To support faculty, researchers, and extension workers in enhancing their grant proposal writing skills, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through its four sectoral councils—the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), and the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP)— have opened calls for research proposals with varying deadlines. In response, Kalinga State University, in partnership with the Provincial Science and Technology Office (PSTO)- Kalinga organized “Proposal Power-Up: A Capacity-Building Workshop on Grant Proposals” to equip participants with the necessary competencies in proposal writing and project planning.
Held on March 6-7, 2025, at the Research and Extension Training Center, KSU, the workshop aimed to help researchers develop well-structured proposals in alignment with funding agencies’ priorities and submission timelines. The event was attended by faculty and deans from KSU’s priority programs, as well as representatives from other higher education institutions (HEIs) in Kalinga, including St. Tonis College Incorporated (STCI) and St. Louis College of Bulanao.
In her overview presentation, Ms. Brenda Lumines, Director for Research, outlined the objectives of the workshop: improving proposal writing competencies, strengthening alignment with funding agencies, fostering peer learning and collaboration, establishing a support system for proposal development, and ultimately increasing the success rate of grant applications. At the end of the workshop, participants were expected to produce well-structured proposal drafts, enhance their research competency, develop research kits and training materials, receive peer review feedback, and establish post-workshop support mechanisms.
Dr. Lope Buen, Vice President for Research, Development, and Extension, in his welcome remarks, emphasized that securing grants is highly competitive and that proposals must be meticulously crafted to align with DOST’s requirements while addressing the needs of communities and partner agencies.
Following the opening program, Ms. Rachelle Mendoza, Tuklas Lunas Program Head, with Ms. Patricia Decena, Program Manager, presented DOST-PCHR’s research agenda and lectured on best practices in proposal writing and project planning.
Meanwhile, Ms. Ma. Josette B. San Luis, Science Research Specialist (SRS) II, and Ms. Pamela Anne V. Tandang, Project Technical Specialist I, discussed DOST-PCAARRD’s priority research topics.
Engr. Karl Ian O. Martinez, SRS II, presented NRCP’s 2025 Basic Research Call for Proposals emphasizing the research areas where participants can focus on. These sessions were followed by an open forum and a breakout session, where participants were grouped according to their respective sectoral councils and began drafting their research proposals.
On the second day, Dr. Gilbert Mangulod, Professor VI at Cagayan State University, conducted a session on Technology Transfer and Business Development, highlighting the importance of translating research into practical applications. In the afternoon, participants presented their drafted proposals for critique and feedback.
The two-day workshop concluded with the awarding of certificates to the resource speakers and participants. The event was successfully facilitated by the Office of the Vice President for Research, Extension, and Development and PSTO-Kalinga, in collaboration with the Science and Languages Departments.
By fostering research excellence and strengthening the university’s research culture, this initiative underscores KSU’s commitment to advancing impactful and community-responsive research projects.
