The Grant Doctor

Grant strategy and writing support for healthcare and public health researchers, from your first K award to center and program project grants.

Services at a Glance

Every engagement is tailored to your grant, your funder, and where you are in your research career. The packages below show the typical scope, time, and investment for each type of application.

Services in Detail

Select any service to see everything that is included.

Workshops

Workshops are available for departments, institutes, and faculty development programs. Current topics include:

• The complete guide to successful K awards
• Transitioning from a K to an R01 award
• Are you ready for an R01?
• What it takes to get a P grant

Your Grant Doctor: Dr. Jacqueline Kerr

I was faculty at UC San Diego for a decade, bringing in over $50 million in grant funding, including from NIH and AHA, and leading multiple center grants, including a P01. For the past 8 years I have helped faculty bring in over $50 million more in grant funding from NIH, PCORI, and others.

I have written and reviewed over 200 grants and have seen and responded to hundreds of grant reviews. I have served on NIH study sections, and many of my clients are NIH reviewers. This puts me in a strong position to see patterns in review responses, to know the unique tendencies of specific study sections, and to adapt quickly to changes in the review process. I provide specific advice on which NIH study section to target, how to interpret reviewer comments, and how to understand PO advice.

My grant experience includes P01, U54 and other center grants, more than 100 R01s across 14 NIH institutes, 22 K awards, and grants from PCORI, AHRQ, the American Heart Association, NSF, NHMRC and EU Horizon 2020, on topics such as cancer prevention and care, cardiovascular and metabolic health, physical activity and obesity, mental health, substance use, aging and dementia, maternal and child health, health equity, built environments, implementation science, and digital health and AI.

My approach to writing winning grants

1. Understanding who the reviewers are and writing specifically for their point of view and their review burden
2. Building a team who can deliver the grant, even when preliminary data is limited
3. Writing aims that are feasible and advance the science
4. Making sure the scope of work can be described sufficiently in the space available, and reducing the scope if needed
5. Writing significance and impact sections that excite reviewers and move them on the topic
6. Writing team and design sections with clear justifications, so reviewers have confidence in your knowledge and abilities before they reach the details
7. Repeating impact at the end of the aims, the significance, and the approach, leaving reviewers convinced of the value of your work
8. Making clear connections to the next research step and future intervention options

Scientific expertise

In addition to my grant writing experience, I have specific training and research experience in implementation science, behavioral science, community engagement, multilevel interventions, machine learning, digital health, and exposure science. I bring scientific rigor and design expertise to your grants based on these experiences.

My grant work focuses on clinical trials, observational studies, digital health, and community and behavioral studies. I do not provide the same level of expertise or review insight for basic science or lab-based grants, because my own research, client base, and review access do not reflect these methods. When I review center or P grants, I do include a detailed review of basic science projects.

What I do and do not do

I do not work on publications or serve as an investigator or consultant on grants. Persuading a funder to invest in your research is the challenge I most enjoy.

My goal is for clients to write more successful large grants, building their own portfolio of research and their capacity to win more large grants. I advise clients away from small grants, especially small foundation grants, unless they are for pilot data. Clients often come to me when they have many pilots but no large grant success. I provide strategic advice, based on my own experience, on how to build a grant portfolio.

Investing in Expert Support

My rates reflect the grant writing and research experience I bring, and the fact that this work is my primary source of income.

When you work with me, you receive

• A level of support that colleagues and mentors cannot usually provide or afford to give
• Undivided attention and endless ideas, because I am no longer in competition with you
• Quick responses and focused work without distractions
• Big picture insight and patterns that are hard to see when you are in the weeds
• A fresh eye on work that has been developing for years
• More grant writing experience than almost any faculty member, including most people in charge of faculty development
• Clear, confident advice grounded in the success and experience I bring
• Time spent developing your own research and writing skills
• Time spent on advice for preventing burnout, and coaching for promotion and strategic positioning

Paying for services

Many institutes pay for my services as a resource for their faculty. Otherwise, faculty typically pay from their discretionary or start-up funds. I do accept personal checks, but I much prefer that clients receive support from their institute.