Focus On: Grants

8. Written by committee. There are two problems with proposals written by committee. First, since each of us has a distinct “voice” when writing, proposals written by multiple writers often have a Frankenstein feel about them — you can practically see the stitches connecting the various sections. Funders indicate that this alone is not fatal. But the second problem is. Proposals written by committee (a common experience in collaborations) are at risk for inconsistencies among their different sections. Sometimes one wonders if the writers are even talking about the same program. To eliminate this flaw, choose your very best writer to assemble and edit the final document.