Find the weak spot in your GRF or ECS proposal before the panel does.

A free Readiness Check for scholars preparing a Hong Kong General Research Fund (GRF) or Early Career Scheme (ECS) application.

✦ A quick way to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your proposal

✦A guide to what your answers mean

✦ Tips to start your revisions so you come away with a stronger proposal

Who am I?

I'm Professor Kathleen Ahrens, PhD. I spent more than three decades inside research-intensive universities, serving at various points as head of department, chair of my departmental research committee, and RGC panel member. In these roles, I reviewed over three hundred GRF proposals. Now I sit on your side of the table.

Set aside five to ten minutes and open your draft beside you.

When you finish the Readiness Check, you will:

See your proposal through a reviewer's eyes

Read your draft the way a GRF/ECS panel member will, one element at a time.

Know which element is weakest

Spot the gaps that are clear in your head but not yet on the page, so you revise where it counts.

Gain clarity on how to move forward

Leave with a short list of what to revise first, and a clear sense of whether you want an experienced reviewer on your side before the deadline.

Made for scholars who want a reviewer's eye before they submit.

✦ You're preparing a GRF or ECS application for the Hong Kong Research Grants Council.

✦ Your idea is strong, but you're not sure the case for it is clear on the page.

✦ You'd rather find the weak spot now than read about it in the panel's comments.

"

Kathleen brings invaluable insight into how applications are evaluated. Her feedback is rigorous, constructive, refreshingly straightforward, and always focused on getting things right. She has an exceptional ability to transform an academically strong proposal into one that is strategically tailored to its intended funder, without overlooking even the smallest detail. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking expert guidance through the increasingly complex and demanding grant application process. Her expertise, dedication, and remarkable eye for detail are truly invaluable.

Assistant Professor, Top 2% Stanford/Elsevier Scientists List and Hong Kong GRF Awardee

Ready to see your proposal the way a reviewer will?

Get the free GRF/ECS Readiness Check and find out where to focus your next revision.