Consider these additional tips when reviewing proposals:
- Think like the person writing the grant to learn the purpose of the grant and the intended outcome.
- Evaluate and support the proposal from the PIs viewpoint. Do the results help producers to be more successful? Would the results be affordable for producers in the field?
- Keep in mind that most farmers will not have a background in developing an experimental design. Strong scientific research design helps, but is not a requirement.
- Pay attention to proposals where the applicant is only wanting to pay themselves to farm or seeking to purchase capital investments through the grant. Is the funding request going toward “financing the farm”, or is it responding to a need?
- Know the farmer, and check the credentials of the applicant. Are producers really producers, or a legitimate producer organization? A Google search would aid in this.
- Is it possible for the applicant to conduct their project based on their farm operation?
- Is the proposal a band-aid to conventional ag or an innovation that seeks transformative change?
- Is the proposed topic unique and innovative? If already well-researched, does it add anything new to existing literature? Is it a topic that can easily be answered through already available resources?
Finally as you review proposals, feel free to provide your own farming experiences in the area being proposed for study.
Does the proposed project address something new that needs further research, or does it expand on existing research through a different lens? If you feel the proposed project is not fundable, what changes can be made that would increase the likelihood of its fundability?
Applicants look to peer reviews to improve upon and strengthen their own farming experiences and successes.