Simple Proposal Format

DISCLAIMER: This is a simple proposal format that can be used when no format is gi en b! the funding agenc!" #lease note: this format is not all$inclusi e% as some sponsors ma! re&uire other components" Organizational Background: This is the '(ho) of !our proposal" (h! !ou or !our organi*ation are &ualified" Should include brief histor!% accomplishments% &ualifications% e+perience in t!pes of pro,ects for which !ou see- funds% etc" See Sample . /rgani*ational / er iew . C0M Communit! College" Need: This is the '(h!) of !our proposal" 1ased on RESEARC2 . trends% data% census% newspaper articles% worldwide web% etc" Communit! description% po ert!% education and emplo!ment le els% other information that describes or relates to !our target population and the ob,ecti es of !our proposal" Ma-e sure the 0EED relates to what !ou are going to D/" A oid circular reasoning" See 'Resources for 3athering Data) list for gathering data based on research" 4eep trac- of sources" List source in parentheses behind information" E+ample: In the Pew Study for the States report entitled Quality Counts 2007: From Cradle to
Career: Connecting merican !ducation From "irth to dulthood#$ %ew &e'ico ran(ed last of the )0 states on a child*s Chance+For+Success$ inde' e,aluating how well young people in each state are faring at (ey points in their de,elopment and education -Source: !ditorial Pro.ects* /esearch Center# Education Week# 001021073 edwee-"org5ew5toc5677857957:5inde+"html45

Description of Project: This is the '(hat) or '(hat !ou will do) of !our proposal" Start with your oals and O!jecti"es# oals: Should be simple% general% and rele ant to the population ser ed: $$E+ample: 'To increase retention of at$ris- students in De elopmental Math%) $$;ollow 3oals with se eral measurable ob,ecti es <'SMART) ob,ecti es$ Specific% Measurable% Achie able% Rele ant% Time$1ound= which are directl! related to achie ing the goal" <See 3oals and /b,ecti es 2andout and (or-sheet for (riting /b,ecti es=" $$It>s o- to ha e onl! one goal" O!jecti"es: Should be clear% timed% and measurable" $$There are two -inds: $$Process ob,ecti es: Describing the program ob,ecti es . E+ample: '1! September ?7% 677?% SAC counselors will pro ide @77 male students at ris- for dropping out with group counseling on time and anger management%) and $$Outcome ob,ecti es: Describing what will occur <benefits to societ! or targeted population= because of the program$ E+ample: '1! September ?7% 677A% there will be a BC reduction in the rate of deaths due to breast cancer in the Rio 3rande Dalle!") Program %ethodology: Ne&t descri!e how you will achie"e those o!jecti"es# Eou can call this section 'Methods) or 'Implementation) or '#rogram5#ro,ect Design")

If funders don>t as- for a section on 4e! #ersonnel or #ro,ect Management describe here" If space allows% don>t forget an /rgani*ational or Management Chart" /r perhaps a '(or-plan)or 'Logic Model) . who will be doing what b! whenF acti ities to be completed for the pro,ect to successfull! accomplish its goals and ob,ecti es" A picture or graph is worth a thousand words" 'ey Personnel or Project %anagement: <if not included in #rogram Methodolog!= Don>t forget to tal- about training% chains of command% and who does the reporting% mention how often staff meets% etc" /rgani*ational Chart here if not abo e" (orkplan)*imeline: Doesn>t ha e to be part of e er! grant% but is often re&uested . see sample" Eou can change the format to suit what !ou are going to do% but tr! to answer the &uestions: +(hy, O!jecti"e +(hat, -cti"ities +(ho, Persons .esponsi!le +(hen, *imeline

/"aluation: 0uantitati"e /"aluation +you don1t ha"e to la!el it,: Eou want to relate all !our e aluation to !our ob,ecti es" Tal- about how data will be collected and b! whom for both process <G 'formati e)= and outcome <G 'summati e)= ob,ecti es" Tell who will put data together and analyze it% and DERE IM#/RTA0T 2ow !ou will use it <'to ad,ust program based on e aluation results in a process of continuous &ualit! impro ement)= as well as including it in reports" Tal- about how e aluation results will be shared with pro,ect personnel% administrators and others on a regular basis% discussed% and changes made" DISSEMI0ATI/0 of Information . 2ow will !ou share !our program5pro,ect and its results with othersH (ill !our pro,ect ser e as a 'pilot) or 'model) for others to useH 0ualitati"e /"aluation +DO la!el this, 20ualitati"e3 e aluation% using student5client5participant5staff satisfaction sur e!s% focus groups% anecdotal e idence" Sa! that !ou will use the e aluati e process to change !our program according to the results gathered <data$dri en=" Qualitative G sub,ecti e% no numbers" 'good)% 'bad%) although !ou can sa! how man! <what percentage of= people !ou e+pect to sa! 'good) or 'bad)" *imeline: If space is not a problem% consider putting a timeline in" It ma-es a good isual" 'Partners) or '4ommunity +client, 5n"ol"ement) sections are often as-ed for now" It is alwa!s helpful to describe how well !ou are connected to !our peopleI" Eou can put !our staff>s committee memberships here" This is a show$off place% li-e the 4e! #ersonnel" Eou can ma-e

a little sound li-e a lot: '4e! staff for this pro,ect maintained memberships with the following organi*ations") Re&uests for assistance or training from other organi*ations are 'partnerships") Budget: See 1udget sample <Albu&uer&ue Rotar! Club DELTA proposal=% including Sample 1udget 0arrati e" 1udgets can contain the narrati e in the main document% but usuall! there are two separate pieces: 9= a budget form to fill out with the totals for each categor! . called the 'line item budget and 6= a separate budget narrati e" 1e sure not to as- for amounts that seem unreasonable <get real prices=" 1e sure to co er all the costs !ou will need" Don>t forget 'fringe benefits) of salaries" D/ 0/T e+ceed the ma+imum amount allowable b! the funding source" #ut on !our thin-ing cap% and put a price on e er!thing E/J are bringing to the grant% and put it under In$4ind or under 'Agenc! Share) Do the same for /ther ;unding . put a price on what others will do toward the goals of the grant"

-!stract6 A4A /&ecuti"e Summary6 sometimes A4A 4o"er Sheet: +see Samples, AL(AES write this section LAST% e en though it goes first" Eou would not belie e how much a plan can change b! the time !ou are through writing a grantK This section should be a one$page miniature ersion of !our proposal% and tell the person who is sorting the grants for re iew e er!thing the! need to -now: (2/% (2AT% (2E% (2ERE% (2E0% 2/( MJC2 G /rgani*ation5#ersonnel% ;acilit!% 3oal% /b,ecti es% <sometimes a paragraph on 0eed=% a Timeline% and how much L !ou want"