Project Proposal
What is Project Proposal?
A project proposal is written, to make an offer and to try to convince a supervisor or a future customer to accept it. In a project proposal you state that, in exchange for time and/or money, you will give them something that they want (an analysis of a procedure, for example), make something they desire (a prototype of a new product), or do something they wish to have done (redesign an existing structure).
Core Contents of Project Proposal
Title Page
Cover letter
Summary
Description of the organization
Statement of problem and / or need/ Justification
Project objectives/Goals
Outline of proposed activities/ Methods
The amount requested/Budget
Duration
Outcomes/Outputs
Evaluation Plan
Cover letter
First thing the funder reads
Must engage the reader so (s)he reads the rest of the proposal
Personal, to the point, concise
Structure: project title, goals and objectives, total amount requested, duration of the project)
Summary
A succinct, clear synopsis of the project
Not more than a page
Description of the organization
Statement of problem and / or need
Project objectives
Outline of proposed activities
The amount requested
Introduction
Description of the applicant (mission, vision, values, strategic objectives, structure, team)
Short list of organization’s achievements
Who are you beneficiaries and partners
Why do you apply to this funder?
Need/Justification
What is the problem or need?
Describe the problem in relation to your target group
Place the problem in a larger context your organizations works in
Use figures and concrete examples (case studies)
Relate it to the funders guidelines and priorities
Objectives/Goals
All objectives should be SMART
Methodology/Activities
Answer to the question “HOW?”
Right place to give details and figures
Put activities in the time order
Give reasons why you selected this method
Be consistent with overall project goal, objectives and the context
Make references to previous use of the method by you or other organizations
OUTCOMES / OUTPUTS
Know the difference
Outcome: long term result / effect (hard to measure)
Output is a very concrete result / product (easily measurable)
Provide both outcomes and outputs in a clear structure
EVALUATION PLAN
Strategy to measure the success
Explanation of the criteria used to measure the success
Includes:
- quantitative indicators (numbers)
- qualitative indicators (contents)
- vision of success (what you want to achieve)
BUDGET
Structure: human resources, purchases, operational costs, activities
Clear budget items (how did you come up with the amount you’ve indicated in the budget line)
Explanations to the budget in annex (why you need a particular amount, offers, etc.)
Work Plan
A work plan describes a project to be accomplished and outlines how it will be done.
Similar to Gantt Chart
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