SOAR Intensive R-Grant Writers Workshop

The “Successfully Obtaining an R” (SOAR) Intensive R Grant Writers Workshop with Mock Study Section Program is a grantsmanship strategy program.

Success in obtaining extramural funding is highly competitive and will likely become even more so in the foreseeable future. Grantsmanship is recognized nationally as an important tool to increase funding of already scientifically meritorious proposals.

SOAR uses small group interactive grantsmanship coaching to craft a fundable proposal. It is led by a senior grantsmanship coach (Dr. Helen Yin and others). Participants will attend six weekly two-hour sessions in which they are engaged in peer review of each other’s target grant sections for that week. There are parallel work groups for clinical/translational and for basic scientists.

Mock Study Sections

The mock study sections are for clinical translational and basic science grants are reviewed seperately by mock study section reviewers. The grant writers are required to attend in order for their grants to be reviewed.

Mock study section reviewers provide their critiques to the grant writers.

Target Audience

Assistant and Associate Professors conducting basic, translational, or clinical research who are actively writing their R-series NIH grants (e.g. R01) for the target NIH submission cycle.

2024 SOAR Workshop Schedule

SOAR Outcomes and Metrics

We tracked both participant self-evaluation of readiness for submitting an R01 level grant and funding outcomes. Participants are ask to complete a questionnaire based on that from the Duke grantsmanship program immediately after their target grant submission deadline. Both the clinical/translational and basic science workgroups reported at least a one-point increase in self-assessment in each domain, and more increase in many other domains. Thus, the SOAR Intensive R-Grant Writer Workshops are valuable for both clinical/translational and basic science faculty.