Using AI in Proposal Development: Virtual Workshop Series & Inaugural Cohort
Cohort Structure & Support
CU Boulder’s Research & Innovation Office (RIO) is launching a new, practice-oriented series on responsible, effective use of AI in grant development. The program begins with a virtual launch event on March 25—open to all faculty and staff—highlighting how CU Boulder innovators are already using AI to strengthen proposals and win major awards.
Following the launch, RIO will select an inaugural cohort of 10–15 faculty to participate in a high-touch experience focused on applying AI tools directly to proposal writing and planning. Cohort members are expected to attend Workshops 1–3 and may also opt into additional workshops and/or RIO one-to-one support.
Each workshop includes 30 minutes of instruction followed by an optional 30-minute Q&A, providing both practical guidance and time to troubleshoot real proposal challenges. See below for details.
To sign up for the cohort, please contact Donna Axel: donna.axel@colorado.edu.
Virtual Workshop Series
All workshops are hosted via Zoom.
Workshop 1: Building a Personalized AI “Agent” / Assistant for Proposal Development
Two dates (choose one):
- Tuesday, April 14 @ 9–9:30 a.m. (followed by optional 30 min. of Q&A), OR
- Wednesday, April 15 @ 1–1:30 p.m. (followed by optional 30 min. of Q&A)
Co-led by OIT AI Program Manager Conor Walady and RIO Assoc. Director Research Development Donna Axel, this workshop introduces practical strategies for integrating faculty-authored materials (e.g., CVs, prior proposals, publications) into ChatGPT or Copilot to support proposal drafting that is efficient, sponsor-aligned, and grounded in the faculty member’s expertise—without compromising intellectual ownership.
Workshop 2: Funder-Responsive Prompt Creation for Proposal Development
Two dates (choose one):
- Tuesday, April 28 @ 9–9:30 a.m. (followed by optional 30 min. of Q&A), OR
- Wednesday, April 29 @ 1–1:30 p.m. (followed by optional 30 min. of Q&A)
With an emphasis on specificity and alignment, faculty will design prompts that reflect sponsor requirements, evaluation criteria, and mission alignment. Participants will come away with reusable prompt templates and an understanding of how grant writing conventions shape effective prompting and responsible AI-supported proposal development.
Workshop 3: Drafting and Repurposing Proposals Using AI
Two dates (choose one):
- Tuesday, May 5 @ 9–9:30 a.m. (followed by optional 30 min. of Q&A), OR
- Wednesday, May 6 @ 1–1:30 p.m. (followed by optional 30 min. of Q&A)
Participants will apply concepts from Workshops 1 and 2 to Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle proposal materials, enabling rapid and efficient submission to alternative funding opportunities. The emphasis is on saving time, maintaining intellectual ownership, and using AI to adapt existing content to new sponsor requirements and missions.
Optional Offerings: Additional RIO Proposal Support Workshops & Services
Note: Available to cohort participants (and potentially some non-cohort participants), these may be offered as workshops and/or one-to-one as part of Donna Axel’s proposal development support. They are not sequential and may be taken independently. Dates and times TBD with Donna Axel.
Ethics, Sponsor AI Policies, and Other Considerations
An interactive discussion addressing responsible AI use in proposal development, including emerging sponsor policies, disclosure expectations, and common faculty concerns. Participants share questions and strategies for balancing efficiency, transparency and scholarly integrity. Guest speakers and facilitators TBD.
Using AI to Match Your Draft with Sponsor Categories & Requirements
In this session, Donna Axel facilitates in-depth hands-on support in using AI tools to analyze sponsor guidelines, match proposal narratives to required sections and review criteria, and confirm alignment with funder mission. The goal is to draft submission-ready proposals using AI as a tool, learning proposal-genre categories along the way.
Proposal Process: Going from Good to Great
Do you have a solid draft proposal, but you’d like to be inspired to bring it from good to great? In this session, explore how you can use ChatGPT or Copilot to reinvigorate the editing process, and walk away with a stronger proposal.
Repurposing Your Proposal with AI: A Tailored Experience
This session is tailored to specific participant goals and demonstrates how ChatGPT or Copilot can support efficient proposal adaptation across sponsors—external and internal funding opportunities. Take-aways include specific prompts that you may reuse, repurpose and recycle alongside your proposal, revising language to meet new missions, requirements, evaluation criteria and formats.
Questions?
Please reach out to Donna Axel: donna.axel@colorado.edu.