PROPOSAL WRITING TRAINING

Overall Goal: To give skills and knowledge of developing a comprehensive proposal

PROPOSAL WRITING TRAINING PRE TEST

Pre Test Please answer the following questions to know your existing knowledge and skills.

1. What are the key components in a proposal?

2. What are the most important things a donor/funding agency wants to know?

3. What is a project cycle?

4. What should we include in a detailed implementation plan?

5. What are indicators? Please give an example of indicator.

6. How will you draw a budget?

7. What other information (appendices) should be attached when a proposal is submitted?

Introduction to Proposal Writing

A proposal is an essential marketing document that helps cultivate an initial professional

relationship between an organization and a donor over a project to be implemented. The
proposal outlines the plan of the implementing organization about the project, giving extensive
information about the intention, for implementing it, the ways to manage it and the results to be
delivered from it.

A proposal is a very important document. In some cases, a concept note precedes a proposal,
briefing the basic facts of the project idea. However, the project idea faces a considerable
challenge when it has to be presented in a framework. The proposal has a framework that
establishes ideas formally for a clear understanding of the project for the donor. Besides, unless
the ideas are not documented in writing, they do not exist. Hence, a proposal facilitates
appropriate words for the conception of an idea.

Proposals have recently become more sophisticated. This reflects the increased competitiveness
and larger resources existing in the NGO sector. The trend of inviting proposals for contracting
development programs began with the allotment of substantial resources for development that
triggered off the mushrooming of NGOs around the world.

Enormous opportunities existing in the sector have led to the trend of making proposal writing a
profession. Proposal writing poses many challenges, especially for small and unskilled NGOs.
Here, we discuss some basic and necessary information required for developing a proposal.

Why is it important to write a Proposal?

 Because without a proposal, there is no understanding of whatever…

 A donor believes more in a written document…
 Helps planning activities and making budgets…
 Reflects the competitiveness of several NGOs seeking limited resources…
The Problems We Face in Writing Proposals

Before we start learning about proposal writing, it will serve our purpose if we outline the exact
difficulties we face working on the proposal.

The following are the common problems we face while trying to write a proposal:

Confused about the format?

There are as many proposal formats as there are a number of donors and each donor as a different
format. Although the basic information requested by various donors is generally the same, yet
we often encounter snags that make the entire process confusing.

Planning problems?
Although a good idea exists, yet when we try to plan it out extensively, we face many unexpected
challenges.

Fear of proposal rejections?

No matter how much of an expert we are in writing proposals, the underlying fear of proposal
rejection hovers over us while writing it.

Tight deadlines?
This is perhaps the most universal problem for all proposal writers. For some reason or the other,
we are expected to complete working proposals under very tight deadlines.

Solicited and unsolicited proposal?

Solicited and unsolicited proposals are quite confusing. Many NGOs work hard and submit
proposals to donors, but soon they get a letter saying that they had never asked them to send.
Before Writing a Proposal

Before we start writing a proposal, it is important for us to do some research. No matter how
small or big the project is some kind of references to existing literature or data should be made.
Usually, it is expected that the NGO has enough information at hand about the problem or the
project before writing the proposal. Yet, NGOs have to gather all related information about the
issue they are working on and the sit down to write the proposal.

In some cases, donors sponsor pre-proposal research so that organizations have enough evidence,
both at field and in literature, before developing the actual proposal. But not many NGOs are
lucky enough to avail such an opportunity.

While planning the proposal, it is ideally believed that all stakeholders have been consulted or
involved in the process. There are generally three main categories of stakeholders involved in the
process of writing the proposal. They are:

1. The Proposing Organization/s or the Proponent: This could be just one NGO or a group of
NGOs applying for the project to the donor.

2. The Community: The most important stakeholder for whom the project is conceived.
Community members or beneficiaries or the target group has to be involved in the proposal
planning process so that the project reflects strong qualities of participation and community
ownership.

