Center for Advanced Research Training & Innovation (CARTI)
Grant Writing Classes

Writing a Career Development Award (K/CDA) Grant Writing Small Interactive Class

This course is for early-stage faculty or senior postdocs who are preparing to develop a career development award. In order to participate, faculty should be actively working on a draft of their career development award, with the goal of submitting their grant application for the upcoming deadline.

All participants must have the approval of their Chairperson to participate. The course consists of a combination of didactic information and class discussion of participants’ drafts. This class is held every spring and fall.

Fall 2026 Dates:

Wednesdays, September 9 - November 18
9:00 - 11:00AM 

Class will meet over Zoom or in person.

Deadline to register is Monday, August 24. 

To learn more or register to participate, please contact Dr. Marey Shriver.


Writing Your First R01 (or equivalent) Grant Small Interactive Class

Research Funding generic illustrationThis course provides participants — new/junior faculty — who are actively working on an R01 (or equivalent), with the opportunity to learn how to write a competitive R01 (or equivalent) grant application in a small group interactive setting.

Participants attend weekly two-hour sessions, during which they learn how to develop the content of each of the following components of an NIH R01 (or equivalent): Specific Aims, Significance, Innovation, Approach, Project Summary, Environment, Biosketch, and Budget. This class is held every spring and fall.

Fall 2026 Dates:

Wednesdays, October 7 - December 16
9:00 - 11:00AM 

Class will meet over Zoom.

Deadline to register is Monday, September 21.

To learn more or register to participate, please contact Dr. Christy Chang.


iPadCrafting a Powerful NIH Specific Aims Page Workshop

Academic Year 2026-27

We are offering two types of classes this coming year: one for beginners and one for those who are a bit more advanced and need to fine-tune an existing aims page.

 

Level

Dates/Times

Description

Summer 2026

Advanced

3-class series
Thursdays, 3:30-5pm
June 18, 25, July 9
Register by June 12th

Ideal for those aiming for Fall NIH resubmission.

Fall/Winter 2026

Advanced

3-class series
Fridays, 9-10:30am
Nov 6, 13, 20
Register by Oct 30th

Ideal for those aiming for February NIH resubmission.

Spring 2027

Early Stage

6-class series
Thursdays, noon-1:30pm
Feb 11 thru March 18
Register by Feb 5th

For those who have never been funded by NIH and/or those who might be preparing an application for a CARTI grant writing class.

The Specific Aims page is the most important—and often the most difficult to write—section of any NIH grant. In just one page, it must convey the significance of your problem, the clarity of your hypothesis, the innovation of your approach, and the feasibility of your plan. Reviewers often form their strongest impressions here, making it the single best predictor of funding success. 

These intensive hands-on workshops will guide you step-by-step through the process of developing a polished, compelling, and review-ready Specific Aims page. You will learn how to frame a high-impact research problem, articulate persuasive rationale, write aims that are hypothesis-driven and cohesive, and avoid common pitfalls. 

You will write on your own. Each class will be devoted to peer feedback, troubleshooting challenges, and tips on writing for clarity.  

ALL CLASSES ARE IN-PERSON

Questions? Please email Audrey Huang 

REGISTER FOR UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

 


Additional Resources