Research Development Core

The Research Development Core (RDC) provides free services and consultation to strengthen study design and grant proposals.

RDC Services

Consultation

RDC’s most popular service is an in-person one-hour consultation meeting intended to provide investigators with supportive advice about their proposal or research idea. Each meeting is customized to include RDC faculty and staff with backgrounds that best meet the needs of the PI. Services may include matching ideas with funding sources, developing research plans and submission strategies, identifying collaborators, grant editing, and guidance on future career direction.

Scheduling a Consultation Meeting

You may contact RDC anytime to gain advice and assistance from experts within the University of Michigan. To expedite the process, please complete and submit the Project Consultation and Services Form.

• An investigator should contact RDC two months before their grant submission deadline. This allows time for RDC to schedule the meeting, review investigator materials, provide in-person consultation and follow-up meeting notes, and time for the investigator to make grant revisions.
• At least one week prior to your scheduled consultation, provide a brief summary or a draft of your specific aims for review by the RDC team. 
• For a resubmission, provide your grant narrative and summary statement (pink sheet).

• Come prepared to share a five-minute synopsis of your research project.

Editing

RDC provides grant editorial assistance to any investigator at the University of Michigan. The editor will improve the readability and flow of the grant by reviewing spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency of style. The editor will track changes to indicate awkward sentence structure, wordiness, unclear text, and other red flags that may detract from the substance of the grant. Grants should be in their final version prior to editing.

Scheduling Your Editing Project

We encourage investigators to schedule services well in advance. Editing is performed on a first-come, first served basis and requires prior scheduling notification from the investigator. The editor requires 7-10 business days for the editing process. You may contact RDC anytime to schedule your project. To expedite the process, please complete and submit the Project Consultation and Services Form.

Resources

• Obtaining a Letter of Support from MICHR

• NIH Funding Opportunities
• UMMS Office of Research
• MICHR Pilot
• MICHR K Award 
• ORSP Find Funding

Proposal Preparation

• UMMS Office of Research
• ORSP 
• NIH 

Grant Writing

• Grant Writing Tips  
• UMMS Office of Research Grant Samples
• Proposal Writer's Guide by Don Thackrey