As you know, I help people with their grant proposals. I’m really really busy in August and September.

Last year, one of the researchers I helped sent this feedback.

While the bulk of your feedback was helpful and constructive … your comments do not assist in furthering the CV component of this particular SSHRC application. In much the same way as a short person is unlikely to grow taller over night, nor a large person to shed their girth by the end of the week, my “very weak” cv is not going to be made resplendent with additional publications in the next few days. So, the immediate question is not one of research productivity, but rather emphasizing what is there in the best possible light, given the impending submission deadline.

Competition is stiff

Every program at SSHRC is very competitive. I often compare it to the Olympics.

This government is not increasing funding to any of the research councils. In fact they cut funding last year.

More people are applying every year. Earlier in their careers. From a wider range of institutions.

The costs of doing research are going up, so the money doesn’t go as far as it used to.

There is no better light.

You are being judged by peers.

They know the journals.

They know the presses.

They know that the book reviews are not refereed, even in refereed journals.

They know whether that conference was really refereed or whether it just had a process for selecting abstracts.

All you can do with the CV part is list what you have done according to the instructions.

You are competing with your peers

In most SSHRC competitions, you are being compared to peers at a similar stage of career.

They are publishing in the same journals and with the same presses.

They deal with the same submission to decision to publication delays you do.

They also teach, go to meetings, and have any number of calls on their time.

Starting to think about it in January gives you more options

If you assess your record of achievement now, you can prioritize sending off those almost-finished papers on your desk. You might even have a decision before the grant deadline in October.

If you need to do some preliminary research, you can get some internal funding and plan to do it at the beginning of the summer so you have a stronger proposal by August.

If you think you are really not ready, you can make a plan for putting in a strong application in October 2011.

First step: Figure out how SSHRC grants work

I’m holding a free Q&A teleconference call on Tuesday, January 19th at 1 p.m. EST.

I’ve worked at SSHRC. I’ve helped people with applications since 2005.

I am happy to answer any questions you have and I won’t even hint to anyone that might put pressure on you that you are even contemplating thinking about applying.