Proposal Writing 01-Lectures-Day 1 of 2-minus photos.ppt

Proposal writing is the process of creating a structured document to persuade a reader to approve a plan, solve a problem, or fund a project. Key components include an executive summary, problem definition, solution proposal, project timeline and budget, and a call to action. Effective proposals are persuasive, clearly written, client-focused, and well-researched, addressing the specific needs of the audience.
Key elements of a proposal
Executive Summary: A concise overview of the project, its purpose, and intended outcomes to capture the reader's interest immediately.
Problem Statement: A clear and evidence-based definition of the problem or opportunity the project aims to address.
Proposed Solution: A detailed description of the methods and approach you will use to solve the problem, explaining why your solution is the best option.
Project Plan: An outline of the project's deliverables, goals, and success criteria. It should include the methodology or approach for achieving the goals.
Timeline and Budget: A detailed breakdown of project milestones, deadlines, and costs, including how funds will be used.
Qualifications: Information about your team, your organization's experience, and any relevant past successes that demonstrate your ability to complete the project.
Conclusion and Call to Action: A strong closing that summarizes the proposal's value and provides a clear next step for the reader to take.
Appendix: A section for supporting documents like research data, resumes, or other detailed information.

1. AuthorAID Workshop
on Proposal Writing
Sri Lanka
March 2010

2. Thanks and a Welcome
•Thanks to supporters, organizers, hosts, others
•Introduction of facilitators
–Dr. S. Mahakalanda
–Mr. Bernard Appiah
–Dr. Barbara Gastel
•Intended characteristics of this workshop
–Practical
–Interactive
–Enjoyable

3. Overview: Plan for Today
•Lectures now and early this afternoon:
–Finding funding sources
–Writing an effective proposal
–Preparing a curriculum vitae
–Perspectives of proposal reviewers
•Rest of today—small-group work:
–Discussion: Plans to apply today’s lectures
–Exercise: Drafting a group proposal

4. Overview: Plan for Tomorrow
•Morning and early afternoon
–Brief presentations from small groups
–Lectures
•Revising and resubmitting grant proposals
•Preparing progress reports
•Applying for a grant from IFS (IFS Representative)
•Then
–Exercise: starting to draft or revise your own proposal;
envisioning a paper based on the work
–Brief presentations based on exercise

5. Finding Funding Sources

6. Potential Sites of Funding:
Some Sources of Ideas
•Colleagues, mentors, and administrators
•Grant offices at some institutions
•Acknowledgments etc in journal articles
•Published or posted announcements (calls
for proposals)
•E-mail lists in your field or at your institution
•Published or posted guides
•Internet searching

7. Some Online Lists
of Opportunities
•SciDevNet grant list
(http://www.scidev.net/en/grants/)
•GrantsNet: International Funding Index
(http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/car
eer_magazine/previous_issues/articles/
2008_08_08/
noDOI.17874891371734369206)

8. Looking for a Good Match
Seek funding from entities
•With goals that are consistent with what
you want to do
•That tend to give grants of the size you
are seeking
•If possible, with programs that match your
intended work

9. * * * Note * * *
Consulting a program officer
at the potential funding
source can be very helpful.

10. Writing an Effective Proposal

11. Grant Proposals as
Persuasive Writing
Proposals must persuade potential funders that
• the goal of the proposed work is worthwhile
• the goal is relevant to the funder’s mission
• the proposed approach is sound
• the staff is capable of doing the work
• adequate facilities will be available
• the requested amount of funding is reasonable

12. Some Common Sections of Proposals
• Background information
• Statement of goals
• Research plan or program plan
• Budget
• Information on qualifications of staff
(for example, resumes or curricula vitae)
(Note: Depending on the requirements, proposals
can range from one page to many pages.)

13. Some Other Items Sometimes Included
•Letter of transmittal (cover letter)
•Title page
•Abstract
•Table of contents
•Lists of tables and figures
•Description of predicted impact
•Plan for disseminating results
•Information on facilities
•Reference list

14. Appendixes
•Optional to include
•Examples
–Papers accepted but not yet published
–Letters of support from potential collaborators
–Additional details about activities planned
•Remember: Reviewers typically are not
obligated to look at appendixes.

15. Preparing to Write the Proposal
•Carefully review materials from the
potential funding source.
•Consult the program officer, if appropriate.
•Look at examples of successful proposals
to the funding source.
–From colleagues
–From the program officer
–Published or posted

16. Preparing to Write the Proposal
(cont)
•If appropriate, consider sustainability.
•If appropriate, submit a letter or intent or a
letter of inquiry (“pre-proposal”).

17. Writing the Proposal
•Start early—sometimes at least 6 months
in advance.
•Consider including a writer or editor on the
team.
•Read the instructions carefully, and
follow them exactly.
•Match the technical level of the proposal to
the background of the reviewers.

