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