PRDV009: Writing Grant Proposals

Some Preliminaries

As you get started, make sure you understand the definition of proposals. Also, if you are taking a technical writing course, make sure you understand the proposal assignment – do not just write any proposal but one that proposes something.

Real proposals. To begin planning a proposal, remember the basic definition: a proposal is an offer or bid to do a certain project for someone. Proposals may contain other elements – technical background, recommendations, survey results, information about feasibility, and so on. But you are asking your audience to approve, fund, or grant permission to do the proposed project.

If you plan to be a consultant or run your own business, written proposals may be your most important tool for bringing in business. And, if you work for a government agency, nonprofit organization, or a large corporation, the proposal can be a valuable tool for initiating projects that benefit the organization and the employee-proposer (usually both).

A proposal should contain information that enables the audience to decide whether to approve the project, hire you to do the work, or both. Put yourself in the place of your audience – the recipient – and think about the information they need to feel confident having you do the project.

It is easy to get confused about the type of proposal you will write. Imagine you have a terrific idea for installing new technology where you work. You write up a document explaining how it works and why it is so great, showing the benefits, and then urge management to go for it.

Is that a proposal? No, at least not in this context. It is more like a feasibility report, which studies the merits of a project and recommends for or against it. All it would take to make this document a proposal would be to add elements that ask management for approval for you to proceed. Certainly, some proposals must sell the projects they offer, but they must sell the writer (or the writer's organization) as the one to do the project.

Types of proposals. Consider the situations where proposals occur. A company may send a public announcement requesting proposals for a specific project. They might issue this public announcement – a request for proposals (RFP) – through newspapers, trade journals, Chamber of Commerce channels, or individual letters. Firms or individuals interested in the project would then write proposals to summarize their qualifications, project schedules, and costs and discuss their approach to the project. The recipient of these proposals would evaluate them, select the best candidate, and create a contract.

But proposals come about much less formally. Imagine you want to do a project at work (for example, investigating the merits of bringing in new technology to increase productivity). Imagine you visited your supervisor and tried to convince them. They might respond, "Write me a proposal, and I will present it to upper management."

We can divide proposals into several categories:

• Internal vs. external. A proposal to someone within your organization (business, government agency, etc.). is an internal proposal. With internal proposals, you may not have to include certain sections (such as qualifications) or as much information. An external proposal is written from one separate, independent organization or individual to another such entity. A typical example is the independent consultant proposing a project for another firm.
  
  
• Solicited vs. unsolicited. A solicited proposal is one where the recipient has requested the proposal. Typically, a company mails requests for proposals (RFPs) or publishes them in a news source. But proposals can be solicited locally: for example, explaining to your boss why they should install new technology in the office; your boss might get interested and ask you to write up a proposal that offers to conduct a formal study of the idea. Unsolicited proposals are ones the recipient has not requested. With unsolicited proposals, you may have to convince the recipient that a problem or need exists before beginning the main part of the proposal.

There are other options for the proposal assignment. You may be unable to force your report-project plans into the proposal context. Another option is to write an academic proposal to your instructor without any pretense of realism.

 

Typical Scenarios

It is tricky to dream up a good technical report project and a proposal project that proposes to write that report. Here are some ideas:

• Imagine a nonprofit organization focused on a particular issue that wants an expert consultant to write a handbook or guide for its membership. This document will present information on the issue in a way members can understand.
  
  
• Imagine that a company has a problem or wants to improve. It sends a request for proposals, and you respond with a proposal. You offer to investigate, interview, make recommendations, and present it all as a report.
  
  
• An organization wants you to give a seminar on your expertise. You write a proposal for the seminar. The package deal includes a guide or handbook the attendees will receive.
  
  
• You want to write a business prospectus for the business you intend to start. Imagine you want a top-quality prospectus and do not have the time or expertise to prepare one. Therefore, you send out requests for proposals to professional consultants. You change hats, pretend you are Business Startup Consultants, Inc., and send your other self a proposal to do the job. Your proposal is accepted, and you (as Business Startup Consultants, Inc.) write the prospectus.
  
