Proposal Reviews: What Happens After Submission?

After you submit your grant proposal to a funding agency, there is little you can do but sit and wait.  But what happens during the review process?  How do various funding agencies process grant proposals, how do reviewers evaluate proposals, and how are funding decisions made?  Which strengths and weaknesses in a proposal are most likely to make a difference?  Understanding the review process can help you get a leg up on the competition.  But even if your proposal is selected for funding, the funding agency may not provide all the funding you requested in your budget.  How do you respond and how much help can you expect from your university in the process?  If your proposal is not funded, should you resubmit your proposal at the next opportunity, find a different funding agency, or just let it go?  An appropriate response to a previous review can greatly strengthen a subsequent proposal. Strategies to maximize your chances will be discussed.