How do you format and structure your grant abstract and summary according to the guidelines and requirements?

1 Understand the purpose and audience

Before you start writing your abstract and summary, you need to understand their purpose and audience. The purpose of the abstract and summary is to communicate the main points of your proposal in a clear and compelling way, and to persuade the reviewers and funders that your project is worthy of support. The audience of the abstract and summary is usually a diverse group of experts and non-experts, who may have different levels of interest and knowledge about your topic. Therefore, you need to tailor your language and tone to suit their expectations and needs.

2 Follow the guidelines and requirements

The next step is to follow the guidelines and requirements of the specific grant program or organization that you are applying to. Different sources may have different formats, lengths, and contents for the abstract and summary, so you need to read the instructions carefully and adhere to them strictly. Some common elements that you may need to include are: the title of your project, the name and affiliation of the principal investigator and co-investigators, the funding amount requested, the duration of the project, the objectives, the methods, the expected outcomes, the impact, and the keywords.

4 Write the summary

The summary is usually the longer and more detailed version of the abstract, and it should be written in one page of about 500-700 words. The summary should provide a comprehensive overview of your project, covering all the essential aspects and answering the key questions that the reviewers and funders may have. You should use headings, subheadings, bullet points, or numbered lists to organize your information and make it easy to read. You should also use specific examples, evidence, or data to support your claims and show your feasibility and credibility. The summary should be consistent with the abstract and the rest of the proposal.

5 Revise and edit

The final step is to revise and edit your abstract and summary, making sure that they are accurate, clear, coherent, and persuasive. You should check your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word choice, and eliminate any errors or ambiguities. You should also check your alignment, font, spacing, and margins, and ensure that they follow the guidelines and requirements. You should also ask someone else to proofread your abstract and summary, and give you feedback on their content, structure, and style.

6 Use online tools and resources

If you need more help or guidance on how to format and structure your grant abstract and summary, you can use online tools and resources that can assist you in the process. For example, you can use templates, samples, or examples of successful grant abstracts and summaries from similar fields or topics, and learn from their strengths and weaknesses. You can also use online generators, checklists, or guides that can help you create, improve, or evaluate your abstract and summary. However, you should always customize your abstract and summary to fit your specific project and audience, and avoid copying or plagiarizing from other sources.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?