{"id":991,"date":"2017-07-12T16:05:20","date_gmt":"2017-07-12T15:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialscienceresearchfunding.co.uk\/?p=991"},"modified":"2017-07-12T16:05:20","modified_gmt":"2017-07-12T15:05:20","slug":"once-more-unto-the-breach-should-i-resubmit-my-unsuccessful-research-grant-application","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/socialscienceresearchfunding.co.uk\/?p=991","title":{"rendered":"\u201cOnce more unto the breach\u201d \u2013 Should I resubmit my unsuccessful research grant application?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AThis article first appeared in Funding Insight on 11th May 2017 and is reproduced with kind permission of Research Professional. For more articles like this, visit\u00a0 www.researchprofessional.com
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\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Should I resubmit my unsuccessful research grant application?<\/em><\/p>\n

No.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018No\u2019 is the short answer \u2013 unless you\u2019ve received an invitation or steer from the funder to do so. Many funders don\u2019t permit uninvited resubmissions, so the first step should always be to check your funder\u2019s rules and definitions of resubmission with your research development team.<\/p>\n

To be, or not to be<\/h3>\n

That\u2019s not to say that you should abandon your research proposal \u2013 more that it\u2019s a mistake to think of your next application on the same or similar topic as a resubmission. It\u2019s much better \u2013 if you do wish to pursue it – to treat it as a fresh application and to give yourself and your team the opportunity to develop your ideas. It\u2019s unlikely that nothing has changed between the date of submission and now. It\u2019s also unlikely that nothing could be improved about the underpinning research idea or the way it was expressed in the application.<\/p>\n

However, sometimes the best approach is to let an idea go, cut your losses, avoid the sunk costs fallacy<\/a>. Onwards and upwards to the next idea. I was recently introduced to the concept of a \u201cnegative CV\u201d, which is the opposite of a normal CV, listing only failed grant applications, rejected papers, unsuccessful conference pitches and job market rejections. Even the most eminent scholars have lengthy negative CVs, and there\u2019s no shame in being unsuccessful, especially as success rates are so low. It\u2019s really difficult \u2013 you\u2019ve got your team together, you\u2019ve been through the discussions and debates and the honing of your idea and then the grant writing, and then the disappointment of not getting funded. It\u2019s very definitely worth having meetings and discussion to see what can be salvaged and repurposed \u2013 publishing literature reviews, continuing to engage with stakeholders etc. It\u2019s only natural to look for some other avenue for your work, but sometimes it\u2019s best to move on to something else.<\/p>\n

Here are two bits of wisdom that are both true in their own way:<\/p>\n