18. Writing the Proposal (cont)
•Remember to include the 5 Ws and an H: who,
what, where, when, why, and how.
•Include reasons for your choices.
•Write the proposal readably. For example
–Organize the writing carefully.
–Present overviews before details.
–Use simple, common wording where possible.
–Avoid wordy phrases.
–Make effective (but not excessive) use of such
devices as headings, boldface, and italics.

19. Writing the Proposal (cont)
•Include a carefully prepared budget.
•If relevant, include a timeline.
•If relevant, include tables and figures.
•If the proposal will include an abstract,
devote special care to it.
•Also write a clear, concise title.
•If the potential funder has forms to use,
complete them carefully.

20. Writing the Proposal (cont)
•If part or all of the proposal will consist of
freestanding text, format it readably
–Standard typeface
–Large enough type and margins
–Unjustified (ragged) right margin unless otherwise
requested
•Have others review drafts of your proposal.
•Carefully follow instructions for submitting the
proposal (often done electronically).

21. Common Problems to Avoid
•Failure to follow the instructions
•Seeming unfamiliarity with relevant
previous work
•Lack of a valid rationale
•Lack of originality
•Superficial or unfocused plan; lack of
detail

22. Common Problems (cont)
•Unrealistically ambitious plans
•Incomplete budget
•Unrealistic budgeting
•Failure to justify budgetary items enough
•Problems with the experimental or other
approach
•Lack of experience with key methods
•Lack of preliminary data, if needed

23. Common Problems (cont)
•For service projects, lack of sufficient
information on evaluation plans
•Inconsistencies in the content
•Excessive use of acronyms/abbreviations

24. A Suggestion
Imagine that you receive the grant and do
the work as described.
  Will you then have
all the needed information to write the
appropriate report(s) or paper(s)?
  If not,
revise the plan in your proposal, to
 make
sure that you would gather all the
information
 you would need.

25. Preparing a Curriculum Vitae

26. The Curriculum Vitae: Some Basics
•Curriculum vitae: the academic equivalent
of a resume
•Commonly called a CV
•Lists your education, experience,
publications, honors, etc
•Often required when applying for jobs,
grants, awards, etc

27. Preparing a CV (cont)
•A resource containing a link to a sample
CV (shown on the next slides):
http://www.careereducation.columbia.edu/r
esources/tipsheets/resumes-and-cvs-
curriculum-vitae
•Another resource:
http://www.training.nih.gov/careers/
careercenter/cv.html

28. Standardized CVs
•Required by some granting agencies
•Have specific instructions to follow—for
example, regarding
–Types of information to include
–Organization of information
–Length
•A brief look at examples

29. Preparing a CV: Some Tips
•In general, use reverse chronological
order.
•Include some contact information that is
unlikely to change.
•Structure the CV in a way that suits your
background and goals.
•Consider having different versions of your
CV for different uses.

30. Preparing a CV: More Tips
•If an item may be unclear to readers,
include a brief explanation.
•When listing papers you have written for
publication:
–If a paper has been accepted but not yet
published, list it under Publications as “In
press” or “Forthcoming”.
–If a paper has been submitted but not yet
accepted, generally list it under Research
rather than Publications.

31. An Idea
•For appropriate examples, look on the
Web for CVs of people in your field.

32. Some Resources
•Texas A&M Office of Proposal
Development: http://opd.tamu.edu/
(includes a grant writing workbook, which
lists and has links to other resources—see
Chapter 16, “Learning More”)
•Annotated grant proposal:
http://www.authoraid.info/resource-library/A
nnotated%20Grant%20Application.pdf

33. Small-Group Exercises

34. Exercise 1: Plans to Apply
Today’s Lectures
•List approximately 5 useful things you
learned from today’s lectures. Say how
you plan to apply them. Be specific.
•Find the CV of a prominent researcher in
your field. Note ways in which it could
serve as a model for your CV.

35. Exercise 2:
Starting to Draft a Proposal
1.Identify a research project or other project
that would be worthwhile for part or all of
your group to do.
•Say why the project would be worthwhile.
2.Identify a funding source, or type of
funding source, that would be appropriate
for the project.
•Say why the funding source is likely to be
interested in this project.

36. Drafting a Proposal (cont)
3.Draft a general timeline for the project.
•Say why each item is included.
•Say why each amount of time is appropriate.
4.Note some specific facts to include in the
CVs.
•Say why these facts help show that the staff is
capable of doing the work.
5.Say what facilities will be used.
•Say why these facilities are suitable.

37. Drafting a Proposal (cont)
6.List some budget items for the project.
•Say why these items are necessary.
•Estimate the costs. Say how each estimate was
made.
7.Write a good title for the proposal.
8.Be ready to present tomorrow morning a
3-to-5-minute summary of your proposal.
Be sure to include the justifications for
what you propose.

38. Thank you!