Proposal Writing

What is a Proposal?

• A proposal is a request for financial assistance

to implement a project

• Funding is sought, in whole or in part, from government

funding agencies, charitable foundations, businesses,
individuals, and other sources
 Course Context

• Proposal writing is a skill and requires considerable

knowledge in many disciplines.

• If you do not have proposal writing skills,

your organization will not obtain the funding
required to carryout its projects

• These materials will help you identify issues

relevant to your proposal
 Course Context
Elements of effective proposal writing include:

• Proper formatting
• Content development
• Satisfying program criteria
• Demonstrating economic and social benefits
• Addressing funding agency requirements
• Demonstrating the sustainability of the project’s output
• Selecting qualified consultants
• Monitoring and evaluation provisions
• Proposal follow up
• Proper referencing of other documentation and
other sources of information used in preparing the
proposal
 Course Context

Your proposal should demonstrate that your project will:

• Provide economic benefit to an area or a community

• Have a high probability of success
• Address a strategic priority
• Demonstrate need for financial assistance
• Be economically viable
• Have stakeholder support
• Be consistent with development strategies
 Course Context

Strategic Planning

Proposal Writing

Project Management
 Planning

• Good proposal writing is absolutely essential for ny

not-for-profit organization to fulfil its mandate

• Proposals are developed to address a strategic need

identified by the organization or to solve a problem.

The goals of good proposals closely match

the strategic goals of the organization advancing it

• Proposals also provide organizations with

the resources to accomplish these
strategic goals
 Linkages to Strategic Planning
• Limited funding encourages intense strategic planning
prior to proposal writing

Most organizations recognize there is a limit on the

public funding available to a particular region, sector,
or organization

• The process of applying for funding forces

organizations to pursue the most important and most
time sensitive projects first

Organizations must determine which initiatives are

truly critical as well as the priority of projects in
relation to each other
 Proposal Research
• Proposals should be well researched prior to submission

• Proposals are intended to communicate exactly what your

group is attempting to accomplish, the problem to be
addressed, the resources required, and when activities will
be performed

• These elements need to be substantiated through

research

• Your decisions must be based on documented facts.

Most likely, others have taken on projects similar to
yours. You must seek out these individuals and
organizations to determine what you can learn
from their experiences
 Proposal Research
• Examine the location, the population characteristics of the
area, the situation, existing facilities, and anything else
required to describe the background of the project

• Funding agencies look for local initiative and the utilization

of community resources in funding proposals. They also
want the project proposal to indicate that the project will
be self-supporting in the long-term. The research you
document in your proposal should address these
issues
• Involving the community, stakeholders, and the
project beneficiaries in the research process is the
best way to ensure that it is valid
 Proposal Research
Data comes from primary and secondary information sources

• Primary data is new information collected directly by you.

Examples include a survey of area residents,
market tests, or interviews with industry experts.
Primary data is usually best, but is very time
consuming and costly.

• Secondary data is information which already exists.

It includes government reports, industry
association studies, zone board strategic plans,
marketing books, periodical articles, and
engineering reports. If available, secondary data
is cheaper and easier to use than primary data.
 Funding Program Criteria
It is important to write a proposal which attracts the required
funding. You must clearly understand the program
requirements and ensure they are addressed in the
proposal.

Funding programs differ with respect to

• The funding cap (percentage of funding provided)
• Eligible costs
• Eligible applicants (profit/not-for-profit)
• Eligible sectors (tourism, agriculture, forestry)
• Project location
• Information required
 Funding Program Criteria
• Your project proposal should be an honest "marketing"
document. It's job is to inform the reader and get them to buy
into the project. You have licence to sell your project and your
organization

• It should not misrepresent the facts. Making statements

you know to be untrue, fabricating research, or citing
non-existing sources, is a recipe for disaster

• Proposals should capture the readers interest and

draw them to the key points

• Stress the benefits of the proposal and

demonstrate the proposal has been well thought
through
 Proposal Formatting
Formatting is concerned with the look, style, and layout of the
proposal. It is not merely aesthetics.

It is pleasing to the eye but also:

• Adds to the perception that the document is well thought

out
• Enhances the credibility and professionalism of your
organization
• Is easy to read and understand
• Facilitates the understanding of the proposal
content
• Makes it easy for the reader to find the information
they are looking for
 Proposal Formatting
Title Page
The first page/often serves as the cover

It should include: date, project title, project location, name of the

organization; and any required information (e.g. proposal reference #)

Table of Contents

Make it easy for readers to find the information they require

Each heading should be listed with its corresponding page number

Keep it a reasonable length

Too may headings can make it unwieldy

 Proposal Formatting

Appendices

Use appendices to avoid crowding the body

of the proposal and maintain the narrative flow

Typical appendices include: material lists, engineering

drawings, and letters of support
 Proposal Formatting
Length:

The proposal should be focused and concise

The length will usually depend on the number of resources

being requested

Lay out:

The margins, spacing, fonts, headings, and

numbering should be consistent throughout the
document
 Proposal Formatting

Writing

Sentence structure, grammar, and spelling should be checked.

Footnoting & References

Footnote the source of quotes, statistics, and tables.

