Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) is partnering with Hanover Research to provide a range of resources and support for faculty interested in pursuing external funding. Hanover will enhance the expertise of SPA Proposal Managers by offering grantsmanship support on a first-come, first-served basis, designed to improve the competitiveness of BSU grant proposals. This partnership is designed for all members of the University community, including junior faculty and experienced researchers, along with campus-wide initiatives seeking a competitive advantage.

Please note that all proposals for external funding must follow the University’s Proposal Submission Policy and be reviewed and approved via CayuseSP before submission to the sponsor.

Consultations

Consultations are an excellent option for investigators seeking guidance on how to frame a research project to match a funder’s priorities. Sessions are conducted via conference call and are generally one hour in length with the investigator, and an option to close out Hanover’s engagement with a subsequent 30-minute follow-up call. Hanover offers three types of consultation sessions:

  • Unfunded Proposal Consult: For investigators preparing to resubmit a previously declined proposal but uncertain how to address reviewer feedback and other critiques within the rewrite.
  • Research Design Consult: For investigators needing guidance on how to pitch a research idea to a program officer.
  • Grantseeking Strategy Consult: For investigators looking for expert advice on how to frame a research idea to better align with a funder’s strategic priorities.

Hanover provides up to two waves of support for each proposal. Proposal review and revisions services include comments in the margins of the text and highlighting where the proposal can better align with funder guidelines and priorities.

  • Review: A Hanover grants consultant provides a peer review of research proposals, evaluating alignment with funding announcements and review criteria. This service is ideal for investigators in the early stages of proposal writing, such as those who have just completed initial drafts.
  • Revision: A Hanover grants consultant enhances proposal review by using track changes and margin comments to suggest revisions. This process focuses on improving clarity and ensuring proper use of language, punctuation, and grammar. It is most beneficial for investigators with a nearly final draft of their main narrative sections or specific aims and research strategy sections.
Hanover offers custom grantsmanship training webinars on various topics for all experience levels. Topics include grant writing basics, proposal components, and funding agency details (e.g., NIH, NSF CAREER). Webinars will be recorded for faculty who cannot attend live sessions.
Hanover’s prospecting research includes a comprehensive scan to identify public and private grant opportunities aligned with the specific faculty needs. The result of the research is a customized report that profiles grant opportunities, detailing alignment, proposal guidelines, and initial steps for engaging the funder.

Support Timeline

Investigators should complete a Hanover Support Request Form four weeks in advance of the date by which they propose to receive feedback. If confirmed for Hanover support, this advance planning ensures that a Grants Consultant can be scheduled for the date on which draft materials will be available for review. Please note that all Support Requests will be evaluated based on alignment with institutional priorities.

Procedure

Requests may be a stand-alone service or a combination of services as described above. The determination of which specific services Hanover provides to investigators will depend on several factors, most notably proposal readiness, sponsor deadline, and the number of projects in Hanover’s queue.

SPA will work with Hanover to manage requests and ensure adherence to our contractual arrangements. Once the request is confirmed, Stephanie Roof will schedule a brief scoping call to confirm the project and a timeline for Hanover’s support. If requests exceed capacity, SPA will prioritize requests in consultation with Deans and Associate Deans.

We aim to accommodate all investigator requests, but some projects may need to wait until space becomes available. To allow enough time for review, please request services as early as possible. Your flexibility in scheduling with Hanover is appreciated and helps us optimize their services for the campus community.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

BSU investigators seeking external funding are eligible for Hanover’s services.

To request support for Hanover proposal services, investigators must submit a Hanover Support Request Form. SPA will work with Hanover to manage requests and ensure adherence to our contractual arrangements. Once the project request is confirmed, Stephanie Roof will schedule a brief scoping call to confirm the project and a timeline for Hanover’s support.
SPA oversees project submissions to Hanover Research, evaluating factors like the investigator's willingness to share materials, adherence to deadlines, proposal completeness, sponsor deadlines, and pipeline capacity. While every effort is made to accommodate all requests, some valuable projects may not be accepted due to these limitations.
For proposal reviews and revisions, most investigators submit the narrative components of the application (e.g., abstract, specific aims, research strategy, project description, etc.). Please note, for resubmissions of unfunded proposals and competing renewal applications, investigators will be asked to provide a copy of the original submission along with reviewers’ comments (e.g., summary statement).
Hanover’s standard timelines are 3 weeks for a proposal revision and 2 weeks for a proposal review. Investigators can secure quicker turnaround times by confirming project support needs in advance. Please contact Stephanie Roof for additional details.
Once a proposal is accepted, Stephanie Roof will email the investigator(s) to schedule a call to confirm the request's scope and timeline. Following the call, Hanover's Content Director will assign a Grants Consultant suited for the project. After delivering the results, the investigator(s) can have a debrief call with the Consultant to discuss feedback and address any questions.
Hanover Grants Consultants have experience with many federal agencies (NIH, NSF, DoD, DOE, USDA, etc.) and grant mechanisms including individual grants (e.g. CAREER, K, R01, R21, R03), program project grants, center grants, and institutional training grants. This service is available to support federal, state, foundation, and industry grant submissions. They will work with new submissions, resubmissions, and competing renewal applications.
 Hanover’s proposal critiques primarily focus on the narrative components of a grant proposal - namely the project description, specific aims page/research strategy, etc. Investigators may also wish to provide additional narrative components (e.g., facilities and resources, biosketches, resource sharing plan).
Hanover assists with grant proposals that have been or will be submitted to external funding sponsors, covering various types from individual grants to institutional training grants. They support new submissions, resubmissions, and competing renewal applications. Investigators will be asked to provide a copy of the original submission along with reviewers’ comments (e.g., summary statement) for resubmissions of unfunded proposals and competing renewal applications.

Hanover's value is in its ability to navigate proposal nuances, helping investigators effectively reframe proposals for specific solicitations. Grant consultants (GC) focus on achieving cohesion in the narrative and aligning proposals with funding requirements rather than being subject matter experts in the science. A review may consist of general scientific elements of a proposal, such as:

  • Construct or structure of the hypothesis and methodology: Hanover does not provide “scientific reviews”, GC will flag areas where they think research questions, aims, and hypotheses could be strengthened and better aligned with the agency priorities.
  • Literature review: GC will note places where a citation is needed and has not been included.
  • Clarity and focus: When they suspect that narrative content lacks sufficient clarity, consistency, or rigor, GC will pose questions to encourage the investigator to verify the science, and/or suggest a review by a senior colleague or program officer.

No, Hanover consultants are not written into the proposals as scientific experts. The feedback being provided is from a grantsmanship, not an agency perspective. While consultants can speak to the general approach of the science and the way the project is developed, they don't do a deep dive into the hard science.

Any materials that an investigator shares with Hanover remain confidential. Materials will only be shared with the Hanover Content Director and the single consultant working on their proposal.
No, Hanover’s services are supported by Sponsored Projects Administration and the Office of Research, so there is no fee for service required of investigators or their departments.
For questions not addressed here, please contact Stephanie Roof, Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives.