Preparing basic and translational grant proposals: thoughts from the trenches.

Written primarily for first-time applicants, this overview is a collection of tips intended to convey an approach to grant writing based on the experience of the author. Therefore, it is not a comprehensive review and it does not supplant the numerous treatises on grant writing, which cover everything from writing style and grammar to details regarding individual granting mechanisms and agencies. Rather, it is a brief overview of the grant writing process from conception to submission.