Reference all sources of information used in the
preparation of the document.
 Proposal Content
The content of the proposal varies depending on the
nature of the project and the funding agency(s)
involved

Typical content includes:

•House Keeping Data: Applicant's name, form of

organization, and contact information

•Executive Summary: A concise summary of the key

points. It should not exceed two pages in length

•Project Description: A narrative that clearly explains

to the reader what the project is and what its limits
are (what is not part of the project)
 Proposal Content
• Project Schedule: It should clearly indicate when the project will start
and end. It will describe the sequence of project activities and the
duration of these activities

• Project Background: Readers need to understand the origin and

context of your proposal. The background section of your proposal
explains why the project is needed. It should be logically set out and
reflect any background work and consultations you have already
completed

• Goals and Objectives: The goal of your project should be to

solve the problem described in the proposal background.

- Goals are general, long term broad desires

- Objectives are specific, verifiable outcomes which flow from goals
 Proposal Content
Partnerships

Good partnerships demonstrate community support. They also provide

access to people, skills, funding, and in-kind contributions to help with
project planning and implementation.

Project Management

Describe the organizational and management structures needed

to carry out project activities. Demonstrate that your organization
has the people and systems to successfully undertake
the project

Resource Allocation

Resources include people, cash, equipment, supplies, etc.

Describe what is required, how much, when it is needed,
 Proposal Content
Marketing Plan
It is required to ensure the long-term viability of projects which require
healthy revenues to be self sufficient. You must demonstrate that you
understand what your intended customers want, the size of your market,
and how to succeed in the market

Budget
Breakdown costs as much as possible to demonstrate that your
budget is comprehensive and well thought out. Ensure that you
have not overlooked items

Other Financial Information Requirements will vary depending

on the nature of your project, total funding required, and
programs applied for. Cash flow projections, revenue
statements, and balance sheets may be required.
 Proposal Content
Economic and Social Benefits

You will need to demonstrate how target groups will benefit from your
proposal. Often there are direct and indirect beneficiaries. You should
distinguish between them and indicate how each will benefit.

•Economic benefits include: Short-term project employment, long-term

employment, skill development, and increased tax revenues.

•Social benefits are non-financial, positive outcomes for target

groups.

•Some social benefits include: the preservation of historic

resources, increased community confidence, public
education, recreational space, and the preservation of wildlife
habitat.
 Monitoring & Evaluation
You need to describe how you are going to monitor the
project to ensure that it stays on track. Monitoring, control,
follow-up, and evaluation should be incorporated
throughout your proposal.
 Monitoring & Evaluation
Four aspects of monitoring and evaluation

1. Project Monitoring: How project costs, quality, schedule, and scope

will be monitored, controlled, and corrected if necessary

2. Best Practices: How you plan to capture and record what you learn
from your project so it can be applied in the planning and
execution of future projects

3. Accounting: The retention and recording of financial information.

Accounting is very important to funding agencies. It must be
transparent and accurate

4. Project Output: Determining the success of your project’s

end product. There should be emphasis on reporting the
effects of the project on the target group (beneficiaries)
 Monitoring & Evaluation
M&E activities vary depending on the nature of the project

• For small proposals, the provision of invoices along with a two or

three page summary report at the end of the project may suffice

• For larger, long-term projects, a regular detailed narrative report

could be required. These reports may include information the
extent to which the objectives have been reached, the reasons they
were not fully reached, and offer suggestions about changing the
objectives if they need to be changed
 Special Challenges
Applying to Multiple Funding Programs

While accessing funding from several sources, the

likelihood of omission increases when a proposal is
submitted to multiple funding partners.

• Don’t assume that because a proposal satisfies one funding

agency it will satisfy others
• Do not overlook the requirements of programs which will
make smaller contributions
• Read program criteria closely and reflect those criteria
throughout your proposal
• Use the program application(s) as proposal checklists to
ensure all the required information is included
 Special Challenges
When projects require the acquisition and use of property
several issues arise:

• Ownership: Do you have clear title to the land you are

developing? Ensure you have all the legal
documentation and the site boundaries are clarified.

• Zoning: Demonstrate that the land’s zoning is

compatible with the project you intend to undertake.
Typical zoning classifications include: Commercial
Residential, Resource Management, Industrial
General, and Outdoor Assembly.
 Special Challenges
• There may be other land issues which could impact
your proposal. These may include issues with site
access or public right of ways

• There may be issues with development permits or

government applications such as a “Permit to Alter a
Body of Water” for projects taking place within 50
meters of a body of water

• Sustainability is an issue for many projects. The

project should be self-sustaining after it is completed.
You need to explain what your go forward plan is
and ensure your plan and assumptions are
realistic.
 Special Challenges
Terms of Reference

• Many projects require the retention of outside

expertise such as engineers, architects, and
consultants.

• You will need to specify what work you require these

professionals to carry out, how they will be selected,
and how you will control the work.

• Any funding proposal for a study or professional

services should contain a good draft terms of
reference.
 Follow-up
• Sometimes proposals require some
clarification. In your proposal cover letter,
express a willingness to be interviewed
personally by the funding agency

• After submission, try to open up phone or

e-mail conversations with those reviewing
the proposal and
offer to provide any clarification or
additional
 STRATEGY & RELATIONSHIP ORGANIZATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE
PLANNING BUILDING SKILLS & MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT

Strategic Planning Community Organizational Basics of a

Development Governance Co-operative

Proposal Writing Public Participation Board Orientation Co-operatives and

the Community
Development
Process I

Project Management Alternative Dispute Meeting Management Co-operative and

Resolution the Community
Development
Process II
Opportunity Group Dynamics Leadership and
Identification Motivation

Opportunity Interpersonal
Management Communications
Communications
Planning

Legal Issues
Conclusion and Evaluation

• Review objectives
• Review any additional expectations
• Review Parking Lot
• Point out Certificates of Participation
• Complete evaluation
• Thank you!