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Research Development & Proposal Services

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Research Development & Proposal Services Overview

The Research Development and Proposal Services team provides tailored services to help MSU researchers successfully compete for external funding for their research and creative pursuits. These services include grant editing, consultations, identifying funding opportunities, and project management for large-scale grant proposals. These services are available at no cost to MSU researchers.


Get Started

To schedule a consultation with a member of our team, or to request editing or project management services, please complete the Service Request Form. For any questions, please email [email protected].


Timing

We recommend contacting our office early in the grant development process to take advantage of the full range of services offered, including project management assistance for large-scale proposals, and substantive feedback on a proposal’s logic, layout, and organization to ensure it aligns with the funder’s guidelines. Our ability to edit proposals and facilitate more substantial changes will be limited as the submission deadline approaches. Please also refer to the MSU Proposal Submission Deadline Policy to ensure your proposal meets internal deadlines.


Current Offerings

  • Proposal development and editing
  • Proposal project management
  • Peer-review coordination
  • Proposal strategy consultation
  • Exploring funding
  • Webinars and workshops

Writing Groups and Programs

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The MIRAcle Grant Group

The MIRAcle Cohort will prepare investigators to submit new or renewal R35/MIRA applications to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).

National Institutes of Health Building

Summer NIH Deadlines: NIH Proposal Writing Bootcamp

Led by the Office of Research & Innovation’s Research Development and Proposal Services team, this writing group is designed to support faculty at Michigan State University (MSU) as they develop their application for an NIH research grant.

National Science Foundation Building

NSF CAREER Faculty Writing Group

This writing group is designed to prepare early-career faculty at MSU to submit a strong CAREER proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF).

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Fall NIH Deadlines: Grantsmanship and Mentoring Program for Winning Your First NIH R01 Grant

This mentoring program is designed to prepare early-career faculty at MSU to submit a strong R01 proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Participants will receive information and advice on all aspects of the grant writing process during biweekly cohort meetings and personal mentoring sessions.

MSU North Campus

Academy for Developing Visionary Institutes and Centers of Excellence

The Academy for Developing Visionary Institutes and Centers of Excellence (ADVICE) is a faculty career development incubator for post tenure faculty to help participants position themselves for successful center-level funding opportunities.


Our Team

Lauren Aerni-Flessner

Lauren Aerni-Flessner
  • Joined MSU in August 2014
  • Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology from Washington University in St. Louis, studying glucose transporter biology
  • Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan
  • Previously worked as a Grant and Project Management Specialist in the MSU College of Engineering
  • Provides grant editing, first draft reviews, and more

Angie Kankula

Angie Kankula
  • Joined MSU in January 2012
  • Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University
  • Specializing in NIH, DOD, and foundation grants
  • Provides project management and budgeting for complex grants

Sara Steenrod

Sara Steenrod
  • Joined MSU in November 2018
  • Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Columbia University
  • Completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University, studying the neural mechanisms underlying visual attention.
  • Previously worked as a Scientific Editor for the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
  • Sara Steenrod's LinkedIn profile

Special note: Visit the Global IDEAS section of the International Studies and Programs website for opportunities related to international scholarship and be sure to register for their email notices.


Events & Workshops

This full-day writing retreat will help you prepare your Broader Impacts plan for your next NSF proposal.
This two-day morning webinar will comprehensively cover practical and conceptual aspects essential to the proposal-writing process.
This workshop discusses how to respond to NIH proposal reviews and how to decide whether to resubmit or change as most proposals are more likely to succeed on resubmission.
This full-day writing retreat will help you prepare your Broader Impacts plan for your next NSF proposal.