3. The Donor Agency: Wherever possible, it will be useful to take inputs from the donor. In formal
invitations for proposals, the donor may discourage any contact with the proposing organizations.
However, in other situations where donor has requested for a one-to-one proposal, it will be a
good idea to have several meetings with this stakeholder and note down information carefully. It
will also help researching donor priorities while conceiving the proposal idea. It will also be a
useful activity to go through the following information about the donor:

Make sure you gather enough information about your donor, such as,

 Aid priorities and issues of the donor

 The donor‟s country strategy paper (if any)

 Proposal Guidelines

 Previously funded projects and programs

Logical Chain and Proposal Format

Logical Chain of Writing a Proposal

Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning is the process of determining what an organization or a community, intends

to be in the future and how it will get there.

Why do we do Strategic Planning?

To identify
 Where are we now?
 What is the Organizational purpose?
 What is our Current Purpose?

To do
Situational analysis
 Internal
 External
o Strength
o Weaknesses
o Opportunities and
o Threats
Needs assessment
 To identify priority for the organization and its members needs
Resource Assessment

To assume the organization’s future

 Where do we want to be?
 To experience a creative approach to developing and choosing a desired vision of the future
Developing goals
 To narrow down organization vision and identify goals

To Develop Objectives

HOW WILL WE DO ALL THIS?

 Answer the questions:
o Where are we now?
o Where do we want to be?
o How will we do all this?
 Design an action plan
Sample of Proposal Format
I. Cover Page

II. Table of Contents (Optional, depending on length of proposal)

III. Executive Summary

IV. Introduction

V. Problem Assessment

o Problem Analysis

o Beneficiary/Participant Profile

o Resources Available

VI. Program Design

o Causal hypothesis

o Program Strategy

o Program Objectives, with indicators, activities, and monitoring and evaluation plans for each
objective.

VII. Project Management and Organization.

VIII. Budget Narrative Detail (attached spreadsheet)

IX. Appendices: every proposal should include a work plan that shows the expected timing of
major activities. This can be used as one monitoring and evaluation tool and as a basis for
reporting. Other attachments may be included as necessary
The Actual Proposal
A general format of the proposal consists of the following parts:

This basic format of a proposal has expanded covering many concepts and issues, confronting
project funding and project implementation. As new experiences are gathered by donors in
project implementation and funding processes, new explanations are sought from the applicant
through the proposal.
Problem Statement or Project Rationale in a Proposal
The Problem Statement/Project Rationale gives an explanation about the issue that is being
addressed by the project and why it needs to be addressed. It also argues in favor of
implementing the project in the proposed area in the existing conditions. It is very critical that
we give evidence to what we are writing in this section of the proposal. Evidence can be in form
of other research, existing literature or data collected by the organization itself. The following
are some important points that need to be remembered while developing the Problem
Statement/Project Rationale:

 Problem Statement/Project Rationale is a brief analysis or summary of the problems

identified relating to the project or issue to be addressed by the project.

 It has to be precise and point-to-point basis.

 Use of quotes, live examples, references, research data and press articles would be very
helpful.

 It has to be very specific to donor issues and priorities.

 Giving references to other NGOs, Governmental work in the area working against the
same problem would be very useful.

Some common information we use in this section includes:

 Country, region, area details (location in region, government, population etc);

 Poverty information, including information on the state of the economy,
 Employment/unemployment;
 Gender issues;
 Health and education

Sometimes, we may find difficulties in writing the exact problem we intend to address in the
proposed project. It happens this way that the problem we are mentioning in the proposal is not
a problem at all, but is actually an effect of another problem.

For example, suppose there is high child mortality rate in our project area and we wish to put up
a proposal on it, we cannot mention this as a problem because this is an effect of a problem,
while the problem is something else. In this case, it could be the prevalence of diarrhea that is
leading to high child mortality. So the problem here is “the prevalence of diarrhea” and not “high
child mortality rate.”

It is also necessary to mention the cause of the problem because it is an integral part of the
project implementation. In this scenario, the cause of the problem for the prevalence of diarrhea
could be the “poor knowledge of the community about proper hygiene and sanitation.”
Effect>Problem>Cause
The relationship between the three (Effect, Problem and Cause) has to be outlined in the
Problem Statement of the proposal. If we have an issue, it will be a good exercise to go a step
back and forth to find out its cause and effect relationship. The best way to understand the cause
of an issue is to ask “Why” continuously. This will help reveal the cause of the problem. A problem
can have many causes and effects.