  
• An agency has started using a fancy desktop publishing system, but the documentation is giving people fits. You receive a request for proposals from this agency to write a simplified or startup guide.

Consider using this planning guide for report-oriented proposals.

 

Common Sections

Let's review the sections we often find in proposals. Do not assume you must include each one in your proposal. They also do not need to be in the order presented here. You may discover other information to include in your proposal.

Introduction. Plan the introduction to your proposal carefully. Make sure it does all of the following things (but not necessarily in this order) that apply to your particular proposal:

• Indicate the document is a proposal.
• You can refer to your previous contact with the proposal recipient or your information source about the project.
• Find a brief motivating statement to encourage the recipient to read on, consider doing the project (if it is an unsolicited or competitive proposal), and contract you to do the work.
• Give an overview of the contents of the proposal.

Background on the problem, opportunity, or situation. The background section often follows the introduction and discusses why the project is needed – what the problem is, what opportunities exist for improving things, and what the basic situation is. For example, the managers of a chain of daycare centers may need to ensure every employee knows CPR (maybe new CPR certification state guidelines were enacted). A pine timberland owner in east Texas may want to make the land produce saleable timber without destroying the ecology.

This section might be unnecessary if your audience is familiar with the problem. However, the background section may demonstrate your view of the problem. If the proposal is unsolicited, a background section is almost a requirement – you may need to convince the audience the problem or opportunity exists and should be addressed.

Benefits and feasibility of the proposed project. Most proposals discuss the advantages or benefits of doing the project. This is an argument in favor of approving the project. Some proposals discuss the likelihood of the project's success. For example, in the forestry proposal, the proposer recommends the landowner make an investment and explore the potential return on that investment. This section is especially important In the unsolicited proposal – you are trying to "sell" the audience on the project.

Figure 1. Schematic view of proposals

Figure 2. Schematic view of proposals – continued

Description of the proposed work (project results). Most proposals must describe the finished product of the proposed project. In a technical writing course, that means describing the document you propose to write, its audience and purpose, providing an outline, and discussing its length, graphics, binding, etc. There may be additional work, such as conducting training seminars or providing an ongoing service.

Method, procedure, theory. You may want to explain how you will do the proposed work. This is an additional persuasive element; it shows the audience you have a sound, well-thought-out approach to the project. Also, it provides background. Remember that the background section (discussed above) focused on the problem or need. However, in this section, you discuss the technical background of the procedures or technology you plan to use in the proposed work. For example, in the forestry proposal, the writer offers some background on how to conduct timber management. This allows you to show you know what you are talking about and build confidence in the audience.

Schedule. Most proposals contain a section showing the project's projected completion date and key milestones. If you are doing a large project over many months, the timeline should show the dates you will deliver progress reports. Cite amounts of time for each project phase if you cannot cite specific dates.

Qualifications. Most proposals summarize the individual's or organization's qualifications to do the work. This section is like a mini-resume your audience will use to decide whether you are suited for the project. This section lists work experience, similar projects, references, training, and education that show familiarity with the project.

Costs and Required Resources. Most proposals include a section detailing the project's internal or external costs. For external projects, you may need to list your hourly rates, projected hours, equipment, and supply costs and calculate the total cost to complete the project. Internal projects are not free, and you should still list the project costs: for example, hours to complete the project, equipment and supplies needed, assistance from other people in the organization, etc.

Conclusions. The final paragraph or section should focus on the project's positive aspects (you have just shown them the costs). You can end by urging them to get in touch to work out the project details, reminding them of the benefits, and making one last plug for you or your organization as the right choice for the project.

Special project-specific sections. The preceding sections are typical in written proposals, not absolute requirements. Ask yourself what your audience needs to understand the project – the need, the benefits, your role, and qualifications. What else does your audience need to be convinced? What else do they need to approve the project and contract you?

