Proposal Writing -- Basics

Nisar Muheodin
 Keep in mind …
• 80% of the proposal process is planning
• only 20% is writing
 Outline

• Basic principles of proposal writing

• Reviewing the Proposal

• Logic Model

• “Typical” parts of the proposal

What is a Proposal?
What is a Proposal?
 Proposal??
• An agreement between two or more parties is
constituted by a proposal and an acceptance of
it.
• Although the word 'proposal' is used in the Act,
it probably bears the same meaning as 'offer' in
English law.
• A proposal is made when one person signifies
to another his willingness to do or to abstain
from doing anything.
 Basic Principles
1. Your proposal should be
• neat
• clean
• easy to read
• in a regular format
• free of typographical errors
• free of extravagant packaging
Basic Principles
2. Write in plain English
• do not use jargon
• do not use bureaucratize
• define your terms
• have family and friends read the proposal
Basic Principles
3. Make it brief
• follow all guidelines
• make it long enough, but not too long
 Basic Principles
4. Be positive
• don’t beg!
• you are offering the funding source an opportunity to
be part of an important, useful activity
• don’t call attention to your mistakes
 Basic Principles
5. Avoid unsupported assumptions such as:
• funding source knows about applicant
• national scope of problem described, but no
documentation of its existence in your community given
• causal relationships between events is presumed, but no
evidence of cause and effect given
Basic Principles
6. Include a cover letter, if appropriate
• signed by the chairperson of the board of directors
or individual in high authority
• briefly describe the content of the proposal (do not
use in place of a summary)
• may be used to suggest follow up on the proposal
 Logic Model
• a tool or visual resource that may help
you
• lay out your program
• “see” your outcomes and determine if they
are measurable
• with evaluation
• may be required
• enhancement grants
Parts of the Proposal
• No two proposals are going to
be the same
• Generally, a difference
between proposals for private
funders and proposals for
Federal agencies
 Parts of the Proposal
• “Typical” Parts of the Proposal -- Private
• Summary
• Introduction or organizational information
• Problem statement or needs assessment
• Project description
• objectives
• methods
• staffing/administration
• evaluation
• Future or other necessary funding
• Budget
• Conclusion
 Parts of the Proposal
• Summary -- may be all that is read
• be at the beginning (but written last)
• be clear, concise, and interesting
• identify the applicant and the applicant’s
credibility
• outline the reason for the grant request
• state the objectives
• describe activities to accomplish objectives
• show costs, funds committed, and amount
requested
• be brief
 Parts of the Proposal
• Introduction or Organizational Information
• when, how, and why organization was started
• statement of purpose, goals, and philosophy
• significant events in your history
• prior and current activities
• accomplishments and impacts
• size and characteristics of your clientele
• assistance asked of you by other
organizations
• your funding sources/positive comments
• results of evaluation of your programs
 Parts of the Proposal
• Introduction or Organizational
Information
• Where to find this type of information?
• Your records
• Cooperative Extension web site (under “About”)
http://ag.arizona.edu/extension/about/
• APROL
• CALS support material
 Parts of the Proposal
• Problem Statement or Needs
Assessment
• The most critical part of your plan
• The reason behind the proposal
• Generally, should focus on the conditions
you wish to change
 Parts of the Proposal
• Problem Statement or Needs
Assessment
• clearly related to the purposes and goals
of organization
• supported by evidence drawn from your
experience
• statistics
• testimony
• be of reasonable dimensions
• stated in terms of clients or constituents
 Parts of the Proposal
• Project Description
• Objectives
• Methods
• Staffing/Administration
• Evaluation
 Parts of the Proposal
• Project Description -- Objectives
• are outcomes of your activities, not the
activities themselves
• methods are how you are going to get
there
 Parts of the Proposal
• Project Description -- Objectives
• if measurable --
• may be the criteria by which you judge the
effectiveness of your program
 Parts of the Proposal
• Project Description -- Methods
• the steps (activities) to be taken to achieve the
desired results
 Parts of the Proposal
• Project Description -- Methods
• should
• be understandable
• rationale for chosen methods
• may include
• selection of staff
• staff training explanation
• selection of participants
 Parts of the Proposal
• Project Description --
Staffing/Administration
• May be integrated into methods section or
you may choose to separate it into its own
section
 Parts of the Proposal
• Project Description -- Evaluation
• Why do it?
• required by funding source
• doing your own reduces chances of them doing it
• forces you to really think about your program
• allows others to make decisions about the program
• motivation of clients
• reassures funding sources and potential sources
• can be a powerful tool
 Parts of the Proposal
• Project Description -- Evaluation
• Designing the evaluation
• clarifies objectives -- must be clear and measurable
• determine potential audience for evaluation
• what is it you want to evaluate
• who will conduct the evaluation
• how will data be collected
• how will data be analyzed
• how will information be reported and to whom
• what does the funding source need
 Parts of the Proposal
• Future or Other Necessary Funding
• Few granting sources want to adopt you for
all time
• Where will you find funding to continue the
program?
 Parts of the Proposal
• Future or Other Necessary Funding
• Ways to fund your program after the grant
• organization assumes responsibility
• fee-for-service
• third-party subsidization
• non-grant fund-raising (endowment)
• new or expanded fund-raising efforts
• another organization assumes part of financial
obligation
 Parts of the Proposal
• Future or Other Necessary Funding
• construction or renovation grants
• cost to maintain
• equipment
• cost of training for users
• maintenance
• insurance
 Parts of the Proposal
• Budget
• UA Handbook for Principal Investigator
(http://vpr2.admin.arizona.edu/sps/Handbook/frame_for
mat_purposed_budget.htm)
• CALS budget worksheet for grants (not
required)
(http://ag.arizona.edu/extension/employee/budget.htm)
• send budget in early to be reviewed
(optional)
 Parts of the Proposal
• Conclusion
• final appeal for your project; briefly reiterate
• what you want to do
• why it is important
• why you need funding to accomplish it
Reasons Why Proposals Are Not Funded
• Directions are not followed
• Unfocused or Untargeted Proposal
• Recycled, “Generic”, Proposal
• Poor Planning and Lack of Detail
• Unclear or Overly Complex Proposal
• Unsupported Claims
• Poor Writing and Organization
• Keep writing proposals

• Don’t get discouraged!

• Break-out sessions