“The Why of Why”

 Projects evolve out of identified problems
 It is the problem that comes before a project
 The secret of solving a problem is proper identification of the problem. This requires a thorough
investigation.
 A problem does not happen in isolation. It goes hand in hand with cause and effect.
 There is a relationship between cause and effect. They are linked by the problem.

A way to analyze a problem is through analyzing the root causes and its effects.
 State the problem as effectively and precisely as possible
 Refer to any research data that is available, including publications, reports, newspapers etc.
 Give a narration of community perception with quotes.
 Check back how well it matches with the donor guidelines or issues.
 Give thorough background information about the region, community and resources available.
 Explain the organizational strength and capacity in countering this problem and achieving long-
term results.
Project Goal

A project goal is a very general, high-level and long-term objective of the project. It is different
from project objectives because the latter are very specific and have to be addressed alone by
the project. But a goal cannot be achieved by the project on its own since there will be other
forces like the Government and other agencies as well working to achieve it. It is a major
benchmark to compare work between different projects. Usually there is one project goal only
and it can be reflected in the title of the project also. It should ideally support the overall policy
of the government or the donor agency.

Example:

“Providing housing facilities to earthquake-affected victims” – This cannot be a project goal, but
can be a general objective

“Reducing the impact of natural disaster over communities belonging to the hilly region” – This
can be a project goal, as you are contributing to the problem in addition to other efforts.

A Project Goal is
 Very general, high-level and long-term

 A project cannot achieve the entire goal on its own

 A major benchmark to compare work between different

projects

 Usually there is one project goal only

 It can be reflected in the title of the project

 Supports the overall policy of the government or the donor

agency
Project Objectives Project

Objectives should be:

SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

Project objectives are the specific objectives for which the project works to achieve them within
a stipulated time. They should directly address the problem mentioned in the Problem
Statement. They should be specific: the more specific it is the better to design activities,
indicators and the Logical Framework Analysis. Specific objectives also help address the problem
stated and convince the donor easily.

Tips:

 Think about what success means for your project and how you would show that success
 Refer to the results you expect from the project
 Describe the focus population and the desired change among the population
 Include the location and time period for each objective
 Reflect the intended changes in systemic conditions or behaviors that must be achieved to
accomplish the goal/strategic objective
 Objectives should have measurable indicators which show what, when, and how conditions,
behaviors, and practices will change
 Objectives must be verifiable at some point during the execution of the project

A good objective can be:

“To increase the income-level of women farmers from 5% to 15% in the district.”

Some Relevant Words to be used while writing Objectives

 Decrease…
 Increase…
 Strengthen…
 Improve…
 Enhance…

Some Inappropriate words not to be used while writing Objectives

 Train
 Provide
 Produce
 Establish
 Create
Writing about the Organization

New individuals working on proposals in a particular NGO may face problems in writing about
organizational background. They prefer to just copy previous information into this particular
section of the proposal. However, this information may be sometimes outdated. You may have
forgotten to add an important NGO activity.

Besides, many times, there are facts about our organizations which we ourselves are unaware of.
We do quite a lot of research on the beneficiaries and the donor agency while writing the
proposal, but we hardly see the necessity of researching our own organization to present the best
picture of our institution to the donor.

To ensure that there is thorough knowledge about the organization in the proposal, it is important
not only to copy information from previous documents, but also carry out discussions with
colleagues about the project.

The SWOT tool comes handy here when we sit with our colleagues and find out the Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the organization. Once this framework is ready, it will
be quite easy for us to write the proposal and answer the sharp questions of any proposal format.
Strategies and Activities
Proposals are required to outline how the objectives of the project would be achieved. Here, it
will be necessary to mention the Strategies and the Activities to be implemented in the project.
There is lot of difference between strategies and activities.

Strategies are broad concepts under which activities are placed. Strategies in a project can
include:

- Capacity-building/ awareness raising

- Organizational development
- Research & Development
- Advocacy
- Victim Support Strategy
- Micro-finance and CBO development Strategy
- Participatory Infrastructure Development Strategy

Activities can include:

- Training workshops, street shows, rallies

- Staff selection, staff training
- Baseline, PRA, FGD
- Conferences, meetings, articles, publications
- Establishing shelter homes, counseling, legal support
- Forming SHGs and cooperatives - Building irrigation tanks, demo plots etc

To develop activities:

 Refer back to the lessons learned from previous projects.

