Faculty complete GROWL program to enhance research proposal submissions

The first cohort of UNM faculty from departments across campus are poised to resubmit research funding proposals after completing the Grant Revision for Outstanding Wins to Level-up (GROWL) pilot program.

Originated by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Faculty Research Development Office (FRDO) to support faculty, staff, and post docs at UNM, the GROWL program focuses on resubmission of grant proposals to increase extramural funding success rates.

FRDO Director Hannah Torres explains why the program was launched. "We knew resubmissions succeed at much higher rates. With a proposal already written and feedback in hand, faculty had more capacity to refine and strengthen proposals. GROWL provided the structure and support to do that."

GROWL provides perspective, tools, and support in a series of workshops that strengthen participants' revision skills and understanding of the changing grant landscape. Covering a wide range of topics in the grant cycle from introducing the review process to communicating the significance of research, GROWL encourages confidence by providing strategies for resubmission and finding alternative funding sources. During the pilot program, participants shared their experiences with grant rejection and funding cancellation, provided peer reviews of proposals and built supportive relationships across disciplines.

In program evaluations, participants said that they came away with a better understanding of review processes and developed skills in interpreting and acting on reviewer feedback.

"I significantly improved my ability to locate and evaluate grant opportunities, said Flavio de Castro Magalhaes, of the Department of Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences. "More importantly, I acquired the skill of interpreting funding announcements beyond their explicit language, enabling me to tailor proposals in a manner that resonates with review panels and aligns with the implicit priorities of funding agencies."

FRDO expands and diversifies UNM's research capabilities through activities and programs that create a competitive advantage for extramural funding. Through programs like GROWL, FRDO supports principal investigators and all others interested in learning the grant submission process, increasing researcher confidence and submission quality. Spring 2026 programs include an NSF CAREER Cohort and a step-by-step proposal writing for workshop for new faculty. For information on any program or to learn more, contact FRDO.

GROWL 2025 pilot cohort

• Alexandra Davis, Ph.D., Department of Individual, Family & Community Education
• Flavio de Castro Magalhaes Ph.D., Department of Health, Exercise & Sports Science
• Wendy Greyeyes, Ph.D., Department of Native American Studies
• Nancy Lopez, Ph.D., Department of Sociology & Criminology
• Ursula Moffit, Ph.D., Department of Individual, Family & Community Education
• Maya Narayanan Kutty, Ph.D., Center for High Technology Materials
• Mary Rice, Ph.D., Department of Language, Literacy & Sociocultural Studies
• Eva Rodriguez Gonzalez, Ph.D., Department of Spanish & Portuguese
• Jennifer Rudgers, Ph.D., Department of Biology
• Melanie Sonntag, Ph.D., Center for Social Policy
• Geralyn Yu, Ph.D., Department of Art