 

Organization

As for organizing the proposal content, remember it is a type of sale or promotion. Here are the basic steps:

1. You introduce the proposal, telling the readers its purpose and contents.
   
   
2. You present the background – the problem, opportunity, or situation that led to the proposed project. Make the reader concerned about the problem, excited about the opportunity, or interested in the situation.
   
   
3. State what you propose to do about the problem, how you plan to help the readers take advantage of the opportunity, and how you intend to help them with the situation.
   
   
4. Discuss the proposed project's benefits and the advantages of approving it.
   
   
5. Describe exactly what the completed project will include and look like, how it works, and its results.
   
   
6. Discuss the method and theory or approach behind that method – help readers understand how you will perform the proposed work.
   
   
7. Provide a schedule, including major milestones or checkpoints in the project.
   
   
8. Briefly list your qualifications and provide a mini-resume explaining how your background makes you suitable for the project.
   
   
9. Now (and only now), list the project costs and the resources you need to complete the project.
   
   
10. Conclude by reviewing the project's benefits (in case the shock from the costs section was too much) and urging the audience to contact you to accept the proposal.

Notice the logic of moving through these sections: You get them concerned about a problem or interested in an opportunity, then you get them excited about how you will fix the problem or do the project, then you show them what good qualifications you have – then hit them with the costs, but then come right back to the good points about the project.

 

Proposal Format

You have the following options for the format and packaging of your proposal. It does not matter which you use as long as you use the memorandum format for internal proposals and the business letter format for external proposals.

• Cover letter or memo with a separate proposal: In this format, you write a brief "cover" letter or memo and attach the proposal properly afterward. The cover letter or memo briefly announces that a proposal follows and outlines the contents of it. The contents of the cover letter or memo are pretty much the same as the introduction (discussed in the previous section). Notice, however, that the introduction to the proposal proper that follows the cover letter or memo repeats much of what preceded it. This is because the letter or memo may get detached from the proposal, or the recipient may not even bother to look at the letter or memo and just dive right into the proposal itself.
  
  
• Consolidated business letter or memo proposal: In this format, you consolidate the entire proposal into a standard business letter or memo. You include headings and other special formatting elements as if it were a report. (This consolidated memo format is illustrated in the left portion of the following illustration.)
  
  

Figure 3. Proposal that uses the consolidated memo format (left) and a proposal that is separate from its cover letter (right)

Revision Checklist

As you reread and revise your proposal, watch out for problems such as the following:

1. A proposal that uses the consolidated memo format (left) and a proposal separate from its cover letter (right). Remember, the memo format is for internal proposals; the business letter format is for proposals from one external organization to another. (Whether you use a cover memo or cover letter is your choice.)
   
   
2. Write a good introduction.
   
   
3. Make sure to identify exactly what you are proposing to do.
   
   
4. Ensure that a report – a written document – is somehow involved in your proposed project.
   
   
5. Make sure the sections are in a logical, natural order. For example, do not bombard the audience with schedules and costs before you have piqued their interest in the project.
   
   
6. Break costs section out into specifics, including hourly rates and other details. Do not just hit them with a whopping final cost.
   
   
7. For internal projects, do not omit the section on costs and qualifications: there will be costs, just not direct ones. For example, how much time will you need, and will there be printing and binding costs? Include your qualifications – imagine your proposal will go to somebody in the organization who does not know you.
   
   
8. Be sure to address the proposal to a real or realistic audience.
   
   
9. Watch out for generating technobabble. Yes, some of your proposal readers may know the technical side of your project, but others may not. Challenge yourself to simplify difficult technical concepts to a level nonspecialists can understand.
   
   
10. Be sure to include all the information listed in "Special assignment requirements." If it does not logically or naturally fit the proposal, put it in a memo to your instructor.

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Source: David McMurrey
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.