title: Concocting that Magic Elixir: Successful Grant Application Writing in Dissemination and Implementation Research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This paper reports core competencies for dissemination and implementation (D&I) grant application writing and provides tips for writing a successful proposal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two related phases were used to collect the data: a card sorting process among D&I researchers and an expert review among a smaller set of researchers. Card sorting was completed by 123 respondents. In the second phase, a series of grant application writing tips were developed based on the combined 170 years of grant review experience of the writing team.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The card sorting resulted in 12 core competencies for D&I grant application writing that covered the main sections in a grant application to the US National Institutes of Health: (a) specific aims that provide clear rationale, objectives, and an overview of the research plan; (b) significance that frames and justifies the importance of a D&I question; (c) innovation that articulates novel products and new knowledge; and (d) approach that uses a relevant D&I model, addresses measurement and the D&I context, and includes an analysis plan well-tied to the aims and measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Writing a successful D&I grant application is a skill that can be learned with experience and attention to the core competencies articulated in this paper.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.|Division of Public Health Sciences and Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Ross C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brownson
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health Sciences and Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Graham A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Colditz
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dobbins
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Oakland, California, USA.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Emmons
authors.affiliation: Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jon F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kerner
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Padek
authors.affiliation: George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Enola K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Kurt C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Stange
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D005381:Financing, Organized; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D012108:Research Personnel; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D014956:Writing / Q000592:standards*
keywords: dissemination and implementation research; grant review; grant writing; research; translational research