NIH Grant Writing Boot Camp

Federal grants, particularly from the NIH, provide a critical means of support for academic research programs. Despite the importance of this support in advancing both research and researchers’ careers, training in how to obtain grants is uneven at best. This training gap leaves many researchers struggling to learn as they go, which can introduce significant stress, delay the time to a successful application, and impact their overall productivity. The good news is that training and hands-on practice can enable you to conquer grant writing, increase your chances of receiving funding, and devote more time to moving your scientific goals forward.

The 2-day NIH Grant Writing Boot Camp: Building a Strong Foundation for Funding Success will provide comprehensive training that supplies researchers with the tools to write persuasive, effective grant proposals. Through a combination of seminars, discussions, examples, and hands-on activities, with a particular focus on navigating between-the-lines on how to tailor your proposals to grant reviewers, this training will orient you to all aspects of the academic funding process (i.e., grant writing and grant strategizing), including:

• How to identify and apply for the right funding opportunities with the NIH (and beyond);
• How to position your research and yourself to make reviewers your research advocates;
• How to target your application to the right place at the right time; and
• How to write clearly, effectively, and persuasively when telling your scientific story.

The workshop will begin with a live online seminar 3-4 weeks before the 2-day boot camp to introduce the fundamentals of drafting the Specific Aims page— that oh-so-important project overview that can ‘make or break’ the reviewers’ perception of the application.

The 2-day portion of the boot camp will cover critical topics that help you package your proposal for maximum impact:

• What the Aims page captures, why it’s so important to get it right, and how to tackle it
• A comprehensive introduction to NIH funding announcements and award mechanisms: What to apply for and how to apply
• Merit review: Understanding who, what, why, and how enables you to frame your application
• Principles of good communication: How to ‘sell’ yourself and your science
• Psychology of grant review
• Tackling resubmissions for ultimate success

One round of written feedback for a Specific Aims page will be made available to all attendees for 3 months after the boot camp, at no additional cost, further solidifying the boot camp concepts into practical skills.

Attendees will leave the boot camp with:

• A foundational understanding of the NIH granting process and how it pertains to public health research
• Hard-copy reference materials for information retention & review
• A refined Aims page
• A refined NIH Biosketch

One round of written feedback for a Specific Aims page will be made available to all attendees for 3 months after the boot camp, at no additional cost, further solidifying the boot camp concepts into practical skills.

Summer 2026: The NIH Grant Writing Boot Camp will be a livestream, remote training that takes place over live, online video on June 15-16, 2026 from 10am EDT - ~5pm EDT. Please note this training is not a self-paced, pre-recorded online training.

Investigators from any institution and from all career stages are welcome to attend, and we particularly encourage trainees and early-stage investigators to participate. No prior experience in preparing or submitting NIH grant applications is necessary. However, each participant should be prepared to share* and work on an NIH Specific Aims page and an NIH biosketch. Participants who have not previously written an NIH-style Aims page and/or biosketch will have an opportunity to draft their page and receive initial feedback ahead of the virtual, livestream workshop. There are no other requirements to attend the NIH Grant Writing Boot Camp.

*Hands-on activities will use participant aims pages, and we therefore request that all participants respect the confidentiality of other attendees. Any participant who prefers not to share their research ideas may create a mock aims page to use during the boot camp.

Jessica K. Lerch, PhD, Co-Founder, CareerVolt; Founder, Significance, Innovation, Impact. Dr. Lerch earned her PhD in Neuroscience at Case Western Reserve University. She then completed postdoctoral training at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami and went to a Research Assistant and then a tenure-track Assistant Professor appointment in the Department of Neuroscience at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. In late 2017, Jessica moved to a science consulting role with Eva Garland Consulting, helping small biotechnology companies and researchers across the world strategize their science to achieve grant funding for their R&D and early-phase clinical trial projects. Jessica started her first company, Significance, Innovation, Impact, in 2018 as a grant-writing consultant. In 2019, Jessica joined with long-time friend and colleague Dr. Sheila Cherry to launch CareerVolt, born of their shared desire to help scientists succeed in their career paths by filling skills gaps and supporting attainment of professional goals.Since moving into consulting in 2018, Jessica has helped individuals and small and large biotech raise over $65 million in grant funding.

Sheila M. Cherry, PhD, Co-Founder, CareerVolt. Sheila earned her PhD in Genetics at Case Western Reserve University. After a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in 2009 she founded Fresh Eyes Editing to provide editing and writing support for scientists around the globe. During its 13 years in operation, Fresh Eyes helped investigators worldwide to secure hundreds of millions in research funding--tallying more than $275 million just in US federal funding. Recognizing some common skills gaps, particularly with respect to writing grant proposals and applying for funding, Sheila began offering workshops, online training, and individual career development programs in 2016. Sheila is a Certified Editor in the Life Sciences as well as a Certified Executive Coach. She is passionate about helping researchers achieve their career goals.

Sarah Bronson, PhD, Research Leadership and Success Consultant, CareerVolt. Dr. Bronson received her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri, and was a postdoctoral trainee with Oliver Smithies, DPhil at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Sarah spent her entire faculty career at the Penn State College of Medicine where she was a researcher, educator, and administrator. She is now an Emeritus Associate Professor and Associate Dean. She was the Co-Director (2010-2020) of the nationally recognized Junior Faculty Development Program where she developed a holistic program that teased out the steps to scholarly project development as well as the path toward a sustainable and rewarding career. She was also a Co-Director for the Grants Academy, with a more specific focus on grant proposal development. As Director of Research Development (2014-2023) she implemented the internal awards program and the limited submission process.