 Identify best practices from other agencies/ projects/sources.
 Activities as identified by the communities
 Develop activities by listing numbers, so that they can referred back to easily
 Leave space for unplanned activities that can be added later during project
implementation
Monitoring and Evaluation

What is Monitoring?

Monitoring is a planning and management tool which gives regular and continuous feedback that
can be used to make decisions, manage the project more successfully and plan for better project
activities in the future. Simply it measures the progress of the activities toward some end.

When do we monitor?

According to the desired schedule of implementation of the projects…. e.g. monthly, bi-monthly,
quarterly

What do we monitor?

There are three basic types of monitoring commonly used in development work:

1. Management/administration

a. staff/personnel
b. vehicles
c. supplies

2. Finance
a. project budget and expenditure
b. staff salaries
c. cash flow analysis

3. Project activities
a. project inputs – budget, equipment, key staff needed
b. results of activities – project outputs/outcomes/impact (using indicators)
c. the way the project is managed
d. situation or context – policy environment, political situation

What is evaluation?

Evaluation is the assessment at one point in time of the impact of a piece of work and the extent
to which stated results have been achieved, the following are necessary to carry out an evaluation.
 clear measurable objectives (outputs, outcomes, impact)
 key indicators
 information about the indicators, which can be used to see whether there has been any
change as a result of the work. This could be from information collected in a baseline
study or gathered over time by a monitoring system.
Performance Indicators

A Performance Indicator is a measure of the result. It gives a sense of what has been or what is to
be achieved.

For example, the number of households keeping their surroundings clean and hygienic or the
number of women participating in training programs.

There are two types of indicators, namely, “Process Indicators” and “Results Indicators.” Process
indicators define the indicators for a process or an activity like „number of women participating
in the training on gender development” and Results Indicators refer to the indicators that indicate
the result achieved from the implementing the activity like „number of women aware about
gender rights.”

What are Indicators?

“Indicators are units of measurement. They are used to set targets in planning, measure the
achievement of the different levels of results planned in the project. They can also show the
progress or changes the project has made. “

A good indicator is:

Practical
 Independent
Measurable and
Targeted

Indicators can measure:

Output
Effect or
 Impact of a project

Outputs are the results obtained at the project level through the implementation of activities
using program resources. These may be divided into three components: functional outputs,
service outputs and service utilization.

Functional outputs are the direct result of program activities in six key functional areas:
policy, training, management, commodities and logistics, research and evaluation, and
IEC.
# of people trained in the last 12 months,
# of IEC messages aired on the radio in the last quarter etc…
 Service outputs are the results of project activities aimed at improving the service
delivery system. These are measured in terms of quality, accessibility of services and
program image and acceptability.

Service utilization is the result of making services more accessible and satisfactory to
potential clients. This result is generally measured at the program level.

Program effects or impacts are the set of intermediate and longer-term results expected to occur
at the population level due to project activities and the generation of project outputs

Effects are the intermediate results of the project activities and project level results.
These results show the changes of knowledge, attitudes, skills, intentions and behaviors
or practices of the population of interest.

Impacts are longer-term set of results at the population level that are long-term in nature
and are produced only through the action of intermediate outcomes.. Long-term results,
impact, are generally achieved in 5-10 years

Levels of Measurement

Outputs are usually measured with project-based such as service statistics, client and other
records, administrative records, commodities shipments, sales as well as information that is
collected on-site whether services are delivered (e.g., provider surveys, observation of provider-
client interaction, audits, mystery clients) or from a follow-up study of clients.

Effect and impact are usually measured with population-based biological and behavioral data.
Population-based data refers to information obtained from a probability sample of the target
population in the catchment area for the program. This may be a country, a region, or a particular
sub-group of the population, depending on the areas that a given USAID Mission is supporting.
The data are generally collected from surveys, such as the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS),
Behavioral Surveillance Survey (BSS) or the Young Adult Reproductive Health Survey. Biological-
based data are generally collected through sentinel surveillance systems.
Risks & Assumptions

Risks and Assumptions are part of the concept based on the principle that we have less and less
control of the project results as we go down and down implementing the project.

