Get A Complete Understanding of The Grant Proposal Writing Process

Get a Complete Understanding of
the Grant Proposal Writing

Process
Table of Contents
Proposal Writing Glossary: Major Terms used in Proposal Writing ......................... 4
Let us Start answering Basic Questions about Proposal Writing............................. 7
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: How much time does it take to write a
proposal? ....................................................................................................................... 9
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: Is it important to know and understand
the donor before writing a proposal? ........................................................................ 11
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: Who should be involved in the planning
and writing of a proposal? ......................................................................................... 12
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: How can I get inputs for my proposal
from a donor? .............................................................................................................. 14
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: Can we hire a consultant to write
proposals for us? ........................................................................................................ 15
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: What is a Concept Note?...................... 16
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: What is a Logical Framework Analysis?
...................................................................................................................................... 18
The Process of developing the Logframe in Your Proposal .......................................................... 21
The Big Picture of the Logframe ........................................................................................................... 22
The Components of a Logframe inside Your Proposal ................................................................... 24
Developing the Budget in Your Proposal .................................................................. 26
The Costs in the Budget of Your Grant Proposal .............................................................................. 28
Who should develop the budget? ......................................................................................................... 30
Final tips on creating the Budget ......................................................................................................... 31
Before Writing a Proposal .......................................................................................... 32
Writing the Proposal by Understanding what the Donor wants .............................. 33
Additional Tips ............................................................................................................ 34
How to Write Proposals according to donor/funding agency’s guidelines ........... 35
How to Create an Outline for Writing a Project Proposal ........................................ 36
Painting the Problem: How to Write the Project Rationale that can create an
Impact ........................................................................................................................... 39
Proving the Solution: How to Convince the Donor for Funding Your Project ....... 41
https://www.fundsforngos.org 1
https://fundsforngospremium.com
How to Frame Your SMART Project Goals and Objectives in a Grant Proposal ... 43
How to build Strategies and Activities in Your Grant Proposal .............................. 45
Your Project Results is about the Impact: How to Write them in Your Grant
Proposal? ..................................................................................................................... 47
How to develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Present it in Your Grant
Proposal ....................................................................................................................... 49
The Sustainability Plan and Other Cross-Cutting Themes in Your Grant Proposal
...................................................................................................................................... 53
Preparing Your WorkPlan: A Gantt Chart that needs to be Presented ................... 55
How to bring about Innovation in the Project You are Proposing .......................... 56
Your Proposal in Your Hands: Giving a Final Touch before submitting to Donors
...................................................................................................................................... 58
The grant proposal writing process is an essential activity for all grant-seeking NGOs. While all
donor agencies request proposals, the grant writing process actually helps in planning,
preparing and delivering results for your projects. But developing proposals can be challenging
if you do not have the access to the tools, knowledge and resources.
This proposal writing guide will assist you in getting a complete understanding of the proposal
writing process, what types of tools and resources you need to write the proposal and what
knowledge you need to acquire for it.
This guide aims to:
 Provide holistic understandings of the grant application process, the purpose of the
project proposal and its parts, and tips on proposal writing.
 Assist international development workers in applying for grants from institutional donors,
including private foundations, government embassies and development agencies.
 Increase the quality of grant applications for projects around the world.
This guide is designed to support:
 Those new to proposal writing

 Local and grassroots NGOs in developing countries
 International development workers and fundraisers
 Experienced proposal writers looking for a guide that provides holistic coverage of all
proposal- related topics
 Those interested in the general requirements of proposal writing
As this is a beginner’s guide to proposal writing, there is no focus on any particular sector or
donor. Thus, while technical details are provided wherever possible, they are limited in favor of
general tips. However, specific cases such as technical requirements from the European
Commission are used throughout the guide for reference purposes. The end of this guide also
concludes with selections from actual proposals which can serve as models for others.
Proposal Writing Glossary: Major Terms used in Proposal Writing
NOTE all these definitions are specific to NGOs in writing proposals. Many of these words will
have alternative meanings outside of this space.
Activity: an action undertaken by the project or the organization to achieve the set objectives;
also referred to as input.
Assumption: a predicted external factor, of which failure to occur may negatively impact the
project.
Beneficiary: the direct participants or recipients of funding or program support; a group or

individual directly impacted and benefited by the project.
Budget: a document which specifies how money will be allocated to implement the activities
described in the proposal; a description of the project in numbers.
Case study: a personal story which analyses a problem faced by an individual or a group of
persons.
Concept note: the shortest expression of a project idea given on paper to a donor; document
generally used in the first instance when proposing a project to a donor.
Cross-cutting theme: a related issue or theme that is integrated into the project goals and
objectives.
Donor: an individual or organization that provides funding. In this guide, the term “donor” will
refer to institutional donor agencies which review grant proposals.
Gantt chart: chart that summarizes the schedule or timeline of project activities proposed.
Similar to a workplan, timetable or schedule.
Impact: long-term result of project activities. Long-lasting effect of the activities undertaken by
the project.
Indicator: measure of the result; the measures which will prove the success of the project.
INGO: International NGO
Letter of inquiry: short letter sent to a prospective donor to determine donor’s interest in
evaluating a full grant proposal. See Concept note.
Logical framework: AKA logframe; a management tool for effective planning and
implementation of developmental projects; framework with clear, concise and systematic
information about a project.
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E): an approach developed to measure and assess the
success and performance of projects, programs or entire organizations.
NGO: abbreviation for non-governmental organization; a not-for-profit organization that is

independent of states and international governmental organizations and works for the benefit of
society. May also be called non-profit, non-profit organization (NPO), civil society, or charity.
Objective: specific target the project works to achieve within the stipulated time.
Outcome: medium-term result of project activities; result achieved after a period of time, but not
immediately, after the completion of a project.
Output: short-term result of project activities; immediate result achieved at the completion of the
project or project activity.
Program: portfolio comprised of multiple projects that are managed and coordinated as one unit
with the objective of achieving (often intangible) outcomes and benefits for the organization.
Project goal: very general, high-level and long-term vision for the project.
Project: temporary entity established to deliver specific (often tangible) outputs in line with
predefined time, cost and quality constraints.
Project rationale: an argument in favor of implementing the proposed project; a detailed

explanation of why the project is required.
Proposal: a document which is used to request funding to implement a project.
Risk: an unplanned external factor which may occur and could negatively impact the project
Strategy: the broad concept under which activities are placed.
Sustainability: the ability of an NGO to continue a mission or a program indefinitely.

Community sustainability: how the community will continue to carry out the project activities
when there is no grant available.
Financial sustainability: how the financial support required for the project or the organization
will continue after a grant has ended.
Organizational sustainability: how the organization will continue to be sustained in the
absence of donor support.
SWOT: Strengths and Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats; tool used for discussing the
pros and cons of the organization that could impact the project.
Theory of Change: a methodology that defines long-term goals and then maps backward to
identify necessary preconditions.
Let us Start answering Basic Questions about Proposal Writing
What is a proposal?
Proposal literally means “an act of putting forward or stating something for consideration.” This
relates to business proposals, marriage proposals, legal proposals, as well as proposals for
funding.
For NGOs, a proposal is a document which is used to request funding to implement a project.
The proposal details the plan for a project which NGOs can submit to a donor to request
funding.
Proposal writing can be a complex job. Even developing a one-page concept note requires a lot
of background research and planning. So a proposal is not always just a document submitted to
a donor, it is also an exercise which allows a project idea to be fleshed out, explained, tested,
proven, critiqued and shared. Creating a proposal helps plan a project from the idea stage to
reality.
A proposal is:
• A document meant for donors which lays out the project plan and requests funds.
• A good way to help NGOs fully plan out projects.
• A reflection of the capacity of the NGO.
Donors that provide funding to NGOs often request proposals in a pre-set format. While this
format can vary from one donor to the next, it usually follows a standard template.
How long should a proposal be?
Long enough to describe all the relevant details of the project. It is very difficult to give an exact
figure for the size of a proposal because it varies from donor to donor and project to project.
Proposals 10 to 20 pages in length are common, but some donors prefer to receive short
concept notes, while others like USAID and the European Commission can request lengthy
proposals that could run into dozens of pages. However, the length of a proposal does not
matter nearly as much as its content. The donor is primarily interested in the idea proposed. If
the idea is interesting and relevant and the application guidelines are followed, the proposal can
be accepted.
In open calls for proposals or requests for proposals, proposal guidelines including length are
given by the donor. These guidelines usually have a limit on the length of the proposal and the
application form to be used. Sometimes they require an initial short concept note followed by a
longer proposal.
Carefully read and follow these guidelines.

