Grant FAQs

  • What are the most common reasons a proposal is declined?

    • The proposed project has no relation to nursing regulation or policy. 
    • The proposal is poorly written, difficult to understand or not written using a scientific framework.  
    • The proposal does not describe how the statistical analysis of the data will be performed.
    • The proposal has methodological errors, inadequate control of subject variables, incorrect or inappropriate research design, or poor conceptualization of the problem/approach and statistical analysis.
    • The proposal did not follow CRE general grant guidelines.
    • The study is not generalizable beyond a small or specialized group.
    • Expenditures are excessive. The budget is not in line with the proposed project.

  • Can more than one investigator from an institution apply for a grant in the same funding cycle?

    Yes

  • Can an individual receive more than one grant?

    A Principal Investigator (PI) may not receive an award in which they are the PI during the following application period. Investigators may contribute to a new grant as a co-investigator or consultant so long as the new project does not interfere with their active project.

  • How long does it take for a grant to be approved?

    About three to four months. Please review the CRE Grant Timeline for further details. 

  • Are grants only given to nurses or also to non-nurses doing research in nursing?

    Grants will be awarded to non-nurses as well as nurses as long as the research pertains to nursing regulation.

  • Is IRB approval required before a grant proposal can be submitted?

    No, but grant payments will not be provided until proof of IRB approval is received. Many proposal are submitted with IRB review pending.

  • My instruments are not yet developed; can I still apply?

    Unless the study involves the development of a research instrument, all measurement/survey instruments must be selected and/or developed prior to proposal submission so that the project is ready to begin upon notice of funding. Validity and reliability of the instrument must be included in the proposal.

  • If a grant proposal is not approved, can the project team re-submit?

    Yes. It is recommended to request feedback from the CRE review panel prior to re-submitting the application.