Preparing for funding interviews: How to help others

Part one of two on the run-up to grant or fellowship interviews

Funders vary in how frequently they use interviews as a means of decision-making. But as a rule of thumb, the larger a grant or more career-defining a fellowship, the more likely a funder is to deploy interviews.

Research funding interviews are therefore serious business for which preparation is essential. But how best to prepare? In this first article, I will focus on how to approach interview preparation at an institutional level—that is, for those arranging or assisting with preparation. I will turn to how candidates can best approach interview preparation in part two, next week.