Teach! Write! Learn! Become a Grant Coach!

Grant Coaches are essential for the Grant Writing Academy’s success!

Click here to Apply

Interested? Email Dr. Crystal Botham for more information.

The 2026 Grant Coach application will open on July 21, 2026. We anticipate training Grant Coaches for FY27 who have experience or interest in the following: 

Special Projects:

• Familiar with steps of grant writing process
• Creative and highly organized
• Experience in event planning and project management
• HHMI panel and writing retreat organizer
• F99/K00 Seminar – Annual
• Time-to-Write Series
• R01 Support

SoM Postbac Experience in Research Program:

• Teaching, mentoring undergraduate/postbac population, course planning
• Organized and collaborative
• Ability to work independently
• Learn about the program: https://postbacs.stanford.edu/

• Familiar with steps of grant writing process
• Teaching, mentoring graduate students
• Facilitating discussions, tracking student progress, offering support, office hours, scheduling guest speakers, leading writing sessions

Have an Idea for a New Grant Coach Position?

• You can pitch your idea in the application by providing the rational and vision

Grant Coach application due by midnight August 14, 2026!

Grant Coaches (postdocs we train) lead our Proposal Bootcamp courses (i.e., BIOS 242, BIOS 263, BIOS 279) and lead other projects that transform grant writing experiences for students and postdocs. We require a 2-4 hour commitment per week during the Autumn Quarter.  Meet our current Grant Coaches. Learn more about our award-winning Proposal Bootcamp. Specific roles include:

• Supporting and facilitating peer review by training participants to give and receive feedback via a structured process
• Supporting and facilitating focused feedback from faculty
• Clarifying and reinforcing writing strategies presented through course materials (readings, videos, lectures, class activities)
• Fostering a supportive writing community within and beyond the classroom
• Providing constructive feedback to writers
• Delivering curriculum and other relevant content and sharing expertise
• Developing new resources to support grant writers

Grant Coaches are paid and gain conceptual and practical experiences:

• Developing and articulating research strategies – a critical skill for independent research
• Writing effectively – a necessary skill for all career paths
• Asking for and providing effective feedback – a mandatory skill for mentoring in all careers
• Facilitating peer and faculty review sessions – a crucial skill for success as reviewers, teachers, and mentors
• Teaching – a unique opportunity to make an enormous difference
• Building community – become part of a network of professionals committed to excellence in training the next generation of scientists

Hourly rate for new Grant Coaches will be $50/hr and $55/hr for returning Grant Coaches.

Important dates for Grant Coach applicants:

• • Application portal launches July 21, 2026
  • Virtual info session with Grant Coaches July 28, 2026 from 2:00-3:00 pm [Register Here]
  • Applications due August 14, 2026 by midnight 
  • Virtual interviews with finalists August 24-25, 2026
  • Decision emails will be sent on August 28, 2026 by 5:00 pm
  • In-person Grant Coach training on September 10, 2026 from 9:00-4:30 pm

The Grant Coach training and teaching time fulfills requirements for the Postdoc Teaching Certificate.

Visa Eligibility: F1 OPT – Permitted to participate in Grant Coach program; J-1 –Permitted to participate in Grant Coach program; H-1B – Unable to participate in this program; H4 – Unable to participate in this program; E-3 – Unable to participate in this program.

Feedback from Grant Coaches:

“The teaching opportunities gave me reassurance in my capacity to teach and mentor within an academic setting. It gave me more confidence in teaching and interacting with students.  It provides wonderful clarity on how to write grants and also help students thrive.”

“Provided an opportunity to formalize my own grant writing techniques, learn new strategies and then test the best ways to distill them for others.”

“The Grant Coach program provided me with a sense of confidence concerning my career choices” “Provided a classroom environment that needed to be managed, which is a rare opportunity at Stanford as a postdoc.”

Grant Coach Application Questions – See application for all questions & instructions

Do not use AI (i.e. ChatGPT) because we want to learn about you in your own words. 

1. Do you anticipate your position at Stanford will be a postdoctoral scholar during the next academic year (September 2026 to August 2027)? Yes or No
2. The 1-day Grant Coach training will be held in-person at the Stanford Campus on September 10, 2026 from 9:00-4:30 pm. Are you able to attend? The Grant Coach training is required and you will be compensated at the standard hourly wage for attending the training. Yes or No
3. Why are you interested in being a Grant Coach? Which position are you most interested in? What experiences and qualities will you bring to such a position? (250 words or less) Grant Coach Job Descriptions:
4. Please describe your grant writing experience (including non-US grants), i.e. writing fellowships or career development awards. Please also list your (A) Currently Funded (ongoing) fellowships and/or grants, (B) Completed fellowships and/or grants, (C) Pending / Submitted fellowships and/or grants, and (D) Unfunded fellowships and/or grants.
5. What do you think the biggest needs are for graduate students and postbacs writing grants? How will you address these needs as a Grant Coach? (250 words or less)
6. Optional: Do you have an idea for a grant coach position that you want to pitch? Please describe the reasoning and vision for the position.
7. Your primary postdoc mentor will receive an automatic email AFTER you submit your application with instructions for confirming their support. The primary postdoc mentor is asked to answer this question: I am supportive of this applicant applying to the Grant Coach training program. Yes or No. A response from your primary mentor is due by August 21, 2026.