Consider these additional tips when reviewing proposals:
- 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?
- On-Farm Research Grants require at least one farmer cooperator. How are farmers integrated into the project? Do they have cookie cutter job descriptions or is their involvement meaningful and impactful to the project and sustainable ag?
- Look at current market/sustainable ag farming trends. How would the grant results support those trends?
- Can you understand what the applicant is proposing? If the proposals are difficult to understand, the applicants may not be able to present results in a logical way.
- Is the proposal a band-aid to conventional ag or an innovation that seeks transformative change?
Though not required, you may provide general comments for each proposal in the SARE Grant Management System, particularly in areas that need improvement. Short, one-sentence comments that provide little value for improvement are unhelpful for applicants. Be sure to focus on providing suggestions or recommendations that allow applicants to strengthen their grant-writing skills or improve upon their grant proposal for future resubmission and consideration. Applicants look to peer reviews to improve upon and strengthen their own research experiences.