$100M and Counting: VCU's Grant Academy expands to prepare postdocs for major research awards

By Emily Komornik
Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation

The Grant Academy, a flagship professional development program designed to turn ambitious research ideas into competitive funding proposals, has surpassed over $106 million in awarded project funding for Virginia Commonwealth University researchers.

Building on this record of success, the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, which operates the program, is expanding the Grant Academy to include a specialized track tailored exclusively for postdoctoral researchers, equipping the university’s next generation of principal investigators with the strategy, mentorship and grant-writing skills to launch high-impact research careers.

"Navigating the competitive grant landscape requires so much more than strong science. It also takes strategic positioning, clear storytelling and strong mentorship,” said John Ryan, Ph.D., associate vice president of research development. “The Grant Academy breaks down the unspoken rules of funding success and creates a community where scholars thrive together. Extending these tailored resources to postdocs is the natural next step in empowering our early-career researchers at a vital inflection point in their careers."

Millions in funding, high-impact success rates

Since its inception, the Grant Academy has driven VCU’s expanding research enterprise. Open to faculty across all disciplines, spanning the humanities, physical sciences, engineering, education and medicine, the program demystifies the competitive grant submission process through rigorous training and peer collaboration.

To date, the Grant Academy’s metrics highlight an exceptional return on investment:

• $757+ million in total proposed funding generated across 1,004 decided proposals.
• $106+ million in total awarded project dollars.
• 76.8% success rate with nearly 8 out of 10 participating faculty members receiving funding following participation in the program.
• 141 total participants.

Expanding horizon: A dedicated track for postdoctoral scholars

Recognizing that early-career researchers face distinct milestones and challenges, the Grant Academy launched the standalone Postdoctoral Grant Academy in 2024 that meets every spring. This specialized track focuses on early-stage funding vehicles, such as federal and private foundation fellowships.

Unlike the traditional Grant Academy, the Postdoctoral Grant Academy features a three-mentor model, providing each postdoc with a tailored network of senior guidance; a customized curriculum with focus areas directly geared toward early-career transitions, navigating institutional support and building long-term research agendas; and dedicated cohorts that allow postdocs to collaborate and review proposals alongside peers at identical career stages.

The blueprint: Mentorship, review and strategy

The faculty Grant Academy operates yearly, with cohorts of eight to 15 participants. Admission is selective, requiring applicants to demonstrate a solid research foundation, secure departmental endorsement and identify a concrete, transformative grant opportunity due within the next 12 months. Interactive workshops cover every stage of proposal development, including persuasive narrative strategy, project design, budget management, team science, clinical trial requirements and regulatory compliance.

"I participated in the Grant Academy during my first two years as a junior faculty member at VCU," said Leah Spangler, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in the College of Engineering. "The in-depth lessons on grant opportunities, how to budget and how to navigate the submission process helped me understand the complexities of the submission and review process so I could focus on writing the best version of my research ideas."

Beyond classroom instruction, the program's core is its robust three-tiered review process and individualized technical support. Participants refine their drafts through constructive peer feedback within their cohort, undergo internal evaluation with senior faculty mentors and receive critical external review prior to final proposal submission. Throughout the entire journey, VCU Research Development staff provide one-on-one guidance on strategy, content and copyediting, ensuring investigators submit the highest quality proposals possible to advance their research careers.

"What truly stood out to me was the understanding that smaller grants serve as vital stepping stones toward larger ones, helping build real momentum in obtaining consistent funding," said Meera Mehtaji, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Education. "The Grant Academy provided me with a strategic, long-term approach that continues to guide my efforts."

Applications for the fall 2026 Grant Academy cohort are now open to all eligible VCU faculty and researchers. To learn more about the program and to apply, visit research.vcu.edu/training/grant-academy/.