A Practical A Practical Guide to Guide to

Proposal Writing Proposal Writing

ByBy

Mabel ValdiviaMabel Valdivia

Leadership Certification CourseLeadership Certification Course

Level 2Level 2

General Conference Women’s MinistriesGeneral Conference Women’s Ministries

Why Proposal Why Proposal Writing?Writing?

A strong proposal that is A strong proposal that is well- written and well-well- written and well-organized can bring in organized can bring in

substantial income for your substantial income for your organization.organization.

Proposal Writing from Proposal Writing from a Development a Development

ContextContext

The sort of proposals we are The sort of proposals we are likely to write will most likely be likely to write will most likely be for development projects—those for development projects—those

that promote quality of life that promote quality of life improvements for the improvements for the

participants and remove participants and remove obstacles that prevent them from obstacles that prevent them from

reaching their full potential.reaching their full potential.

What Makes A What Makes A Good Proposal?Good Proposal?

• CompellingCompelling• Client/Participant Client/Participant

FocusedFocused• FeasibilityFeasibility• Cost-Cost-

EffectivenessEffectiveness• RelevanceRelevance• SustainabilitySustainability

Basic Principles of Basic Principles of Proposal WritingProposal Writing

• Free of typographical errorsFree of typographical errors• Write in easily understandable Write in easily understandable

EnglishEnglish• Write conciselyWrite concisely• Support your assertions with Support your assertions with

evidence and documentationevidence and documentation• Get honest feedbackGet honest feedback

Types of Types of ProposalsProposals

• Letter of IntentLetter of Intent—Generally a two —Generally a two page summary mailed when donors page summary mailed when donors wish to see a brief description of the wish to see a brief description of the project.project.

• A Letter ProposalA Letter Proposal—Most often —Most often requested by corporationsrequested by corporations

• Long-Proposal FormatLong-Proposal Format—This is the —This is the type of format most often requested by type of format most often requested by foundations and government donors.foundations and government donors.

Overview of a Overview of a Proposal Proposal

Core Components:Core Components:• Problem/Need StatementProblem/Need Statement• Goal(s) and Objective(s)Goal(s) and Objective(s)• MethodologyMethodology• Monitoring and Monitoring and

EvaluationEvaluation• BudgetBudget

10 Steps for 10 Steps for Writing ProposalsWriting Proposals

Step 1: Step 1: Gathering and Gathering and

Organizing DataOrganizing Data

•Demographic Demographic InformationInformation•GeographyGeography•Living ConditionsLiving Conditions•Health ConditionsHealth Conditions•Economic IndicatorsEconomic Indicators•Social StructureSocial Structure•Previous DevelopmentPrevious Development

Important Important ContactsContacts

• Government officials Government officials (optional, but (optional, but sometimes a required sometimes a required formality)formality)

• Donor Donor representative(s) in representative(s) in the countrythe country

• Program Officer(s) of Program Officer(s) of foundationsfoundations

Step 2: Step 2: The Need The Need StatementStatement

Proposals are written to Proposals are written to convince a donor that convince a donor that

there is a need.there is a need.

Focus Focus QuestionsQuestions

• WhoWho are the people in need? are the people in need?• WhatWhat is their need? is their need?• WhenWhen does the need occur? does the need occur?• WhereWhere are the people in need located? are the people in need located?• WhyWhy does this need occur? does this need occur?

Other Questions:Other Questions:• What evidence proves this need?What evidence proves this need?• What changes will occur if the need is met?What changes will occur if the need is met?• What will be better?What will be better?

Tips for Writing the Need Tips for Writing the Need StatementStatement

• Use hard-core statistics, not assumptions or Use hard-core statistics, not assumptions or undocumented assertions undocumented assertions

• Be sure that statistics are clear and support Be sure that statistics are clear and support your argumentyour argument

• Use comparative statistics and research Use comparative statistics and research when possiblewhen possible

• Make sure all data collection is well Make sure all data collection is well documenteddocumented

• Use touching stories of people as examplesUse touching stories of people as examples• Focus your explanation of the need in the Focus your explanation of the need in the

geographic area you can servegeographic area you can serve

Step 3: Step 3: Stating Goals and Stating Goals and

ObjectivesObjectivesDefinitions:Definitions:•GoalGoal—a broad statement of —a broad statement of the project’s ultimate result.the project’s ultimate result.•ObjectiveObjective—a measurable, —a measurable, time-specific result that the time-specific result that the organization expects to organization expects to accomplish through the accomplish through the project; more narrow than goal.project; more narrow than goal.

Basic Components Basic Components of Goalsof Goals

• A brief description of the target A brief description of the target populationpopulation

• A general, but concise, phrase A general, but concise, phrase specifying what will be donespecifying what will be done

• The location where the project will be The location where the project will be implementedimplemented

• Time period (only for long-term Time period (only for long-term goals)goals)

ObjectivesObjectives

• Who is involved?Who is involved?• What will occur during the grant What will occur during the grant

period?period?• How much or how little change will How much or how little change will

occur?occur?• How long will it take?How long will it take?• What will be different at the end of this What will be different at the end of this

funding period from what was there funding period from what was there before?before?

Step 4: Step 4: The MethodologyThe Methodology

Questions to consider:Questions to consider:• What needs to be done?What needs to be done?• When will the activities start and When will the activities start and finish?finish?• Who is responsible?Who is responsible?• Why is it being done this way?Why is it being done this way?

Questions to consider (cont):Questions to consider (cont):• What human and material resources What human and material resources

are needed?are needed?• How will the participants be selected?How will the participants be selected?• Are there direct links between Are there direct links between

methodology and the objectives and methodology and the objectives and need statement?need statement?

• Is the method compatible with Is the method compatible with material, human, and financial material, human, and financial resources?resources?

