Writing Tools

Grant Pacing Workshop

Pace yourself smoothly to completionof your grant application
Grant Pacing Workshops are designed to help scholars maintain steady progress towards completion of an application.

K & R WORKSHOPS

The Grant Pacing Workshops are designed to help you prepare the best possible grant. These workshops include two half-day, in-person workshop sessions.

TOPICS FOR K & R WORKSHOPS
Creating a grant preparation timeline
Using task lists to ensure momentum
Avoiding common pitfalls
Crafting a Career Development Plan
Constructing a budget & justification

The goal of the workshops is to help you keep steady progress to completion of your application for grant submission deadlines.

Open to Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Meharry Medical College postdoctoral fellows and early career faculty.

Sessions
Career Development Award (K)

OCTOBER 2026 SUBMISSIONS

Session 1 | May 27, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Session 2 | June 2, 2026, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Facilitator: Dr. Julie Bastarache

REGISTER FOR K WORKSHOP
Independent Investigator Award (R01)

OCTOBER 2026 SUBMISSIONS

Session 1 | May 26, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Session 2 | June 8, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Facilitator: Dr. Eric Austin

REGISTER FOR R WORKSHOP
Edge Review

Edge Review is a NIH-like internal study section by senior Vanderbilt faculty. Reviews are conducted in advance of NIH cycles for R, K, or F series, or equivalents for basic and clinical investigation.

EDGE REVIEW SURVEY ON INTENT
Due July 23, 2026

EDGE REVIEW MATERIALS
Due August 13, 2026

EDGE REVIEWER VIDEO
Received by September 8, 2026

EDGE REVIEWS
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eNotebook

  • available upon registration; contact Verna Wright. A registration email with exact workshop dates typically goes out one month before the first workshop of a series. Email Verna Wright to be placed on the distribution list.

Video Library

  • For a link to a Timeline demonstration and/or a Budget Justification discussion (both Zoom recordings), please email Verna Wright

Checklists

Handouts

Resource Links

Writing, Editorial, Personal, and Other Types of Assistance

Questions

Email the Edge team at info@edgeforscholars.org

upcoming Grant Pacing Workshop events [ view all events ]
April 9, 2026 | 5:00 pm Must have submitted survey of intent by March 19
Edge Review
Pre/Post Doc
Early career faculty
Mid career faculty
Senior faculty
April 10, 2026 | 2:00 pm (In-Person) Dr. Julie Bastarache | 2525 West End, VICTR 6th Floor Lounge
Productivity
Pre/Post Doc
Early career faculty
Mid career faculty
Senior faculty
April 29, 2026 | 12:00 pm (Virtual) TBA
EFS Seminar
Faculty Life
Writing & Publishing
Doing Research
Networking & Collaboration
Pre/Post Doc
Early career faculty
May 26, 2026 | 10:00 am (In-Person) Dr. Eric Austin | 2525 West End, VICTR Suite 609 Boardroom
Grant Pacing Workshop
Grants & Funding
Early career faculty
May 27, 2026 | 10:00 am (In-Person) Dr. Julie Bastarache | 2525 West End, VICTR Suite 609 Boardroom
Grant Pacing Workshop
Grants & Funding
Early career faculty
June 2, 2026 | 11:00 am (In-Person) Dr. Julie Bastarache | 2525 West End, VICTR Suite 609 Boardroom
Grant Pacing Workshop
Grants & Funding
Early career faculty
June 8, 2026 | 9:00 am (In-Person) Dr. Eric Austin | 2525 West End, VICTR Suite 609 Boardroom
Grant Pacing Workshop
Grants & Funding
Early career faculty
July 23, 2026 | 5:00 pm
Edge Review
Pre/Post Doc
Early career faculty
Mid career faculty
Senior faculty
August 13, 2026 | 5:00 pm Must have submitted survey of intent by July 23
Edge Review
Pre/Post Doc
Early career faculty
Mid career faculty
Senior faculty
Pace yourself smoothly to the completion of a grant.
Testimonials
The project management strategy of backing out the timeline and including specific dates for completion of tasks works well.

~ Grant Pacing Workshop Participant

As a new investigator with a K award, it's hard to get a grasp on all the pieces involved in submitting your first R01 proposal. The workshop really helped me get a handle on the scale and scope of this task, as well as resources available within Vanderbilt to help me as I go through the process.”

~ Grant Pacing Workshop Participant

I participated in this workshop series for the June submission cycle and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to submit in October! Even established PIs can benefit from the scheduling techniques and timeline management we learned.

~ Grant Pacing Workshop Participant

MAPPING THE PATH FOR K OR R SUBMISSION
pro tips for creating custom timelines
Success

Assistant Professor

Department
Medicine (General Internal Medicine & Public Health)
Award Type
  • R01 Recipient

Assistant Professor

Department
Medicine, Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Award Type
  • K08 Recipient

Assistant Professor

Department
Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine)
Award Type
  • ASCI Physician Scientist Award

Assistant Professor

Department
Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology
Award Type
  • K23



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