A Guide to the Project Proposal Writing

(A Logical Framework Approach)

Thanh Luu Van

Course objective

By the end of the course, participants are able to:

• Understand proposal template

• Write a comprehensive project proposal– Need responding/ logical justification– Comprehensive M&E framework (monitoring and

evaluating)– Feasible planning– High cost-effectiveness– High sustainablility

Course approach

Project proposal

Guidance

Discussion Practice

Capacity building: broad perspective

Individual training

Institutional development

System development

What makes a Good Proposal?

Organizational Need responding

Clear Goal& Objectives

Activities contributed to objectives

Big impact

High cost-effectiveness

High feasibility

Potential sustainability

Creative Application of ICT

Good Project Proposal

Proposal Components

1. Background / Organization need responding2. Goal and objectives3. Activities4. Impacts5. Place and beneficiaries6. Implementing partners7. Monitoring and evaluation8. Reporting9. Risk management10. Work plan11. Budget

1. Organization Need Assessment

• What are organizational/system problems?

• What is the most priority problem to address?

• What are causes and effects?

• What are problem solutions?

• What are challenges in capacity?

Problem tree

Problem tree

Poor Public health

graduates

Unrealized position in

health sector

Overload training

structure

Poor curricula

Lack of qualified field site

Students lack of reading habit

Poor recruitement

strategyLack of teacher training

Poor networking

Unclear requirement

of MOET

Lack of investment

Lack of strategy

Difficult to seek a job

after graduation

Lack of public health

perspective in gov.

investment

Problem

Poor public health system

Causes

Effects

Lack of good

teachers

This case is developed since 5 years ago.

Problem tree

Improved skills of PH graduates

Realized position in

health sector

Revised training

structure

Improved curricula

qualified field site

Improved recruitement

strategyOpportunities for teacher

training

Broad networking clear

requirement from MOET

Receive investment

developed strategy

Easy to seek a job after graduation

PH perspective provided in gov.

investment

Overall Objective / Goal

Improved public health system

Objectives

Long-term goal

Improved teaching skills

of teachers

Solutions

Problem addressed

Results

Problem tree: practice

Work in your groups, by project• Identify organizational/system’s

problems and the most pressing problem

• Identify causes and effects• Identify priority solutions

Problem tree

Improved recruitement

strategy

Improved skills of PH graduates

Revised training

structure

Improved curricula

qualified field site

Opportunities for teacher

training

Broad networking clear

requirement from MOET

Receive investment

developed strategy

Improved teaching skills

of teachers

Main goal of this proposed project is to improve the skills of public health graduates in Viet Nam so that they can make a positive contribution toward better health in the population

Objective 1: Improve the capacity of existing and newly-recruited staff for teaching

Objective 2: Improve the quality of curriculum and teaching resources

Objective 3: Strengthen the infrastructure for national collaboration

Pre-conditions

Project Description

Verifiable indicators

Sources of verification

Assumptions

Activities

Results

Objectives

Goal

2. Project Logical Framework (LFA)

Project Description Levels

The condition or a problem to be addressed; Goal is not achieved by ONE project alone

The condition which the project is designed to achieve;

The goods and services delivered by the project;

What the project does to produce the results (work program/tasks).

Goal

Objectives

Results

Activities

Project Description Level

Objective 1: Improve the capacity of existing and newly-recruited staff for teaching

Objective 2: Improve the quality of curriculum and teaching resources

Objective 3: Strengthen the infrastructure for national collaboration

Goal: of this proposed project is to improve the skills of public health graduates in Viet Nam so that they can make a positive contribution toward better health in the population

Teaching fellowshipEnglish trainingPostgraduate education

Teaching interest group & workshopsTeaching resource developmentCurricular mapping and revision

Project management unit establishmentWorkshops

Indicators

•An INDICATOR is a sign or index which expressed a level of achievement of goal, objectives, results/outputs

•An INDICATOR is a measurable unit and facilitates assessments of project performance.

Indicator should be SMART:•Specific: including (where appropriate) clear targets

•Measurable: in terms of quality and/or quantity

•Achievable: at an acceptable cost

•Relevant: to what they are supposed to measure •Timely: produced in due time to be useful for project management.

