A Guide to the Project Proposal Writing
(A Logical Framework Approach)
Thanh Luu Van
Course objective
By the end of the course, participants are able to:
• Understand proposal template
• Write a comprehensive project proposal– Need responding/ logical justification– Comprehensive M&E framework (monitoring and
evaluating)– Feasible planning– High cost-effectiveness– High sustainablility
Course approach
Project proposal
Guidance
Discussion Practice
Capacity building: broad perspective
Individual training
Institutional development
System development
What makes a Good Proposal?
Organizational Need responding
Clear Goal& Objectives
Activities contributed to objectives
Big impact
High cost-effectiveness
High feasibility
Potential sustainability
Creative Application of ICT
Good Project Proposal
Proposal Components
1. Background / Organization need responding2. Goal and objectives3. Activities4. Impacts5. Place and beneficiaries6. Implementing partners7. Monitoring and evaluation8. Reporting9. Risk management10. Work plan11. Budget
1. Organization Need Assessment
• What are organizational/system problems?
• What is the most priority problem to address?
• What are causes and effects?
• What are problem solutions?
• What are challenges in capacity?
Problem tree
Problem tree
Poor Public health
graduates
Unrealized position in
health sector
Overload training
structure
Poor curricula
Lack of qualified field site
Students lack of reading habit
Poor recruitement
strategyLack of teacher training
Poor networking
Unclear requirement
of MOET
Lack of investment
Lack of strategy
Difficult to seek a job
after graduation
Lack of public health
perspective in gov.
investment
Problem
Poor public health system
Causes
Effects
Lack of good
teachers
This case is developed since 5 years ago.
Problem tree
Improved skills of PH graduates
Realized position in
health sector
Revised training
structure
Improved curricula
qualified field site
Improved recruitement
strategyOpportunities for teacher
training
Broad networking clear
requirement from MOET
Receive investment
developed strategy
Easy to seek a job after graduation
PH perspective provided in gov.
investment
Overall Objective / Goal
Improved public health system
Objectives
Long-term goal
Improved teaching skills
of teachers
Solutions
Problem addressed
Results
Problem tree: practice
Work in your groups, by project• Identify organizational/system’s
problems and the most pressing problem
• Identify causes and effects• Identify priority solutions
Problem tree
Improved recruitement
strategy
Improved skills of PH graduates
Revised training
structure
Improved curricula
qualified field site
Opportunities for teacher
training
Broad networking clear
requirement from MOET
Receive investment
developed strategy
Improved teaching skills
of teachers
Main goal of this proposed project is to improve the skills of public health graduates in Viet Nam so that they can make a positive contribution toward better health in the population
Objective 1: Improve the capacity of existing and newly-recruited staff for teaching
Objective 2: Improve the quality of curriculum and teaching resources
Objective 3: Strengthen the infrastructure for national collaboration
Pre-conditions
Project Description
Verifiable indicators
Sources of verification
Assumptions
Activities
Results
Objectives
Goal
2. Project Logical Framework (LFA)
Project Description Levels
The condition or a problem to be addressed; Goal is not achieved by ONE project alone
The condition which the project is designed to achieve;
The goods and services delivered by the project;
What the project does to produce the results (work program/tasks).
Goal
Objectives
Results
Activities
Project Description Level
Objective 1: Improve the capacity of existing and newly-recruited staff for teaching
Objective 2: Improve the quality of curriculum and teaching resources
Objective 3: Strengthen the infrastructure for national collaboration
Goal: of this proposed project is to improve the skills of public health graduates in Viet Nam so that they can make a positive contribution toward better health in the population
Teaching fellowshipEnglish trainingPostgraduate education
Teaching interest group & workshopsTeaching resource developmentCurricular mapping and revision
Project management unit establishmentWorkshops
Indicators
•An INDICATOR is a sign or index which expressed a level of achievement of goal, objectives, results/outputs
•An INDICATOR is a measurable unit and facilitates assessments of project performance.
Indicator should be SMART:•Specific: including (where appropriate) clear targets
•Measurable: in terms of quality and/or quantity
•Achievable: at an acceptable cost
•Relevant: to what they are supposed to measure •Timely: produced in due time to be useful for project management.