For example, „Government policies/ officials are supportive of the project activities‟ or „ongoing
peace and stability may get hampered by sporadic violence.‟

Performance Indicators Risks & Assumptions

- An indicator is a measure of the result.
- It gives a sense of what has been or what is
to be achieved
- Example: “the number of households
keeping their surroundings clean and hygienic
or the number of women participating in
training programs.”
“Process Indicators & Results Indicators”
- These are part of the concept based on the
principle that we have less and less control of
the project results as we go down and down
implementing the project
- Example: “Government policies/ officials are
supportive of the project activities and
ongoing peace and stability may get
hampered by sporadic violence.”
Project Results

Results are changes that we expect to take place after implementing the project activities. The
results are generally positive experiences undergone by the beneficiaries.

Results are divided into three types:

1. Outputs
2. Outcomes
3. Impact

Outputs are immediate results that we achieve soon after the completion the project or any
specific project activity. For example, if a training on human rights is carried out in a project, the
output or the immediate result of it is “a greater understanding of human rights amongst the
participants.”

The outcomes are results that have been or that are to be achieved after a period of time, but not
immediate. In the above example, it could that “the participants have gone further to
communities to inform them about human rights or carrying out policy advocacy in favor of
human rights.”

The impact is the longer-term result that has happened because of the activities undertaken in
the project. The impact in the example given above could be “policies are framed by the
Government to protect the human rights of the people.”

Monitoring and Evaluation

Although it is the responsibility of the donor to carry out monitoring and evaluation of the project,
it usually seeks the plan from the implementing NGO about it.

Monitoring and evaluation enables constant check on the activities and helps review the progress
made at every step. Monitoring should be the integral part of project implementation; in fact,
there should be an internal mechanism to monitor the results, risks, assumptions and
performance regularly through meetings and submission reports.

The Management Information Systems (MIS) is often used as a mechanism to undertake

monitoring. The baseline information is critical to the monitoring process.

Involving external entities such as donors, government people, consultants etc in monitoring
would give a good opportunity to collect feedback, provide exposure to the work and also explore
new options. Evaluation is carried out by an external agency during the mid-term or in the end
part of the project.
Organizational Structure:
Principles of an organization can be present in its structure. For example, if you are implementing
a bottom-up, participatory strategy, then the decision-making processes should always be
collective. The rest of the structure should be adapted to the context, particular goals, and habits
of teamwork in the organization.

An organization has certain responsibilities, and they are too many for any one person to do. That
is why the jobs are divided up and the responsibilities are shared. Usually the parts of an
organization are called organs (like the heart and liver in the body). They work together to make
sure that the organization is healthy. The organization needs for all of the organs to be healthy
and helping each other at all times. Within any organization, the following tasks all need to be
done (and usually different organs each hold a separate responsibility)

Governance- The highest body of an organization usually will not be as involved in the day-to-day
operation of the organization as the management will be. However, they have an important role
to play in the long-term development of the organization. They ensure that the group has a vision,
and that the work is reflecting what the NGO stands for.

Leadership- The leadership of the organization is the body that gives direction to the organization.
The leadership body ensures that the organization is developing in step with its mission and
organizational values, and that the organization maintains good practice in its administration and
projects. The Board of Directors, Board of Trustees, or Executive Committee usually provides
organizational leadership. Although many organizations set up Boards of Directors (BOD) because
their donors tell them to, a BOD who has a clear idea of its role within the organization and fulfils
it effectively is extremely valuable to an NGO. Some leadership groups assign different roles to its
members, including Chairperson (the one who leads meetings), Vice Chairperson (the one who
represents the Chairperson in his or her absence), Secretary (who takes notes of all meetings and
writes all letters from this leadership body), Treasurer (who oversees any financial issues that are
the responsibility of the leadership body, such as membership payments), etc. These positions are
not essential, but can be an easy way to share responsibilities if you are a large leadership body.

