A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is the comprehensive record of academic and professional accomplishments, offering an exhaustive overview of a career in research, teaching, and service. Grants are a form of professional funding, common in academic research, the arts, and the non-profit sector, that provide financial support for specific projects or general operations. For professionals in these fields, grants are a measure of success and a reflection of a project’s merit. This guide provides clear formatting rules and strategic advice for listing this funding history accurately and effectively on a CV.
Why Listing Grants Is Crucial for Career Advancement
Grants signal external validation for a professional’s work and ideas. When an external agency, foundation, or government body invests financial resources, it communicates that the project has undergone peer review and been deemed meritorious and feasible by experts. This competitive vetting process confirms the quality of the intellectual property and the potential for real-world impact.
A track record of securing grants demonstrates a researcher’s ability to operate independently and manage complex projects. Reviewers recognize that securing funding involves skills beyond the core work, including budget development, strategic planning, and effective communication. For hiring and promotion committees, a history of successful funding acquisition is evidence of a candidate’s competitiveness and capacity to generate resources for an institution. The total amount of funding secured over time provides a quantitative metric of professional success and influence within a discipline.
Determining the Proper Section for Funding on Your CV
The placement and title of the funding section should be chosen to maximize visibility and relevance. Common titles include “Grants and Contracts,” “Funding,” “External Support,” or “Awards and Fellowships.”
A title like “Grants and Contracts” is appropriate when funding comes from large governmental or private research mechanisms. “Awards and Fellowships” may be more suitable if the funding is primarily composed of competitive personal awards, such as postdoctoral fellowships or travel grants. For positions where funding acquisition is a primary expectation, this section should be placed prominently, often following Education and Publications. Selecting the most representative title for the field and the applicant’s experience ensures the section is easily recognized by reviewers.
Essential Elements of a Complete Grant Listing
Every grant entry must include mandatory data points to ensure the listing is transparent and verifiable for reviewers. These essential elements are:
The name of the Funding Agency or Source.
The official Grant or Project Title, providing context for the funded work.
The Total Funded Amount, specifying whether the figure represents the direct cost, total cost, or the portion allocated to the applicant.
The specific Start and End Dates of the funding period, establishing the grant’s current status.
The Grant Number or Award Identifier, allowing reviewers to verify the award through the funding agency’s records.
Formatting Grants Based on Your Role
The presentation of a grant must accurately reflect the applicant’s level of responsibility and contribution.
For a Principal Investigator (PI) or a Single Investigator Awardee, the listing should clearly state the PI designation immediately following the project title. When funding is shared among multiple institutions or investigators, the individual’s role as a Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) or Co-Investigator (Co-I) must be specified.
In collaborative grants, it is standard to name the lead PI and potentially the full list of Co-Investigators to provide context. The percentage of effort dedicated to the project, if formally assigned and tracked, should be included to quantify the commitment. Individual Fellowships or Traineeships, which are personal awards, should be listed with the fellowship title and the name of the sponsoring institution, clarifying the award was granted to the individual.
Style Guidelines and Chronology for the Funding Section
Maintaining a consistent style across the funding section is necessary for professional presentation. All entries should follow a uniform format regarding font, indentation, and the order of elements to enhance readability. The standard chronological order is reverse chronological, meaning the most recent or currently active grants are listed first, followed by older, completed awards.
Active and Completed grants should be listed under separate subheadings within the main section to provide immediate clarity on the current state of the funding portfolio. Grants that have been Submitted but not yet decided can be listed under a “Pending” subheading, though this practice varies by field. Grants that were fully Rejected are generally not included on the CV, as the focus is on successful funding acquisition.
Strategic Tips for Maximizing the Impact of Listed Grants
To ensure the funding section is impactful, the listing should be strategically tailored for the specific application. Integrate relevant keywords from the job description or institutional mission into the grant titles or brief project descriptions. This customization highlights the alignment between the applicant’s funded work and the needs of the hiring institution.
Linking grants to successful outcomes provides tangible evidence of productivity. This can be achieved by briefly noting resulting publications, patents, or new products directly beneath the grant entry. Prioritizing major, externally peer-reviewed grants over smaller, internal departmental awards is advisable, as external funding carries greater weight in demonstrating competitiveness.