In submitting unsolicited proposals or directly approaching a donor for funding, it is often best to
prepare a letter of inquiry or short concept note of not more than 2 to 3 pages. Use this short
summary to peak the donor’s interest, hopefully leading to further conversations and an
invitation to submit a full proposal.
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: How much time does it take to write a
proposal?
This varies drastically depending on the prior experience of the organization and the type of
proposal. As explained above, the proposal is one of the last steps in the project planning stage.
If an organization already has all the background information prepared, taking that information
and turning it into a proposal may take only a few days.
On the other hand, creating a project and a proposal from the very beginning or creating a
proposal for highly technical donors such as USAID or the European Commission could
potentially take months of work. Fortunately, many donors understand the difficulty involved in
writing a full proposal and so often require only a short concept note in the first instance.
What is the role of the proposal in the application process?
It is important to understand that the proposal is just one step in the grant application process.
What many NGOs seem to think of the proposal process:
This 3-step model is not wrong, but very simplistic and puts too much focus on the proposal as
key to fundraising and implementing programs. Before working on the proposal, there is a lot of
planning, discussion with beneficiaries and experts, research etc., that goes into a proposal.
Proposals are very important for receiving funding from institutional donors, however it is only
one of many tools needed to garner support.
A more accurate description of proposal process might look like this:
This guide will focus on the pieces that go into proposal writing, but it is also important to
recognize other steps such as: research, planning and outreach which are also very important
for successfully acquiring funding.
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: Is it important to know and understand the
donor before writing a proposal?
Yes! This is in fact the first step to undertake when starting to write the proposal. There are over
250,000 donor agencies in the world and most of them have very specific criteria for what types
of organizations they fund. If a proposal on land rights in Nepal is sent to a donor who only
funds maternal health projects or a donor who only funds projects in Africa, then the proposal
will be automatically rejected, no matter how great the proposal.
Organizations should conduct proper research to understand what the donor is looking for
before applying. Thematic area, geographic range, typical grant size, type of support, etc. are all
important factors to consider when determining prioritizing which donors to approach. Do not
waste time sending out mass proposals.
In addition, research the application guidelines of the donor. Find out if there is a format the
proposal must follow or a deadline for submission of the proposal.
Can I use the same proposal multiple times?
Each project, NGO, donor, etc. is unique. Since a proposal is directly linked to these things,
each proposal should be unique as well. It is perfectly reasonable to use an old proposal as a
template or base from which to make edits and changes, however these changes should be
significant. It is not recommended to plagiarize past proposals or send the same proposal out
multiple times with just a few words changed. Even when seeking funds from different donors
for the same project, each donor will have their own preferences and application procedures
that each proposal should follow.
How do I start writing a proposal?
Do not start writing a proposal with just a blank page. Prior to the writing stage, a lot of research
must have been done. Research should identify a problem, the solution to the problem, and the
steps in applying the solution. Research on the background of the problem, specific location and
beneficiaries, as well as similar programs implemented before, are all important pieces which
should be at hand while drafting the proposal. Additionally, it is very helpful to have a list of
potential donors interested in the project area the proposal should be personalized to. It is also
good to go through internal documents on the project, budgets or marketing materials for the
NGO which may be included in the proposal.
Take all the above information and create an outline or draft of the proposal. Many experts also
recommend creating a logframe at this stage as a basic flow of how the project is going to work.
Once the problem and solution are both thoroughly understood and all the background research
is ready, the challenge will not be in writing the proposal but in presenting the proposal in a way
donors will understand and approve.
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: Who should be involved in the planning and
writing of a proposal?
Proposal writing is not a one-man show; while one individual may bear the responsibility of
overseeing the proposal from start to finish, many other people need to be involved in the
process. It is an inclusive process. More ideas are brought to light when all those involved in the
project have some input. Here are some examples of those who could be involved in the
planning and writing stages of the proposal.
Planning Stage
 Beneficiaries – The project is designed to help these people. They should be consulted
in the planning stages.
 Community – A project may affect others beyond the intended beneficiaries. It is
important to hear from others within the project area.
 Others within the NGO – Running a program is a team activity. Let the team be
involved from the very start.
 The Board – A good board should be able to provide valuable assistance.
 Other NGOs – Other organizations may have advice, expertise and other resources at
their disposal. They may have examples of similar past projects, proposals, budgets, etc.
or be willing to partner.
 Experts – Almost all projects have a technical component, so it is important to consult
them on the details. Depending on the type of project, experts may include lawyers,
medical doctors, local government agencies, accountants, community organizers,
advocacy groups, software developers, teachers, scientists, police etc.
 Contractors – Some projects necessitate hiring others outside the NGO to provide
goods and services. Consult these people or companies to make sure the requirements
are reasonable and get a cost estimate. Also, see if they can provide free or discounted
services for NGOs!
 Donors – In some cases, donors may be willing to help plan a project they would be
interested in funding. Many donors have experience in planning projects from reviewing
so many proposals, visiting the field, working with NGOs etc. Some donors provide
technical expertise as part of their mission. If possible, try to connect with donors and
seek advice.
The planning stage should give rise to numerous writings and documents which can be
condensed and formatted into a proposal. In general, one individual should be responsible for
the proposal, however certain sections should be drafted by others and many should be
involved in the review process.
Writing Stage
 Proposal writer – Ideally this is someone within the organization with experience in
writing proposals. In general, fundsforNGOs recommends not hiring consultants to write
proposals, as this is a necessary skill NGOs need to develop. It may however be a good
idea to hire a consultant in the planning and review stages.
 Program managers – Program people will have very in-depth understanding of how the
project will be implemented.
 Researchers – Researchers can contribute to the project rationale, background and
context.
 Marketing team – Those responsible for marketing will know how to present the NGO,
have a good organizational background summary, and can assist in branding the
proposal.
 Accountant – An accountant should always look over the budget.
 Reviewers – Have as many people as possible look over the proposal draft to help
finalize it. Try to get those involved in the planning stages to check for accuracy, and ask
other people within the NGO to make sure the NGO’s message is conveyed. It is also a
good idea to have people completely unrelated to the project and NGO look over the
draft, as they can often give an unbiased opinion and evaluate how easily
understandable the proposal is. Also, make sure an editor/ native speaker checks
spelling and grammar!
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: How can I get inputs for my proposal from a
donor?
In an open call for proposals where a donor invites applications from many NGOs, it may be
difficult to seek inputs. Since such calls are competitive, the donor often does not want to favor
any single NGO by providing feedback on the proposal. In these cases, the best strategy is to
carefully review proposal guidelines, donor objectives, previously funded projects and other
details. This research can provide organizations with the information needed to develop a
competitive proposal.
If approaching a donor directly, then it is a good idea to try and discuss project ideas before
submitting a full proposal. The donor may provide reference material, such as previously funded
project documents, which can be used to create a more customized proposal.
What is the success rate of a proposal?
 Many factors affect the success rate of a proposal:

