A comprehensive guide on when and how to approach program officers to maximize your chances of funding success.
A Program Officer (PO) is your point of contact for your proposal submission, so it is important to know when and how to contact them. Building a relationship with the right program officer can significantly improve your chances of securing funding.
While this advice is based on NIH practices, much is applicable to NSF and other federal funders. For foundation or private opportunities, contact procedures may differ.
A program officer is your point of contact for understanding the organization's response to your submission. POs manage a "portfolio" of grants, and they are rewarded for having a set of very solid grants – they want your grant submission to be successful!
Their role includes guiding applicants, providing feedback on fit with program priorities, and sometimes advocating for promising proposals within their organization.
Note: Some agencies, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Department of Defense, provide opportunities for program officers to review proposals or white papers in advance and to provide feedback on the fit for the particular program. It's important to take advantage of these opportunities to maximize your chances of success!
Check the agency or program's website and all available documents for answers to your questions, as well as the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
Your question may not be answered there, but you can frame your question in terms of what information is already available.
Prepare one or at most a few clear, succinct, relevant questions that are in the PO's purview.
Make sure your questions are specific and demonstrate that you've reviewed the available materials.
Conduct background research on your project idea and prepare a one-page research summary (specific aims page works well) that you will include in the body of the email (generally not as an attachment, unless the PO requests that format) you send to the PO, along with a specific question about your project or a request to discuss whether it is a good fit for the program.
Email first! This gives the PO a chance to get back to you on their own time.
Introduce yourself and your project, with specific, focused information and questions that show that you've done your due diligence with publicly available materials.
Make your inquiry clear by stating why you are asking, what information you hope to get from the PO, and what your deadline is.
Give ample time pre-deadline to respond, and expect delays in response right after an RFA comes out or just before a deadline.
Know the PO's name and make sure that you've examined their online documents before reaching out.
Subject: Question about fit of [research topic] for [FOA number or program name]
Dear Dr. [Program Officer's Name],
I am [your name and position] at [your institution], and I'm preparing a proposal for the upcoming [FOA number/program name] deadline. My research focuses on [brief 1-2 sentence description of your work].
After reviewing the program guidelines, I have a specific question about [your clear, focused question]. I've attached a one-page summary of my proposed research to provide context for my question.
Would it be possible to schedule a brief phone call to discuss whether my project aligns with the program's priorities? I'm available [provide some specific times], or at another time that might be more convenient for you.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Institution]
[Your Contact Information]
GrantFlux's AI assistant can help you draft a personalized email to your program officer based on your research summary.
Last updated: June 2025
Source: Adapted from university research development offices.
