Another grant rejected

[cyrkus]

Hi all, just got rejected for another funding bid. Four out of four this year. We are under growing pressure to secure money and it’s just not happening for me. I know with HE how it is this is not the worst thing but i am so dejected. All the time spent with so little gained. Any thoughts?

Oh, I'm sorry - I know how much work it is. I've been lucky to have had a strong of grants, but I'd say that I've had as many rejected as awarded. Is the feedback any use in terms of re-application - or reworking the central idea?

Or can you repurpose the idea into a journal article?

The other thing is most UKRI research council success rates are around 10-15% so it is more usual to be rejected than awarded. Cold comfort, I know.

Ah, I'm sorry, the frequent rejection inherent in academia is one of the suckiest parts of the job! Any why I now work in uni prof services rather than in research!

You're allowed to be upset and frustrated about this - but try and limit wallowing to a day or two before pulling your socks up and thinking about next steps. Try to remember that pretty much the maximum success rate for funders is 25%, and most are much lower, at 5-15% - so it isn't a 'failure' on your part that four out of four bids have been unsuccessful, it's just part of a numbers game weighted against you.

All my sympathy if that's what you're looking for - if you want advice as well though, a whole bunch of questions below:

Can you repurpose this grant for another funder?

Have you been submitting the same research idea to all four attempts or different projects?

Have you been getting feedback from the funder? If UKRI, what scores have you been getting?

Are these big or small applications? What career stage are you, and do you have a track record of securing funding?

What is your publication track record like?

Are you getting your grants peer reviewed before submission?