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Writing Tips
Guidance for Proposal Preparation University Facts |
Specialized Proposal Development Guides (with writing
examples) |
| Organizing a Proposal |
| The most universal advice from successful grants writers, review panelists
and program officers is to have a logical flow from the beginning to the
end of a proposal. By presenting a project as a logical progression of
thought and activity, the investigator is less likely to overlook important
program components and can anticipate questions that a reviewer might
ask.
A suggested approach is as follows: What is the problem/need/gap in knowledge to be addressed?
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Putting Your Idea in a Project Format |
Sponsors fund activities, not ideas. No matter how good your ideas or noble your intentions, you must translate them into a specific set of activities in order to get funding. Potential sponsors must know what you actually plan to do in order to determine whether investing in your project represents an effective use of their resources. Whether you want to set up a training program, demonstrate a novel approach to service delivery, or conduct basic research, the task of moving from an idea to a practical work plan is the same. You must define the problem or need you wish to address, formulate goals and objectives for your response to that problem, and then decide what specific actions have been undertaken to fulfill those goals and objectives. A good way to do this is to develop a concise outline containing each of the elements listed below. As you do so, keep working on each section until you have established a strong, logical connection between the activities you propose to undertake and the resolution of the problem you have defined. Developing the outline should allow you not only to organize your thoughts into a coherent plan of action, but also to muster the arguments you will need to persuade a potential sponsor of the value of your proposed activities. As you work on each section, try to look at the project from the perspective of a potential donor. Why would someone support this activity? Who might benefit from it, or what might be accomplished as a result of this project? The format of a particular proposal will depend on the requirements of the sponsor to whom you are applying: most government agencies have application forms or very specific guidelines, while other sponsors are less directive. There are, however, certain elements that all proposals generally contain which include the following:
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| Title |
When you have finished outlining the project, choose a simple title that explains (to the extent possible) what you plan to do. There is no need for cute or catchy titles or fancy acronyms. If potential sponsors find your title silly, it may prejudice them against the project.
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| Title Page |
Usually includes a project title, the name of the applicant or Principal Investigator, the name and address of initiating agency or agencies to which the proposal is being submitted, inclusive project dates, supporting funds requested, and signatures of personnel authorizing submission of the proposal.
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| Abstract |
A brief statement of the project objectives, procedures, and methods of evaluation and dissemination. The abstract should not exceed two hundred and fifty words in length.
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| Statement of the Problem |
This section is a background and rationale for the project. It should establish the need and importance of the project and provide an adequate perspective in which to evaluate the impending objectives, procedures, and methods of evaluation and dissemination.
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| Objectives |
Identification of anticipated outcomes of the project in clearly specified terms. In most cases, an objective should be provided to meet each major need identified in the previous section.
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| Methods/Procedures |
| This section describes, in explicit detail, how the researcher proposes to meet his stated objectives. An overall design may be described, but it its essential that specific procedures be identified. |
| Evaluation |
Procedures to be utilized by the initiating agency and funding source to assess project outcome. This section may specify the kinds of data to be collected and the methods by which it will be analyzed disseminated and utilized.
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| Dissemination |
Funding agencies are anxious that their grants produce maximum impact. This section specifies how the project products or results will be disseminated to the potential users thereby maximizing the impact of the investment.
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| Facilities |
Not appropriate in some proposals but essential in others. This section specifies facilities required and how such will be provided. Special equipment necessary for the project may be identified in this section.
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| Personnel |
| Number and categories of project personnel are identified. Vitae or resumes for key personnel should be provided along with criteria for the selection of support personnel. The aim: to establish the competence of personnel involved in implementing the project. (Keep in mind that most agencies have a two page limit for vitae.)
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| Budget |
Here, project costs are spelled out. Usually, the budget is divided into
various categories such as personnel, equipment and materials, communications,
travel, and indirect costs. In many cases, initiating agencies are asked
to share part of the cost of the project. Thus, amounts required from
the funding source and amounts contributed by the initiating agency should
be spelled out. title of the proposed project;
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Preparing a Full Proposal |
There is no secret formula guaranteed to produce a perfect proposal. You can prepare a more effective document, however, if you keep certain general principles in mind. First, the proposal document is the primary basis for evaluating your project and for determining whether financial support is justified. You must be sure it not only represents the need for action, but also includes all the information needed to evaluate accurately the proposed activity and your ability to conduct it. Second, your document is likely to be read by people facing time constraints. Reviewers often read large numbers of similar proposals in a relatively short meeting. Yours must be well-organized and concise in order to make your point and stand out in the crowd. Before embarking on the writing process make yourself aware of the proposal preparation services that may be available. A call to the Office of Sponsored Programs may save you some valuable time.
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| Proposal Development Guides (view in Word) |
Art
of Writing Proposals Basic Elements
of Grant Writing Proposal
Writing Short Course The Foundation Center's
FAQs NIAID How To
Write A Grant |
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Revised: August, 2007 Publisher: Sponsored Programs For Information Contact: jmu_grants@jmu.edu Privacy Statement |
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