Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Simple Steps For Compelling Proposal Writing

By Kenneth Fox


Grants are awarded based on the merit of application. Proposal writing therefore takes center stage in helping you secure funding. The application pleads your case in front of a panel that does not know you. It helps to understand how to craft a winning application for sponsorship. The level of competition is usually very high. This means that only the most outstanding application will go through.

The introduction of any application should contain a summary of what to expect. These are few paragraphs without going beyond a page. Use first person to describe the significance of your undertaking to the people affected and the objectives you hope to achieve at the end. It is a preview that gives the panelists an idea of what to expect. They do not have to read through the entire document to know what your project is all about. Failure to provide the summary reduces your chances of even getting shortlisted.

Provide a project description indicating what you intend to do with the funds once they are released. The description should capture the background and justification. Show how the methods intended to be used will help you achieve intended goal. This is another section where persons directly involved in implementing are mentioned. It is a way of assigning responsibility and showing that you have the structures as well as personnel to ensure successful completion.

Donors want to ensure that their monies are spent properly and on intended items. They will only fund your project if your application provides this guarantee. For an organization, they are looking for structures and personnel that provide certainty that intended goals will be achieved. It helps if you have implemented a similar project in the past. The evidence should show the milestones achieved and lessons learnt so that the current project can be implemented better.

The purpose of any project is to have social impact. It is therefore mandatory for your proposal to show the social impact your engagements will have. Use a case study to show the change before and after your intervention. A story of a needy person works magic in this regard.

Projects are always timed. Your application should provide an indication of how activities will take place from commencement to completion of your project. The schedule should capture all activities, the persons involved and the goals that will be achieved in the process. There should be a logical flow of events with provisions for emergencies. The goals achieved at the end of each event should be in line with the ultimate goals of your project.

Since proposals are about money, you should provide a budget for the entire project. The budget should capture all expenses for the phase or activities relating to the application. A proper budget contains the specifics on which the money will be spent. All expenses must be in line with implementation goals. Indicate the authorized signatories. Make a provision for miscellaneous expenditure that is likely to arise in the process of execution.

Monitoring projects during implementation and evaluating it upon completion indicate openness. It shows that you are ready to account for your activities and time. Your application should capture the steps taken towards monitoring and evaluation. A good proposal is one that shows all intentions of implanting a project with incredible social impact.




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