Fataneh Farahani. Photo: Markus Marcetic/WAF

• Follow the instructions carefully and ensure that you actually answer all questions.
• Read previous successful proposals.
• Everyone in the review panel is not necessarily in your specific field. Therefore, you have to give enough of the ‘basics’ so everyone can understand while at the same time showing that you are an expert in your subject.
• Don’t submit something that you know isn’t good enough. The reviewers will surely agree.
• Think of context, relevance, purpose, and process and provide clear answers to the following questions: WHAT will you do, HOW will you do it, WHY is it important?  WHAT is your contribution and WHO will you work with and why? WHAT is their contribution?
• Don’t get discouraged by rejections. Even researchers who have received big grants have gotten many rejections.

The major grants Fataneh Farahani has received are the Wallenberg Academy Fellows 2016, and grants from FORTE, NorFA, the Australian Federal Government, Western Sydney, and the Natur & Kultur scholarship.