Planning is essential for any grant application process, so it’s important to reach out to the Grant Writing and Development Support team well before the application deadline and internal Brown deadlines. Please contact us early since our turnaround time can vary greatly depending on the specifics of what you need and the other projects we are handling at any given time.

Time estimates for basic editing

For basic editing services, here are some rough turnaround examples, in order of increasing complexity:

• Proofreading and copyediting of a 15-page project description: 1-2 days
• Editing or adapting a project summary or abstract for an academic but non-expert audience (e.g., a book publisher or agent): 1-2 days
• General review and comments (compliance, tone, accessibility, persuasiveness) on a 15-page project description: 2-3 days
• Substantive editing (compliance, tone, accessibility, persuasiveness) of a project description, depending on length: 2-4 days
• Substantive editing of all proposal sections: 3-5 days

Bear in mind that these timelines can also stretch because proposal development is often a collaborative and iterative process. There can be several rounds of back and forth before arriving at a completed draft.

Time estimates for complex writing and development

More complex services, such as full proposal writing and process management, take longer. As an example for a standard proposal, consider this rough 60-day timeline:

• On day 0 we will review the requirements and structure of the grant/program solicitation and confirm the roles and contributions of Brown stakeholders
• By day 15 we will have a full outline with rough text and a draft budget
• By day 30 we will have a full draft with a refined budget and most supporting administrative material, suitable for internal Brown review
• By day 45 we will have a final draft with a refined budget and additional supporting administrative material, ready for final comments from peer faculty
• By day 55 the proposal will be turned over to Brown administrative staff for final compliance checks and submission
• By day 60 the proposal will be submitted to the funder, comfortably ahead of deadline