
of Health (NIH) procedures, are encouraged to consult NLM staff for
assistance as needed.
Grant Application Form
The grant application is submitted on form PHS 398. This is the standard
form required for most NIH grant applications. PHS 398 consists of a number of
forms and a lengthy set of instructions. The program announcement for NLM's
IADL grants provides special instructions for completing PHS 398.
PHS 398
is only available in electronic form. The form must be downloaded,
completed and printed. For assistance with downloading the form, contact:
Grants Information
Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources
Office of Extramural Research
National Institutes of Health
grantsinfo@nih.gov
(301) 435-0714
(301) 480-0525 fax
In addition to the program description for IADL grants, the
NLM Extramural Programs web site
provides the latest information on award cycles, deadlines, dates and guidelines,
and tips on writing grant applications. There is also a list of
NLM grants funded in the past five years.
You can use this information to go to NIH's CRISP database,
to read an abstract of funded grants, or to find contact information for the
principal investigator of an earlier grant.
All applicants interested in IADL grants, particularly those relatively
unfamiliar with the application form and with NIH procedures, are encouraged
to consult NLM staff for assistance as needed. To clarify program-related
issues or questions, contact:
Dr. Valerie Florance
Program Officer
Division of Extramural Programs
National Library of Medicine
Bethesda, MD 20894
floranv@mail.nlm.nih.gov
(301) 594-4882
(301) 402-0421 fax
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Read articles on grant application writing
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Read a few articles on how to prepare a grant application.
This reading will give you ideas on formulating goals and objectives,
preparing budgets, and planning evaluation. There are a variety of
articles and guidelines on how to write grant applications. A good
starting point is the NLM Extramural
Programs web site , which has tips for preparing and submitting proposals,
along with submission deadlines and other helpful information.
For general information on how to prepare a grant, read The Foundation
Center's A Proposal Writing Short Course .
To find recent articles, search the medical literature using
NLM's PubMed .
Suggested search terms: research support and writing.
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The starting point for a grant application is the program description.
Think about how your idea or need fits with the program's goals.
The heart of your grant application is the project plan.
The program description for NLM's IADL Grants provides an outline of the topics
that should be covered in a project plan, and lists the criteria that grant
reviewers will use to assess the merit of the application.
Once you have an idea in mind, begin turning it into a grant application.
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Identify who should be involved with the grant application
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Some organizations form a small committee of individuals who are interested in
the grant and could benefit from its outcome. Your organization's systems person
and/or librarian should be actively involved with the grant application writing
process to provide technical expertise and information management advice.
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Identify a writer
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One person should be designated as writer of the grant application. One writer
will provide continuity in the language of the application making it easier for
the readers. Although several members of the committee may be writing pieces of
the grant application, the writer should put all the pieces together and edit the
document as needed. Once a final draft is completed, have someone not familiar
with the proposal read the grant application for clarity. NN/LM staff or NLM
Extramural programs staff can also provide assistance.
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Develop a timeline for completion of the grant application
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Establish a realistic timeline for completing the grant application. Give plenty
of time for discussion and revision of the proposal. As soon as an abstract is
completed, begin soliciting letters of support, determining budget information,
and gathering resumes. These are all tasks that grant seekers often put off
until the end and then are too harried during the final days before the deadline
and forget basic pieces of the grant application that need to be completed.
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Assign tasks to the committee
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With the submission deadline in mind, assign tasks to committee members as
appropriate. These tasks may include technology assessment, equipment costs,
space planning, gathering letters of support, and writing various pieces of the
grant application. Assigning tasks also gives participants a reason to "buy in"
to the project and will make the project stronger.
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Submit the grant application
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The program description provides a checklist to help you assemble the complete
grant application. Be sure to follow submission instructions for the grant
application. Deadlines must be met, and the appropriate number of copies must
be sent. In addition, be sure to follow any formatting instructions.
Attention to these details from the beginning will allow the committee to
concentrate on writing the grant application.
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There are a variety of grant sites on the Internet. These sites will provide
general tips on writing grant applications and serve as a good point of reference
when seeking additional grants. In addition, there are foundation centers located
in many public and University libraries. These foundation centers provide current
grant information for both public and private grant-funding institutions and
organizations.
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Federal Commons
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National Institutes of Health Grants & Funding Opportunities
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National Science Foundation Grants
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National Telecommunications and Information Administration Technology Opportunities
Program
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NICHSR Funding Information
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NN/LM Funding Information
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Rural Information Center Health Service Funding Information
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The Foundation Center
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services GrantsNet
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