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Storytelling in proposals​​​​: How to create a coherent story for your funding proposal?

Schedule

This workshop will have two sessions, linked by a practical assignment:

Session 1: Theory & first draft of skeleton structure (online, self-paced): You will get access to a video and a practical assignment to complete in your own time.

Session 2: Feedback on your draft (in-person): Join us for an in-person session to receive and discuss feedback on your draft. You can choose one of the following dates:

• 11 December 2025, 09:00–11:00

• 15 January 2026, 09:00–11:00 (Both sessions cover the same content.)

Why attend?

Are you looking to transform your research ideas into a compelling narrative that captures the attention of funding bodies? Join our storytelling workshop series designed for researchers who aspire to master the art of storytelling in their funding proposals.

This in-person training, combined with homework, is designed to equip researchers with the essential skills and knowledge to effectively create a coherent story and first page for a funding proposal. Being able to tell a coherent story is essential for securing funding.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Translate their project idea into a coherent story

• Understand scientific storytelling techniques

• Create a one-page summary of your project

Outcome of workshop: One pager of a funding proposal which can be used to get partners on board + help to start writing a grant proposal & planning a proposal

Maximum number of participants: 10 people

Conditions for participation

• Open to researchers and research managers at UMCG and partner organizations (RUG, 4 schools connected to RUG, Hanze, Isala Hospital, Leeuwarden Hospital, Martini Hospital).

• Cost: 100 Euros/workshop.

• First come, first served basis. Priority registration for UMCG employees.

Register

• Registration for October/November 2025 workshops opened in July 2025.

• Limited to 10 participants per workshop

• Participation is secured by transferring the participation fee.

• First come, first served basis.

Tailored workshops

The workshops of the Grant Navigator Training Programme can be booked stand alone or as a series. The practical assignments within the workshops are interconnected and can be used to develop a full proposal and network. Departments or institutes can request tailored workshops with a minimum of 20 participants. Tailored workshops are dependent on the capacity and availability of our trainers.

The trainers

Anja Smykowski and Lisan Assen

Skills developed by attending the Grant Navigator Training Programme

• Strategic planning for funding

• Networking and collaboration

• Demonstrating innovation value

• Effective storytelling in proposals

• Writing competitive proposals

• Defining societal impacts of research

• Using AI in grant writing

Evaluation of learning

Each module concludes with a practical assignment to measure competency development.

Accessibility of training materials

Materials will be shared via e-mail with all participants.