Week 3, Post 6: Chapter 6

The qualifications section can be tricky to write because there is a fine line between telling the reviewers what you want them to know and what they need to know. With that also comes the problem of sounding pompous and selling yourself short. I think the best way to establish trust is to first initiate contact with the program officer. Do not let the first a funder ever even learns of your existence be your proposal. Initiate contact from the beginning in order to show that you have a vested interst in this opportunity. Obviously have a reason for establishing contact, but more times than not, it is a good habit to form.

There are some instances when an actual narrative is not required, but a biographical sketch is. And it is that, a very brief synopsis about how and why you're qualified, such as a condensed vitae. Some of these can be very short, no more than 2-4 pages for example. The point is, is that any information you include had better be pertinent and pertain directly to that opportunity to show how you are properly qualified.

Avoid the boilerplate at all costs. You would not have a generic resume to send out, you have different versions of a resume in order to curtail it to the appropriate organization. It is the same thing here. Boilerplates fail because you cannot portray yourself as unique. If you have a "one size fits all" mentality, you're going to be lumped together with everyone else. The key is to find a way to stand out, or at the very least, prove that you have the credentials to carry out your proposal.