HCRI GrantWorks Program
Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ University’s Healthy Communities Research Institute (HCRI) GrantWorks Program provides competitive, HCRI-supported access to Hanover Research grant-development services for HCRI members preparing external funding proposals. GrantWorks replaces the former HCRI Grant Academy model and is designed to help more faculty receive targeted support when it can most improve proposal competitiveness.
Program Purpose
GrantWorks helps HCRI-affiliated faculty move promising research ideas closer to submission by offering structured, professional support for proposal strategy, sponsor alignment, narrative development, resubmission planning, and proposal review. The program is intended for projects with a realistic external funding opportunity, a clear timeline, and an investigator who is ready to actively engage in the proposal-development process.
Who May Apply
Current HCRI members may apply for GrantWorks support. Faculty from any career stage are welcome to apply, including early-career, mid-career, and senior-career investigators. Applicants should have a research concept, sponsor target, draft proposal, resubmission, or funding-development need that aligns with HCRI’s mission to advance research improving health and well-being for individuals, communities, systems, or populations.
Available GrantWorks Services
- Strategic consultations on project concepts, funding mechanisms, and resubmission strategies
- Proposal reviews with detailed feedback and recommendations
- Proposal revisions with direct editorial support
- Funding opportunity identification and prospecting
- Other targeted pre-proposal planning
How the Program Works
GrantWorks uses a limited token-based service model through Hanover Research. Because services are limited and Hanover can support only a small number of projects at the same time, HCRI will review requests through a brief competitive application process with a rolling deadline. Approved applicants will receive one HCRI-supported Hanover service, with the available token level determining the type and scope of support.
Selection Priorities
- Project readiness and clarity of the research concept
- Alignment with HCRI’s mission and potential benefit to individuals, communities, systems, or populations
- Presence of a realistic sponsor, mechanism, or funding-development pathway
- Feasibility of the proposed timeline, especially when an external deadline is approaching
- Investigator readiness to provide materials, meet milestones, and use the Hanover deliverable
- Potential for support to improve proposal competitiveness or resubmission strength
Application Materials
- Applicant name, rank, unit, campus, and email address
- Confirmation of HCRI membership
- Career stage: early-career, mid-career, or senior-career faculty
- Brief project description explaining the health problem, who is affected, and why the work matters
- Target sponsor or mechanism, if known
- Current proposal stage, such as idea only, aims drafted, full draft, scored submission, or resubmission
- Realistic submission date or desired decision timeline
- Requested GrantWorks service
- Description of the proposed team, partners, and student involvement, if applicable
- Explanation of what HCRI-Hanover support would help address
- Required uploads: current CV, current aims or one-page concept, and summary statement if this is a resubmission
Definitions for Applicants
| Term | Definition |
| Early-career faculty | Pre-tenure assistant professors, typically in the first five to seven years of a tenure-track appointment. |
| Mid-career faculty | Tenured associate professors and, in some cases, recently promoted full professors who have completed the probationary period. |
| Senior-career faculty | Established full professors with a substantial post-tenure record, often including leadership, major grants, or national recognition. |
| Basic research | Research that seeks fundamental knowledge or theory without an immediate practical application. |
| Applied research | Research designed to solve a specific practical problem or produce usable results. |
| Community-engaged research | Research conducted in partnership with communities or stakeholders, with shared goals, methods, or benefits. |
| Mix | A combination of two or more research approaches. |
Expectations for Selected Faculty
- Submit required materials by the agreed-upon date
- Work directly with Hanover to confirm goals, service type, and timeline
- Submit a brief close-out to HCRI within 30 days of delivery describing how the product was used, the intended sponsor, and the planned submission date or decision not to submit
- Understand that future token support will be considered only after close-out is completed
How to Apply
Submit the brief . Applicants should include the project description, anticipated sponsor or mechanism if known, current proposal stage, timeline, requested type of support, and required uploads. Faculty are encouraged to apply early so selected projects can be scoped with Hanover well in advance of the external deadline.
For questions, please contact Jeff Hallam at hcri@kent.edu.
