This book is a guide to writing scientific research proposalsfor submission to funding agencies. It approaches the topic byplacing it in the larger context of planning and carrying out aresearch project, offering guidance on selecting a suitableresearch topic, organizing and planning the project, identifying afunding agency, writing the proposal, and managing the fundedproject. The book also discusses the ethical responsibilities ofthe researcher, the proposal review process, and how to deal withdeclination of a proposal. The author's 25 years of experience asan NSF program officer lend the book a unique insider's perspectiveon the proposal writing and research funding process. Because ofthat experience, the author is able to anticipate and answer thequestions that researchers most frequently ask when preparing towrite a proposal, and also to explain how program officers thinkabout proposals when they are making funding decisions.