Craig Layman, PhD, Research Leadership and Success Consultant, CareerVolt. Dr. Layman received his PhD at Texas A&M University in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Philosophy. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship and was the Donnelley Fellow at Yale University. He is a Senior Fellow in the Andrew Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and a Research Professor in the Biology Department at Wake Forest University. He was a Full Professor at North Carolina State University, a Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence Fellow in the Applied Ecology Department, and a founding member of the Global Environmental Change and Human Well-being Cluster. Craig is passionate about academic writing, reflected by his more than 160 scientific publications and over 17,000 citations, his successful grantsmanship, and his mentorship of hundreds of academic colleagues over his career.

Training scholarships are available for the NIH Grant Writing Boot Camp.

"The NIH Grant Writing Boot Camp and instructing team were simply awesome! The information was presented clearly, questions were answered respectfully and with grace, active participation was encouraged using answers given to demonstrate the skills that were being taught clearly. Overall, I gained a clear sense of what I need to do to improve my grant writing skills, such as presenting facts, clearly stating the gaps, and presenting how the proposed study will contribute to the solution." - Faculty Member at Duke University School of Medicine, 2025

"The instructing team is deeply knowledgeable and experienced in writing, editing, and reviewing successful NIH grants, and it shows in this training. The individual feedback on my Aims, extensive materials, and interactive workshop all equipped me with tools that will help me prepare a stronger grant." - Postdoc at Baylor College of Medicine, 2025

"I enjoyed the grant workshop. I have attended similar workshops in the past and this workshop provided unique and valuable information that I have not heard previously." - Faculty Member at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 2025

"The boot camp was extremely helpful in highlighting strategies for crafting successful proposals. The instructors were knowledgeable and flexible in considering/responding to attendees from different backgrounds (with different research interests)." - Staff Member at Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention, 2024

"The NIH Grant Writing Boot Camp was useful in providing both technical and practical knowledge in searching and applying for grants, with a focus on how to tailor your proposal to the NIH institution most suited to your study." - Student at Case Western Reserve University, 2024

"I found the NIH Grant Writing Boot Camp was excellent and provided me with the foundation to write a strong application. I came into the workshop feeling apprehensive about the grant-writing process and whether I would be able qualify for a K award. My interactions with the three presenters was amazing. They made me feel proud of my work and accomplishments and I'm excited to apply." - Faculty Member at Columbia University, 2024

"Having zero experience in grant writing, this boot camp exceeded my expectations! This was a great overview and I learned so much. This will serve as a tool as I prepare to think about my future research career. It was offered just in time for me to prepare with time for a grant application. I am definitely recommending this to cofellows interested in a research career." - Fellow at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2023

"The boot camp was an eye opener and worth every penny paid. The course work, the facilitators Jessica and April were amazing, and time management was top notch." - Clinician at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, 2023

"I looked forward to this boot camp each day! The leaders were so knowledgable and helpful and truly able to answer all of our questions. I walked away knowing so much more about this very complex and stressful process. It eased anxiety and the mystery of it all." - Postdoc fellow at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Brain Injury Research Center, 2023

Registration Fee is based on your category and includes course material, which will be made available to all participants both during and after the conclusion of the training. This fee also includes one round of professional written feedback for a Specific Aims page for 3 months after the boot camp, at no additional cost.

2026 Registration Category Rates: 

• Student/Postdoc/Trainee: 
  • Early-bird rate: $1,195 
  • Regular rate: $1,395 
• Faculty/Academic Staff/Non-Profit Organizations/Government Agencies: 
  • Early-bird rate: $1,395 
  • Regular rate: $1,595 
• Corporate/For-Profit Organizations: 
  • Early-bird rate: $1,595 
  • Regular rate: $1,795 

$200 early-bird discount is automatically applied if you register before the April 15 deadline.  

• $200 Early-bird Discount: This is automatically applied if you register before the April 15 early-bird deadline.  
• 10% Columbia Discount: This is valid for any active student, postdoc, staff, or faculty at Columbia University. If paying by credit card, use your Columbia email address during the registration process to automatically have the discount applied. If paying by internal transfer within Columbia, see below.  
• 10% Mailman Alumni Discount: This is valid for any individual who graduated from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. To access the Mailman Alumni discount and receive a registration code, please email sharp_program@cumc.columbia.edu your graduation year and degree.  
• Group discounts are available for organizations sending 5+ participants. Please contact us directly at sharp_program@cumc.columbia.edu for more information.  

If paying by internal transfer within Columbia, submit this Columbia Internal Transfer Request form (link to form coming soon) to receive further instructions. Please note: filling out this form is not the same as registering for a training and does not guarantee a training seat.

If you would prefer to pay by invoice/check, please submit this Invoice Request form (link to form coming soon) to receive further instructions. Please note: filling out this form is not the same as registering for a training and does not guarantee a training seat.

Cancellation notices must be received via email at least 30 days prior to the training start date in order to receive a full refund, minus a $75 administrative fee. Cancellation notices received via email 14-29 days prior to the training will receive a 75% refund, minus a $75 administrative fee. Please email your cancellation notice to Columbia.GrantWriting@gmail.com. Due to workshop capacity and preparation, we regret that we are unable to refund registration fees for cancellations less than 14 days prior to the training.

If you are unable to attend the training, we encourage you to send a substitute within the same registration category. Please inform us of the substitute via email at least one week prior to the training so we can include them on attendee communications, gather registration details, and provide materials.Should the substitute fall within a different registration category (e.g., you are a faculty member and they are a postdoc), the credit card on file will be credited/charged respectively. Please email substitute inquiries to Columbia.GrantWriting@gmail.com. In the event Columbia must cancel the event, your registration fee will be fully refunded.