Use ChatGPT to Remove Keyword Triggers from Grant Proposals

by | Feb 23, 2025 | Uncategorized

  1. Upload your grant proposal – one PDF – into ChatGPT. Prompt: analyze the grant proposal, identify words and concepts that would set of DEI triggers.
  2. Give an estimate of how much would have to be re-written, in our case 37%.
  3. Generate a list of keywords that are triggering
  4. Have GPT swap out that language/keywords for non-trigger alerting ones.

    Example below.

How to Reduce Scrutiny While Maintaining Your Core Message

If you want to make your [agency] proposal more compliant while keeping its essential goals intact, here are the key areas to modify and how to reframe them strategically.


1. Reframe DEI Language into “Scientific Impact” Language

Current Triggering Language:

  • “This project ensures the inclusion of marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals and refugees.”
  • “We prioritize equity in data representation.”

More Compliant Reframing:

  • “This project ensures a comprehensive and representative dataset reflecting linguistic diversity.”
  • “We employ a methodologically rigorous approach to ensure diverse linguistic data sources.”

🔹 Why?

  • The scientific merit of diversity is still emphasized, but without using DEI/activist language.

2. Remove or Soften Direct Criticism of Institutions and Corporations

Current Triggering Language:

  • “Google prioritizes Icelandic over Dinka despite having fewer speakers, reinforcing colonial biases in AI.”
  • “Corporate neglect has left African languages underrepresented in machine learning models.”

More Compliant Reframing:

  • “Current AI training datasets underrepresent many African languages, including Dinka.”
  • “Existing models prioritize high-resource languages, presenting an opportunity for further development in low-resource settings.”

🔹 Why?

  • The criticism is still there, but it is framed as a research gap rather than corporate wrongdoing.

3. Adjust References to Systemic Issues

Current Triggering Language:

  • “Dinka speakers in refugee camps are among the world’s most marginalized and face systemic exclusion.”
  • “This project addresses systemic inequities in linguistic representation.”

More Compliant Reframing:

  • “Dinka speakers in refugee camps provide a unique opportunity to document an underrepresented language.”
  • “This project expands linguistic data coverage to previously understudied populations.”

🔹 Why?

  • It keeps the focus on research rather than implying activism or social justice intervention.

4. Reframe Humanitarian Aspects as Scientific Goals

Current Triggering Language:

  • “Financial aid will be provided to participants to alleviate poverty in refugee camps.”
  • “The ethical priority is the survival of the people, even over language preservation.”

More Compliant Reframing:

  • “Participants will receive compensation for their time, in alignment with ethical research practices.”
  • “This research contributes to both linguistic preservation and the documentation of unique speech patterns within these communities.”

🔹 Why?

  • Avoids framing the project as humanitarian aid, which [agency] does not fund.

5. Be Strategic with LGBTQ+ and Gender Language

Current Triggering Language:

  • “Ensuring 10% of our dataset includes trans and non-binary voices.”
  • “LGBTQ+ individuals will be prioritized for participation.”

More Compliant Reframing:

  • “This project ensures a broad representation of speakers across gender identities.”
  • “We collect linguistic samples across a variety of social demographics.”

🔹 Why?

  • Gender diversity is still there, but it is framed as an academic necessity rather than a social justice goal.

6. Remove or Soften Political Critique

Current Triggering Language:

  • “U.S. foreign aid cuts have left this community without resources.”
  • “Refugees face repressive policies that hinder their access to technology.”

More Compliant Reframing:

  • “Resource limitations present challenges in data collection.”
  • “Infrastructure constraints impact access to digital tools for documentation.”

🔹 Why?

  • Keeps focus on research barriers rather than policy critique.

7. Minimize “Advocacy” Language

Current Triggering Language:

  • “The Dusoma Project is an advocacy-driven initiative to support indigenous language rights.”
  • “This work challenges exploitative practices in AI-driven language documentation.”

More Compliant Reframing:

  • “The Dusoma Project is a research initiative focused on linguistic documentation.”
  • “This study contributes to ethical best practices in AI-driven language preservation.”

🔹 Why?

  • Keeps the mission intact while avoiding terms like “advocacy” or “challenge” that could signal activism rather than research.

8. Frame Foreign Collaboration as a Data Opportunity

Current Triggering Language:

  • “Collaborating with Masakhane and Rwandan research partners to empower African linguistic sovereignty.”

More Compliant Reframing:

  • “Partnering with established language documentation groups to enhance dataset accuracy.”

🔹 Why?

  • Removes politically sensitive terms like sovereignty while keeping the collaboration clear.

Final Score After These Adjustments

  • Compliance Score Before: 8.5 (Highly DEI- and advocacy-focused)
  • Compliance Score After These Changes: 4.5-5 (More research-driven, still inclusive but strategic in wording)

Summary

  • Keep the same goals but reframe language to focus on scientific inquiry rather than activism.
  • Avoid politically charged words (advocacy, systemic, bias, oppression, colonialism, LGBTQ+ prioritization).
  • Emphasize research gaps rather than corporate or government failures.
  • Frame compensation ethically as a research necessity, not aid.

Would you like me to edit sections of your proposal directly for compliance, or do you want to take this guidance and apply it yourself?

Written by Kathryn Born

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