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Increasing competition for research funding means that the majority of researchers who apply for funding at any one time are likely to be unsuccessful. This paper identifies some of the key issues which need to considered in developing applications for research funding and explores ways in which these issues can be managed in order to maximise the chances of applications being successful. Preparing grant applications takes time and the initial planning stages of identifying a research idea developing the research team and identifying an appropriate funder are neccessary first steps. The content of the proposal should comprise details of what is known about the topic, what the research is about, what it is trying to achieve, how it will be undertaken, what will be learnt from it, and why it is worth doing. Consideration must also be given to the issues raised by the Research Governance Framework which need to be taken into account in preparing an application. Careful preparation of the budget is necessary as, once an award for funding is made, it is generally not possible to ask for further funding if the amount needed is greater than expected. Plans for dissemination are also important and should include distribution to research participants as well as to the professional and scientific community. The competitive nature of research funding means that successful grant writing is increasingly likely to involve repeated re-submissions of a re-drafted application and researchers need to be willing to learn from feedback provided through the peer review process.