Management- The management of the organization differs from the leadership body in that the
management is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organization. The management
must be sure that the organization’s human, material, and financial resources are used properly
and effectively. The management also checks to see that the organizational polices are being
followed and that the projects are in line with the expectations of the donors. In larger
organizations the managers are sometimes made into their own organ such as a Management
Team or Executive Committee. However, it is not necessary to do so. There must be a forum for
discussion within the NGO, and there should be a sense of teamwork among the managers who
oversee the day-to-day running of the NGO. The Management is usually divided into two
departments, Administration/Finance and Projects:

Administration- The administration of the organization oversees the specific details of

running the organization as a whole. This includes managing its inventory, being sure that
administrative forms are filled out correctly, keeping the office running well and
supporting the project staff as needed.
 Accounting- The organization’s accounting responsibilities include everything related to
the finances of the organization. The accounting staff must be sure that all financial
procedures are carefully followed and that the finances of the organization are used in
accordance with the agreement of the donor.

Project implementation- Running projects effectively is the most important responsibility

of an organization. An LNGO exists to help its target group, and it assists them through
the projects it runs. If the projects are ineffective, then the organization has no reason to
operate. Within project implementation there are several areas of responsibility. They
include administering the project, using its finances honestly, and ensuring that the
service that is offered is high quality and worthwhile.

Points to remember

When designing your organizational structure chart, consider the following points:

 Be consistent- if you state the employee’s names, then don’t forget to include
everyone. The same is true for job titles- be sure that you include the job titles of
everyone.

 Don’t confuse departments and job titles. A person cannot be the Administration
Department, but can be Administrator.

 If you use chairperson, don’t use director.

 Don’t leave people out of your chart. The members, volunteers, and office support staff
(such as the cleaner, watchman, and driver) should all be included if they work for your
organization.
SAMPLE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE CHARTS
Budget and Proposal Packaging
Budget

The budget has to be itemized as clearly as possible, presented in the required format. It should
be in line with the activities set in the project. It will be an additional advantage to mention
contribution from other sources such as the community or other donors. Contribution made by
the proposing organization should also be mentioned. It there is any recurring income from the
project activities, it needs to be clearly given in the budget section.

Proposal Packaging

When the proposal writing is complete, it is important to ensure that the packaging has been done
properly before submitting it to the donor. Below are some important points to be kept in mind
while packaging the proposal.

 The Title Page should have Project title, name of the donor agency and name, logo & contact
info of the NGO.
 There should be a Table of Contents
 There should be one page for explaining acronyms
 There should be a Project Summary- not more than one page, narrating goal, objectives, results
and activities.
 Provide an overview of the organization
 Ensure that page numbering, header & footer are complete.
 While writing use active sentences more.
 Keep in mind the limit for the total number of pages for the proposal.
 Attach appendices, if necessary
 Give Bibliography and references.
 The proposal should be signed and sealed.
 Covering letter is essential
Budget narrative is usually written after the budget is finalized. This prevents multiple rewrites
and allows less room for errors when changes occur to the budget.

Budget Narrative:

1) Personnel: __ the roles of different staff in your organization. Positions that are unique to the
project, however, should be explained as separate items in the budget narrative. Their
purpose may by defined based on program objectives
2) Fringe Benefits: __ A brief description of the expenses which will cover visa fees, health check
up for work permit etc.
3) Travel:_ how many person (s), where, when, how long, for what purpose should be explained
in the budget narrative.
4) Office Supplies and Equipment: Explain what supplies and equipment will be bought for the
project
5) Expenses for project activities: This section of the budget and budget narrative is the
important area of the document. It is usually the primary purpose and largest expense of the
project, and is the most important indicator of how much of the grant is actually going to
beneficiaries. These line items are unique to each project and should be described and
justified separately.
6) Contractual: Consultants hired to carry out specific tasks of the project, such as evaluation or
training, should be described and justified separately.
7) Other (Office rent, utilities & communication) Rent, utilities and maintenance of offices may
be summed up in one description. Rent, utilities and maintenance of items like offices or other
buildings integral to the project should be described and justified separately.
8) Communication Expenses: Telephone/Fax/Postage may be summed up in one line, stating,
for example, that budgeted amounts are based on prior experience in similar situations.