Step 5: Step 5: Monitoring and Monitoring and

EvaluationEvaluation

Donors expect to know the Donors expect to know the ways an organization will ways an organization will measure the success of a measure the success of a

project.project.

PurposePurpose

– AccountabilityAccountability– Project ImprovementProject Improvement– Project DisseminationProject Dissemination

Difference Difference between between

Monitoring and Monitoring and EvaluationEvaluation

• MonitoringMonitoring– Management and tracking of data Management and tracking of data

and moneyand money– Data is collected periodicallyData is collected periodically

• EvaluationEvaluation– Detailed analysis of a project to Detailed analysis of a project to

determine successdetermine success

Step 6: Step 6: SustainabilitSustainabilit

yy

Too often, the effects of a Too often, the effects of a development project have development project have not continued beyond the not continued beyond the

funding period. Sustainability funding period. Sustainability is what happens after all is what happens after all

funding is gone.funding is gone.

Why is it Why is it important?important?

• Donors want to know how the Donors want to know how the program will continue after the program will continue after the funding endsfunding ends

• Communities need to be capable Communities need to be capable of developing on their ownof developing on their own

Helpful Principles Helpful Principles for Addressing for Addressing SustainabilitySustainability

• Keep the budget leanKeep the budget lean• Involve the beneficiary communityInvolve the beneficiary community• Utilize local material resources as Utilize local material resources as

much as possiblemuch as possible• Identify recurring costs and develop Identify recurring costs and develop

a plan for phasing them over to a plan for phasing them over to local support or identify sources for local support or identify sources for possible continued fundingpossible continued funding

Step 7: Step 7: The BudgetThe Budget

Whereas the proposal Whereas the proposal narrative provides a word narrative provides a word

description of your project, description of your project, the budget section is a the budget section is a description in numbers.description in numbers.

Other Budget Other Budget ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Exchange rates Exchange rates • ContingenciesContingencies• Income sourcesIncome sources

Step 8: Step 8: Proposal Summary Proposal Summary and Donor Requestand Donor Request

The introductory summary is The introductory summary is always written after the body always written after the body

of a proposal has been of a proposal has been written, never first.written, never first.

Tips for Proposal Tips for Proposal SummarySummary

• Always written at the endAlways written at the end• Located after the title pageLocated after the title page• IncludesIncludes

– Name of fund seekerName of fund seeker– Total amount needed Total amount needed – Total amount requested from donorTotal amount requested from donor– Specific purpose of the projectSpecific purpose of the project– Location of the projectLocation of the project– Length of program activityLength of program activity

• One 5-7 line paragraph to 1 page in One 5-7 line paragraph to 1 page in lengthlength

Step 9: Step 9: AttachmentsAttachments

Often, but not always, a donor Often, but not always, a donor will require additional will require additional information about an information about an

organization in the form of organization in the form of attachments.attachments.

What to What to Include?Include?

• Overview of the implementing organizationOverview of the implementing organization– Mission statementMission statement– How it startedHow it started– Institutional goals and significant Institutional goals and significant

accomplishmentsaccomplishments– Comparative advantage -- what do we have Comparative advantage -- what do we have

that’s better?that’s better?

• Board of Directors’ profileBoard of Directors’ profile• Implementing staff profiles Implementing staff profiles • Legal status documentationLegal status documentation• Audited financial statementsAudited financial statements• Annual reportsAnnual reports

Other Other Supporting Supporting DocumentsDocuments

• Letters of support from Letters of support from communities, local communities, local authorities, donor country authorities, donor country representativesrepresentatives

• Maps of the project areaMaps of the project area• Relevant FormsRelevant Forms• Charts and diagrams Charts and diagrams

regarding health, agriculture, regarding health, agriculture, economic indicators, etc.economic indicators, etc.

Step 10: Step 10: Putting it Putting it TogetherTogether

In addition to a narrative and In addition to a narrative and attachments, the proposal attachments, the proposal

package includes a title page, package includes a title page, table of contents, glossary of table of contents, glossary of

terms, and a cover letter.terms, and a cover letter.

Required Required ElementsElements

• Cover LetterCover Letter– 1 page in length1 page in length– Make reference to any previous Make reference to any previous

communication with the donor communication with the donor – Provide a brief description of funds Provide a brief description of funds

requested, length of program, and program requested, length of program, and program purposepurpose

– Thank the reader for their consideration of Thank the reader for their consideration of the proposalthe proposal

– Signed by someone authorized by the Signed by someone authorized by the organization to undertake projectsorganization to undertake projects

Required Required ElementsElements

• Title PageTitle Page– Name of the institution to which the Name of the institution to which the

proposal is being submittedproposal is being submitted– A brief statement regarding the A brief statement regarding the

purpose of the proposalpurpose of the proposal– Date of submissionDate of submission– Name of the institution making the Name of the institution making the

requestrequest– Name, official title, mailing address, Name, official title, mailing address,

telephone/fax numbers, and e-mail of telephone/fax numbers, and e-mail of the contact personthe contact person

Required Required ElementsElements

• Table of ContentsTable of Contents (generally (generally uses Roman numerals)uses Roman numerals)– The headings of each major The headings of each major

section of the proposalsection of the proposal– The subheadings of units within The subheadings of units within

each sectioneach section– The title of each attachmentThe title of each attachment

The FutureThe Future

Developing Future Developing Future Funding StrategiesFunding Strategies

Identifying Identifying Potential DonorsPotential Donors

• IndividualsIndividuals• Private foundationsPrivate foundations• CorporationsCorporations• GovernmentsGovernments• Local churchLocal church• Local conferenceLocal conference• Union conferenceUnion conference• Adventist Community Adventist Community

ServicesServices• ADRAADRA