Securing external funding is often seen as a key marker of academic success. It supports research agendas, opens doors for collaboration, and plays a major role in tenure and promotion decisions. But what’s less talked about is how much time, energy, and emotional bandwidth it takes to get there.
For many faculty—especially those early in their careers—the grant process can feel overwhelming, opaque, and all-consuming. And without the right support, it’s easy to lose momentum, confidence, or clarity along the way.
Here are a few of the most common challenges we hear, and some strategies that can help.
1. It’s More Than Just Writing
Grant success isn’t just about crafting a compelling narrative. It’s about aligning with funder priorities, understanding review criteria, assembling the right team, budgeting appropriately, and navigating internal processes. That’s a tall order, especially when added on top of teaching, publishing, mentoring, and service commitments.
What can help: Break the process into manageable stages. Build in time not just for writing, but for strategic planning, consultation, and revision. And if you’re at an institution with a research development office, get connected early.
2. Rejection is Part of the Process, but It Still Stings
Even the most seasoned researchers face rejections. It’s part of the grant landscape. But that doesn’t make it any easier when it happens, especially if you’ve invested weeks or months into a proposal.
What can help: Treat feedback (even when sparse) as data, not judgment. Set up debriefs after submissions to document what worked and what didn’t. And if possible, build a peer support system where you can normalize the ups and downs.
3. It’s Easy to Feel Like You’re Doing It Alone
Many faculty describe the grant process as isolating. While writing groups and peer feedback are common for publications, grant proposals often happen behind closed doors, with limited collaboration or visibility into how others approach it.
What can help: Look for or create structured spaces where grant conversations are happening. Join accountability groups. Ask mentors not just for edits, but for stories—what they’ve learned, where they’ve stumbled, and how they’ve adapted over time.
Moving from Overwhelmed to Informed
Faculty don’t need more pressure when it comes to grants. They need better systems, shared knowledge, and a little more transparency about what this process actually requires, especially in a time when the landscape is continually shifting. The good news? None of this has to be figured out alone.
Whether you’re just starting to explore funding opportunities or rethinking your approach after a tough cycle, it’s worth stepping back and asking: What would make this process more manageable, more strategic, and more sustainable?
These are the questions we’re asking, too. And in the coming months, we’ll be sharing more ideas, resources, and tools to support faculty through the complex world of research funding.
Because writing a grant shouldn’t mean losing momentum everywhere else.