RESEARCH Development

This introductory course provides a practical overview of the research development (RD) profession, focusing on what RD is—and what it is not—and how it operates in practice. Using the four core pillars of the field—Strategic Research Advancement, Communication, Collaboration and Team Science, and Proposal Support—participants will explore how research development advances research from early-stage ideas through competitive proposals.

The course highlights the role of RD professionals in identifying opportunities, building research communities, communicating research strengths, and supporting proposal development. Participants will also be introduced to basic tools and approaches that can be incorporated into their current workflows, as well as the range of research development resources commonly available at universities.As the foundation for the certificate program, this session provides a conceptual map of the field while equipping participants with practical insights they can begin applying immediately. The course also reflects the diverse roles research development professionals play—as connectors, collaborators, coaches, and strategists—in supporting researchers and advancing institutional research goals.

Following this course, participants will be able to:

• Define research development (RD) and its role in advancing research 
• Describe the four core pillars of research development 
• Recognize key RD practices across the research lifecycle 
• Apply basic approaches to funding awareness and opportunity identification 
• Identify strategies for building and supporting research communities 
• Identify research development tools and institutional resources

This interactive course will help attendees explore and articulate how research in their fields impacts society. We will discuss why effectively communicating societal impact is critical for success across a range of funding contexts, including developing competitive National Science Foundation (NSF) Broader Impacts statements, aligning proposals with corporate and foundation priorities, and advancing research-based solutions to societal problems through federal and local funding opportunities (e.g., ARPA-H, DOW, NIH). Following a brief presentation, participants will engage in small-group activities to practice communicating the societal relevance of departmental/ unit research to funders. The session will also include guided brainstorming on public engagement activities and partnership-building strategies to extend the reach and application of research beyond academic settings. These activities will equip research development professionals with the skills and resources required to support faculty, staff, and students in pursuing impact-driven research and education grants.

Following this course, participants will be able to:

• Communicate the societal impact of their faculty research to non-academic audiences
• Align research goals with societal impact to strengthen partnerships and funding competitiveness
• Understand NSF Broader Impacts (BI) requirements
• Apply best practices to develop competitive BI statements
• Identify and engage community, industry, and campus partners with shared goals
• Determine effective timing and strategies for partnership outreach and support letters
• Access additional resources to develop, implement, and evaluate societal impact activities

Research development (RD) professionals play a critical role in helping researchers develop competitive proposals by providing strategic guidance on planning, writing, and reviewing. This course provides an overview of the proposal development process, from analyzing solicitations to final proposal reviews. This course also addresses ethical considerations in proposal development, including best practices for RD professionals and considerations for using artificial intelligence. 

Following this course, participants will be able to:

• Develop shell documents, timelines, and tracking systems, to support proposal development and submission.
• Apply best grant writing principles to develop clear, persuasive, and competitive proposal narratives.
• Describe the main components of research proposals and recognize differences in proposal structure and expectations across funding agencies.
• Facilitate proposal reviews and provide constructive, actionable feedback to strengthen proposal competitiveness.
• Identify common ancillary proposal documents and explain their purpose.
• Evaluate ethical considerations in research development practice, including appropriate levels of writing support, collaboration, and authorship.
• Assess the opportunities, limitations, and responsible use of artificial intelligence tools in proposal development.

This course introduces research development professionals to evidence-based approaches for facilitating collaborative research teams. Participants will examine methods for supporting research teams in idea generation, consensus building, and development of a shared conceptual framework to write peer-reviewed publications and frame external grant proposals. Emphasis will be placed on research prioritization methods, including horizon scanning, and structured facilitation techniques, including the World Café method. Participants will gain practical experience designing and implementing collaborative processes that foster interdisciplinary engagement and strategic research planning.

Following this course, participants will be able to:

• Design, fund, organize, and facilitate collaborative research events that support the formation and development of multidisciplinary research teams.
• Apply research prioritization methodologies, including horizon scanning, to systematically identify, evaluate, and prioritize research questions and strategic research directions.
• Facilitate structured discussion methods, including the World Café approach, to promote participant engagement, build consensus, develop shared understanding, and generate actionable research priorities.

Federal agencies each have distinct missions, cultures, funding priorities, and review processes that shape how research is developed and funded. This course introduces RD professionals to three of the largest federal research sponsors: the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of War (DoW). Participants will examine each agency's mission, organizational structure, funding mechanisms, proposal requirements, merit review criteria, and approaches to investigator engagement. The course also highlights strategies for identifying funding opportunities, communicating effectively with program officers and in research proposals, and positioning researchers for success.

Following this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the missions, organizational structures, and research priorities of NSF, NIH, and DoW.
• Differentiate the funding mechanisms, proposal requirements, and review criteria used by each agency.
• Identify funding opportunities that align with researcher expertise and agency priorities.
• Apply agency-specific strategies for engaging program officers and navigating the proposal development process.
• Identify resources and tools that support successful engagement with federal funding agencies.

virtual training designed to help faculty navigate the world of foundations. Learn how to identify funding opportunities, craft competitive proposals, leverage institutional resources, and steward program officer relationships to build strong partnerships with private foundations and public charities.

Following this course, participants will be able to understand:

• How and why foundations operate.
• How to identify funding opportunities that align with your research and program goals.
• How to develop compelling, competitive proposals.
• How to identify and leverage institutional resources.
• How to build and maintain foundation relationships with foundation representatives.