Research, Innovation & Impact

In fiscal year 2022, University of Missouri principal investigators received 989 distinct research awards from external funders, including 47 valued at more than $1 million. The successful grant proposals associated with these awards had some things in common: exceptional research and scholarship and support from the MU Research Development Network (RDN).

The 29-member RDN is made up of professionals with diverse educational backgrounds, technical expertise and agency-specific knowledge. Based in divisions, departments and units across campus, members work behind the scenes with faculty to improve the quality of grant proposals and increase the odds that funding will be awarded.

“Research development professionals help investigators become more successful communicators, grant writers and advocates for their research,” said RDN Chair Nancy Walker, senior research consultant in the School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery. “RDN members often have a ‘grant writer’ title, but their work can range from project management of the submission process to scientific editing, and more.”

The Grant Writers Network was coordinated by MU’s research office under Grant Writing and Publications until 2014 when the university restructured its research operation. At that point, the network became an independent member-driven organization that later adopted its current name.

The RDN meets monthly to share resources and information to provide the best possible support for faculty research proposals. Members access the group’s collective institutional and professional “knowledge bank,” an invaluable tool for those working in the nuanced and sometimes painfully bureaucratic world of grant submissions.

Below, Walker and RDN Vice Chair Charlene Emerson, scientific editor and writing consultant for NextGen Precision Health, share more details about how the group assists researchers.

What is research development? How do researchers work with the network?

Job responsibilities in the rapidly growing research development field are constantly evolving and vary greatly among higher education institutions. At Mizzou, RDN members focus on proposal development, not only editing and providing advice for documents, but also navigating faculty through administrative processes. Because of the growing interest in team science, RDN members also lead initiatives to catalyze interdisciplinary research projects and develop or curate resources and tools to support faculty collaboration. Typically, faculty will contact a grant writer in their unit, and that person will reach out to the RDN.

What factors make RDN members successful?

A major strength of the group is the range of experiences. We have members with years, sometimes decades, of experience with the proposal submission process for sponsors like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Defense and others. Newer members who have moved into proposal development from other fields bring valuable transferable skills. The RDN also includes several PhDs. Members stay informed about policy changes and trends by participating in the National Organization of Research Development Professionals and the National Council of University Research Administrators.

Interested in joining the RDN?

Those on the MU campus who work on the pre-award side of research support and have job duties or a strong interest in research development are invited to contact a current RDN member for a conversation about their fit for the group and to be nominated for membership.

Examples of research awards that RDN members helped win

"An Integrated Approach to Crop, Livestock and Agroforestry Climate-Smart Practices" ($25 million from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service)

• Principal investigator: Robert Myers, adjunct associate professor of plant science and technology
• RDN member: Sheryl Koenig, grant project manager, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
• Robert Myers said that Koenig’s “many, many contributions to the long and complicated process” helped his team win the award.

"Biomedical and Entrepreneurship Training for Aging" ($787,825 from the NIH National Institute on Aging)

• Principal investigator: Anandhi Upendran, director of biomedical innovation, School of Medicine
• RDN members: Martha Brendel, grant writer lead, Medical Research Office; Alysia Beaudoin, grants and contracts administrator, School of Journalism; and Shelley Hilton, director, Engineering Research Office
• The project is not only multidisciplinary across several MU schools and colleges, but also includes faculty from UMKC and Missouri S&T.

"Understanding Personal, Social Network and Neighborhood Environmental Contributors to Gun Access and Violence Among Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness" ($1.6 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Principal investigator: Hsun-Ta Hsu, associate professor of social work
• RDN member: Andrea Lawless, senior grant writer, School of Health Professions
• This project started as an internally funded UM System Tier 3 project and was successfully launched into a large externally funded proposal.

"University of Missouri Mental Health Interdisciplinary Training" ($5.1 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education)

• Principal Investigator: Wendy Reinke, associate vice chancellor for research; Curators’ Distinguished Professor of educational, school and counseling psychology
• RDN member: Judy Healy-Mendez, research funding director, Missouri Prevention Science Institute
• Project will train 42 graduate students to provide mental health services in high-need Missouri schools. Once program is completed, graduate students will be employed in the schools.

"Developing a Disability Studies Minor: Connecting Existing Structures Through Inclusive Curriculum" ($34,993 from the National Endowment for the Humanities)

• Principal investigator: Kerri McBee Black, assistant professor of textile and apparel management (TAM)
• RDN member: Kate Neckermann, director, College of Arts and Science Research Office
• The team includes faculty from TAM and the Women’s and Gender Studies department who will create an interdisciplinary disability studies minor.