One of the best ways to learn about the grant process, become familiar with a particular grant program, broaden your professional network, and improve your own grant writing skills is to serve on a review panel.
Possible Benefits from reviewing and serving on panels:
Most federal funding agencies and many national organizations and private funding agencies rely on faculty/scholars to review and advise on which proposals should be funded. These agencies are often seeking someone like you to enrich their rosters of potential review panelists.
If you are interested in this kind of service, here are some resources:
"How to Become a Grant Reviewer" by Karen M. Markin in The Chronicle of Higher Education June 2, 2008
"NSF Grant Reviewer Tells All" by Pamela L. Member in Science Careers April 11, 2003
National Science Foundation
Why You Should Volunteer to Serve As An NSF Reviewer
National Institutes of Health
Why Become an NIH Reviewer
Reviewer Orientation
U.S. Department of Agriculture
NIFA Peer Review System
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Field Reader System
The National Endowment for the Humanities
PRIMA peer review system
DHHS, Human Resources and Services Administration
Become a HRSA grant reviewer
DHHS, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA
Institute for Museum and Library Services
Becoming a Reviewer
OTHER AGENCIES
Fulbright
Peer Reviewers
Check your own professional organizations for possible opportunities.