How to Write a Fulbright Proposal‌ ‌And have a good chance of getting it funded Emma Hayward 4/1/2010
There Are Two Types of Grant: Which One Is For Me? • Student Grant (Full) • Fulbright-Hayes
How Do I Get It? • Be able to explain why you need it • Know the review process and use it to your advantage • Check the boxes
Why Do I Need a Fulbright? Your project must be feasible --It must fit within the timeframe of the Fulbright --it must fit the geographic constraints --it must fit the funding constraints --it must pass IRB, ethical considerations
Why Do I Need a Fulbright? (Ctd) And it must be compelling --why do you need to leave Penn’s campus? --why did you pick this particular country? --what is your timeframe? --what broader applicability does your research have?
How Does the Review Process Work? There are three phases to the review process --Your university (Penn) --US reviewers --Host country reviewers Your proposal must sound appealing to reviewers at all three stages
US Reviewers It would be best to consult with your department or CURF about the Penn review process US reviewers are academics --Explain any academic jargon you use because not everyone will be from your discipline or specialization --Explain why they should want to fund it—policy applicability? --Is your project the kind of thing that the US government would choose to represent itself abroad? --Why is your project urgent now? Why should it take priority?
Host Country Reviewers Is your project beneficial to your host country in any way? Is there anything about your project that would appear threatening? --make sure you explain anything that could be questionable
Checking the boxes Have a letter from someone in your host country --either someone who wants to work with you, i.e. mentor your project --or a host institution that is excited about your project Have a contingency plan --what if your sources are unobtainable? --doesn’t have to be detailed, but do acknowledge possible difficulties Get everything in ahead of time—plan for revisions