Indicators

Goal = Impact indicators(measure changes of the underlying system, society, population )

Objectives = Outcome indicators(short term/ medium results produced by interventionmeasure changes in services, clients, indirect beneficiaries)

Results = Output indicators(shorterm influence activites on daily performance)

# people applied learning skills in work# people improved their understanding

Activities = Activity indicators # of courses conducted # of people trained

Indicators:Quantitative &QualitativeObjective 2: : Improve the quality of curriculum and teaching resources at 4 med schools in 2005 - 2010 Activity Quantitative indicator Qualitative

indicator

Teaching interest group & workshops

•5 teaching interest groups are established•15 workshops are organized

Participants are statisfied with info sharing at workshops

Teaching resource development

•90% budget of small grant funding is used by teachers for material dev.•60% lectures if five key subjects apply visual materials•30 book chapters are translated•4 textbooks of subjects.. are developed

•Lecturers feel confident in adopting new teaching skills•Students are happy with new techning technique and availability of more textbooks

Indicators:Quantitative &QualitativeObjective 2: : Improve the quality of curriculum and teaching resources at 4 med schools in 2005 - 2010 Project description

Quantitative indicator

Qualitative indicator

Impact Literacy Change in perception of empowerment and poverty status

Outcome Enrollment and drop-out rate

Statisfaction with teaching methods

Output Number of primary school teachers

Quality of teaching atmosphere in the classroom

Input Expenditure on primary education

Adequate of curriculum

Example: Project description

Goal

Objective 1 To increase ILSSA staff knowledge and skills of program impact evaluation using VLSS datasets

Capacity of target group of ILSSA staff and relevant personnel in evaluating impacts of poverty alleviation programs improved

Activity 1.1 02 training courses on impact evaluation are conducted

Training on Impact Evaluation of Poverty Reduction Programs in Vietnam

Source: VLSS 2004-2006

Example: indicators

Goal

Objective 1

Input Money, expert, staff, equipment

Activity/output

•Two 4-day courses conducted•50 participants trained of impact evaluation•100% participants show improvement in knowledge of IE•90% perform qualified IE analysis•A comprehensive educational package on IE available for training use in ILSSA system

•3 working reports are published applying IE technique using VLSS•A team of 10 key trainers in IE established for on-the-job training

Impacts of poverty alleviation programs (134, 135, 139) are documented and policy briefs provided to gov. planning and strategy dev.

Practice

Develop goal, objectives,

activities &

indicatorsfor your project

SelectingSelectingIndicatorsIndicators

Sources of Verification

Cost

Complexity

Administrativereports

Managementreports

Availablestatistics

Adapted availablestatistics

Interviews withbeneficiaries

Specialisedsurveys

Assumptions• What are the factors/conditions

which are important to enable the implementation of the project?

• Assumptions = Significant External Factors which are essential to successful project implementation.

• Different assumptions for each level of project description.

AssumptionsProject Description Level

Assumptions…may include

Goal Condition of political and community supports for the project

Objectives The collaboration of project stakeholders

Activity •Availability of local contribution in project costs•The country inflation rate•Working condition which allows participants to apply learned skills

Input The availability of qualified staff and funding provided on timely basis

The phases of LFAAnalysis phase Planning phase

Problem analysis LFA matrix

Objective analysis Activity schedule

Strategy analysis Inputs and cost schedule

Results of this phase:•Goal statement•Objective statements•Activities

Results of this phase:•Assumptions•Indicators•Action plan•Budget

3. Beneficiaries / Targets

Part V and VI of the template• List project beneficiaries / targets

and estimate of number (direct and indirect)

• Emphasize the vulnerable, marginalized, children and the poor, gender if any

3. Beneficiaries / Targets

Type of targets Who are they

Direct targets / Project beneficiaries

•People who directly receive benefits or project activities

(training course participants, loan receivers)

Final targets •People who benefits from the impacts of project activity implementation•Who indirectly benefits from the activities.

(students who benefits from the application of ICT training program by teachers)

4. Sustainability

• How the project achievement can be sustained after the project end?

• Is it an one-off project or a project in an identified program/strategy of your organization?

• Is it integrated into the national policy or any existing system?

4. Sustainability: tips

• Maintaining outcomes and productso Organizational functioning continuity

and strengtheningo Staff retention (short-term)o Follow-up/ advanced staff training

• Institutionalizing the process (changes in management, services to accept adopted behaviors)

• Your organization has long-term strategy, focusing on this area

5. Risk management

• Prolonged preparation

• Difficulties in expert identification

• Time conflicts

• Cost increase

• Copyrights piracy

• Plan change/ overlap investment

• Trained staff leaves organization

• Key project management personnel change

6. ICT for education impacts

• Student/participant outcomes:– Impact on learning of school subjects– Impacts beyond the curriculum: Student

motivation, new skills– Impact on students with difficulties

• Teachers and classroom/ organizational outcomes:– Impact on teacher skills and motivation– Impact on classroom practice

• Broader contextual outcomes:– Impacts on schools– Impacts on community

7. Project budget

• Item lines follow activities in M&E framework

• Follow WB budgeting policy• Not over giving budget from

sponsor contribution

What makes writing effective

Clear objective

Appropriate Correct spelling, language grammar

Good organization

Clear, brief&

concise

Wish you all

Reference: Other call for proposal

• Grand challenges Canada: Bold and Innovation. www.grandchallenges.ca

• Unessco

• Jica-Economics

• EU. www.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/

• Ausaid

• Irish Embassy

• SEAMOLEC

• Quỹ quốc tế Singapore In’t Foundation