Though only one page, the Specific Aims page is probably the MOST important piece of your grant. Often, reviewers will form a strong opinion about the merits of a proposal on this page alone, so you want to make sure that you maximize its potential and increase your chance for funding. Read on for tips on how to write a stellar Specific Aims page!

1. Create a “Funnel Shape” Conceptually. Lead the reader from the general to the specific, so that by the time your aims appear, it’s clear what gap in the literature you’re addressing and how this new knowledge will fit into the field.
2. Highlight the gap in knowledge. All grants should address an issue or topic that is unknown. What do we not yet know? Or what do we not yet have that needs to be identified, discovered, or developed in order to move the field forward? Frame this gap as a problem that demands a solution.
3. Ground your research in the current knowledge base. While it is critical to define the gap in knowledge, it is equally important to clearly outline the current state of the field. Make sure that you frame what you propose to do within our current understanding of the research. Provide a progression from older knowledge to what is currently “cutting edge” in the field.
4. Clearly state your hypothesis. You want to establish the continuum of research that you will be pursuing over multiple periods of grant support. Start broad and continually narrow your scope. Use this description to build towards your central hypothesis, which should relate directly to your overall objective.
5. Each aim should be able to stand alone. While all of your aims should test all parts of your central hypothesis, they should not be dependent on one another. They should flow logically but not be dependent on each other for their success. More than one possible outcome should be acceptable and success should not be dependent on any single outcome.

For Career Development Grants, all of the above are critical, but equally important is to provide a sentence or two that connects your training aims with your research goals. Make sure to use the Specific Aims page to highlight how the training and mentorship being proposed will help you to become an independent researcher.

The CCTS offers numerous resources to help with grant applications, from the Panels Program to the Grant Writing Intensive Cohort. Additionally, check out the Grant Library to view examples of successful grants. Be sure to take advantage of these resources to not only improve your Specific Aims but to increase your chances for funding!