Every scientific breakthrough at Yale begins with an idea and the strategy to make it fundable. Behind each major research success lies a challenge: how to transform a bold vision into a winning proposal in an increasingly competitive funding landscape.
That’s where the Yale Office of Research Development (YRD) comes in.
Established in November 2023, YRD partners with faculty to pursue the university’s most ambitious, high-impact awards — those that can reshape disciplines, build research infrastructure, and accelerate discovery across campus. The YRD team brings deep expertise in funding strategy, project leadership, and scientific storytelling, working alongside investigators from concept to submission to ensure every proposal is both visionary and fundable.
“The ground-breaking science and innovation going on at Yale has the potential to change the world,” said Kirsten Hewitt, Research Development and Analytics Specialist. “Our role is to connect that ambition with opportunity and help researchers put forward their most competitive proposal.”
Before YRD existed, investigators often led complex, multi-institutional proposals alone, limiting Yale’s ability to compete at scale. By investing in a strategic, centralized function, Yale has strengthened its position in a rapidly evolving funding environment. While Yale’s research administrators manage the essential logistics of proposal submission, YRD partners with faculty at the strategic front end by developing ideas, building collaborations, and positioning proposals to compete nationally.
“We collaborate with faculty as co-architects,” said Director Christina McDonald. “Whether it’s shaping the scientific narrative, planning team structure, or coordinating major milestones, we build proposals that can compete nationally.”
YRD advances its mission through three integrated pillars that reflect how the office supports faculty, from early strategy to final submission:
- Research Strategy, Communication & Funding Intelligence (Anticipating the Next Opportunity)
- Research Team Development & Strategic Collaboration (Building Teams That Can Win)
- Large-Scale Proposal Development (Transforming Vision into Fundable Proposals)
Anticipating the Next Opportunity
Securing major research funding begins long before a solicitation is released. YRD helps faculty anticipate where opportunities are headed by tracking agency priorities and understanding emerging investments and the personalities of each federal agency.
“Funders each have their own culture,” McDonald explained. “Some invite negotiation. Others expect early engagement. We help researchers navigate those nuances and build relationships that matter.”
YRD’s specialists engross themselves in agency briefings, leadership speeches, and policy trends to ensure that Yale proposals resonate with what funders are actually seeking.
“We immerse ourselves in guidelines, leadership communications, and policy updates,” said Research Development Specialist Trisha Bailey. “We advise researchers on how to position their science, so it resonates with what agencies are actively seeking.”
Through data-driven funding intelligence and lessons from past successes, YRD strengthens Yale’s competitiveness proposal after proposal.
Karen Francis, Program Manager for Funding Opportunities, curates strategic opportunities in a weekly newsletter and manages limited submission competitions by ensuring Yale puts forward its strongest candidates while maintaining transparency across schools.
YRD also organizes visits from federal program officers and policymakers, creating direct channels between Yale researchers and the agencies shaping future investments.
“When we bring agency representatives to campus,” McDonald said, “we’re not just learning what they fund—we’re helping shape what comes next.”
Building Teams That Can Win
Winning large-scale research grants isn’t just about a strong idea; it’s about assembling the right team to bring that idea to life. YRD helps faculty design collaborations that cross disciplines, connect institutions, and combine expertise in ways that reviewers can’t ignore.
Through events like the Yale Idea Exchange, researchers share short, focused pitches describing their work and the capabilities they’re seeking in partners. What begins as a five-minute conversation often grows into a campus-spanning collaboration.
“It’s often the connection after the event that makes the difference,” said Kirsten Hewitt. “Someone thinks, ‘You need to meet my colleague,’ and a new partnership is born.”
YRD uses specialized tools and hands-on facilitation with faculty to chart research strengths across Yale and reveal where collaborations already exist and where new ones can spark. These insights help identify leadership pathways and connect faculty who are poised to tackle shared grand challenges.
“You can help guide the future of funding,” said Christina McDonald. “There are win-wins waiting to be built.”
From the first introduction to the final proposal submission, YRD engineers partnerships that multiply Yale’s research potential.
Transforming Vision into Fundable Proposals
A major research proposal is more than a scientific document; it’s a persuasive case for investment. YRD ensures that each proposal is cohesive, strategic, and aligned with agency expectations from the first draft to the final upload.
“With strong project management, we can remove barriers so the lead investigator can focus on the innovation,” said Trisha Bailey. “We have the capacity and expertise to support the team from the ideation through submission.”
The team provides strategic direction on narrative framing, timeline design, graphics, and scientific storytelling to ensure that every section reinforces a unified vision.
“All proposals are pitches,” Bailey added. “We elevate the science, so reviewers see not only the merit but the momentum behind it.”
YRD also safeguards proposals against common pitfalls, from overlooked guideline changes to ambiguous new policies, ensuring that technical missteps never undercut strong science.
“Anything that doesn’t meet the sponsor’s requirements is reason enough to have an application returned without review,” said Karen Francis.” It’s one less proposal for them to review.”
To further sharpen competitiveness, YRD coordinates external Red Team Reviews, inviting experienced reviewers to critique proposals before submission; simulating agency-style evaluation and strengthening the final product.
“For our recent 460-page National Science Foundation infrastructure proposal,” recalled Steven Girvin, Sterling Professor of Physics, “in addition to helping us to create the required highly detailed Project Execution Plan, YRD put together an external Red Team review that gave us very helpful written and verbal feedback on the first draft of the plan.”
Looking Ahead: Positioning Yale to Lead
As national research priorities evolve—toward transformative technologies, national security, and societal resilience—YRD is helping Yale stay not just competitive, but visionary. The office continues to expand its capabilities, integrating strategy, intelligence, and collaboration to keep Yale at the forefront of major funding conversations.
“Research development is an integrated strategy,” said Christina McDonald. “When done well, it lifts the entire research enterprise and strengthens Yale for the long term.”
Early results already reflect that momentum. Since its inception, YRD has supported eleven large-scale grant proposals, including an NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory pilot grant, a Korean government–funded research center, and an NSF Major Research Instrumentation Track 1 award. These successes illustrate not only the quality of Yale’s science, but the growing sophistication of its proposal development ecosystem.
“That’s what we do,” said Trisha Bailey. “We partner with faculty to imagine what’s possible and then build the roadmap to get there.”
For Yale researchers pursuing ambitious ideas, YRD is more than a support office. It’s a creative and strategic partner helping turn transformative visions into funded realities.
Interested in exploring a major opportunity? Contact the YRD team at researchdev@yale.edu to begin shaping your next breakthrough.