Indicators
Goal = Impact indicators(measure changes of the underlying system, society, population )
Objectives = Outcome indicators(short term/ medium results produced by interventionmeasure changes in services, clients, indirect beneficiaries)
Results = Output indicators(shorterm influence activites on daily performance)
# people applied learning skills in work# people improved their understanding
Activities = Activity indicators # of courses conducted # of people trained
Indicators:Quantitative &QualitativeObjective 2: : Improve the quality of curriculum and teaching resources at 4 med schools in 2005 - 2010 Activity Quantitative indicator Qualitative
indicator
Teaching interest group & workshops
•5 teaching interest groups are established•15 workshops are organized
Participants are statisfied with info sharing at workshops
Teaching resource development
•90% budget of small grant funding is used by teachers for material dev.•60% lectures if five key subjects apply visual materials•30 book chapters are translated•4 textbooks of subjects.. are developed
•Lecturers feel confident in adopting new teaching skills•Students are happy with new techning technique and availability of more textbooks
Indicators:Quantitative &QualitativeObjective 2: : Improve the quality of curriculum and teaching resources at 4 med schools in 2005 - 2010 Project description
Quantitative indicator
Qualitative indicator
Impact Literacy Change in perception of empowerment and poverty status
Outcome Enrollment and drop-out rate
Statisfaction with teaching methods
Output Number of primary school teachers
Quality of teaching atmosphere in the classroom
Input Expenditure on primary education
Adequate of curriculum
Example: Project description
Goal
Objective 1 To increase ILSSA staff knowledge and skills of program impact evaluation using VLSS datasets
Capacity of target group of ILSSA staff and relevant personnel in evaluating impacts of poverty alleviation programs improved
Activity 1.1 02 training courses on impact evaluation are conducted
Training on Impact Evaluation of Poverty Reduction Programs in Vietnam
Source: VLSS 2004-2006
Example: indicators
Goal
Objective 1
Input Money, expert, staff, equipment
Activity/output
•Two 4-day courses conducted•50 participants trained of impact evaluation•100% participants show improvement in knowledge of IE•90% perform qualified IE analysis•A comprehensive educational package on IE available for training use in ILSSA system
•3 working reports are published applying IE technique using VLSS•A team of 10 key trainers in IE established for on-the-job training
Impacts of poverty alleviation programs (134, 135, 139) are documented and policy briefs provided to gov. planning and strategy dev.
Practice
Develop goal, objectives,
activities &
indicatorsfor your project
SelectingSelectingIndicatorsIndicators
Sources of Verification
Cost
Complexity
Administrativereports
Managementreports
Availablestatistics
Adapted availablestatistics
Interviews withbeneficiaries
Specialisedsurveys
Assumptions• What are the factors/conditions
which are important to enable the implementation of the project?
• Assumptions = Significant External Factors which are essential to successful project implementation.
• Different assumptions for each level of project description.
AssumptionsProject Description Level
Assumptions…may include
Goal Condition of political and community supports for the project
Objectives The collaboration of project stakeholders
Activity •Availability of local contribution in project costs•The country inflation rate•Working condition which allows participants to apply learned skills
Input The availability of qualified staff and funding provided on timely basis
The phases of LFAAnalysis phase Planning phase
Problem analysis LFA matrix
Objective analysis Activity schedule
Strategy analysis Inputs and cost schedule
Results of this phase:•Goal statement•Objective statements•Activities
Results of this phase:•Assumptions•Indicators•Action plan•Budget
3. Beneficiaries / Targets
Part V and VI of the template• List project beneficiaries / targets
and estimate of number (direct and indirect)
• Emphasize the vulnerable, marginalized, children and the poor, gender if any
3. Beneficiaries / Targets
Type of targets Who are they
Direct targets / Project beneficiaries
•People who directly receive benefits or project activities
(training course participants, loan receivers)
Final targets •People who benefits from the impacts of project activity implementation•Who indirectly benefits from the activities.
(students who benefits from the application of ICT training program by teachers)
4. Sustainability
• How the project achievement can be sustained after the project end?
• Is it an one-off project or a project in an identified program/strategy of your organization?
• Is it integrated into the national policy or any existing system?
4. Sustainability: tips
• Maintaining outcomes and productso Organizational functioning continuity
and strengtheningo Staff retention (short-term)o Follow-up/ advanced staff training
• Institutionalizing the process (changes in management, services to accept adopted behaviors)
• Your organization has long-term strategy, focusing on this area
5. Risk management
• Prolonged preparation
• Difficulties in expert identification
• Time conflicts
• Cost increase
• Copyrights piracy
• Plan change/ overlap investment
• Trained staff leaves organization
• Key project management personnel change
6. ICT for education impacts
• Student/participant outcomes:– Impact on learning of school subjects– Impacts beyond the curriculum: Student
motivation, new skills– Impact on students with difficulties
• Teachers and classroom/ organizational outcomes:– Impact on teacher skills and motivation– Impact on classroom practice
• Broader contextual outcomes:– Impacts on schools– Impacts on community
7. Project budget
• Item lines follow activities in M&E framework
• Follow WB budgeting policy• Not over giving budget from
sponsor contribution
What makes writing effective
Clear objective
Appropriate Correct spelling, language grammar
Good organization
Clear, brief&
concise
Wish you all
Reference: Other call for proposal
• Grand challenges Canada: Bold and Innovation. www.grandchallenges.ca
• Unessco
• Jica-Economics
• EU. www.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/
• Ausaid
• Irish Embassy
• SEAMOLEC
• Quỹ quốc tế Singapore In’t Foundation