 Meeting donor requirements – Almost all donors have a specific goal they want to
achieve with their grants and a process with which to achieve it. Understanding what the
donor wants is incredibly important in writing a successful proposal.
 Quality of the project – Proposals which clearly explain a project and prove that the idea
is effective and obtainable will interest donors.
 Reputation of the applying organization – An organization with a stellar reputation, lots of
experience, a history of many successful programs, experienced and connected staff,
great branding, etc. will have a higher success rate than a new NGO with no track
record.
 Contact with donor – Solicited applications have a higher success rate than unsolicited
ones.
 Networking or having some contact with donors can build trust and provide useful
information which increases the success rate. Similarly, it is always easier to receive
additional funding from a past donor than to receive new funding from a new donor.
 Size of the donor – Huge global donors like Ford Foundation or the European
Commission receive thousands of unsolicited applications and thus have a very low
success rate despite their large resources. Smaller donors may have limited capacity,
but also often receive fewer proposals.
 Scale of opportunity – Calls for proposals that are very broad or open to NGOs from all
over the world receive huge numbers of applicants. However, targeted calls for
proposals that are only interested in a very specific project in a certain area tend to have
fewer applicants and thus higher chances of success.
 Quality of proposal – a good proposal is important, but even the best proposals will not
get funded if some of the above factors are not also met.
 Many donors report very low success rates – sometimes less than 1% of unsolicited
applications. However, there are many ways in which a proposal can distinguish itself
from the rest and drastically increase its chances of success.
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: Can we hire a consultant to write proposals for
us?
There are proposal writers who write proposals on commission. However for most NGOs, hiring
consultants to write proposals does not amount to good use of resources. For one, it will not
guarantee funding and consultants typically have a fee which they charge regardless of the
success or failure of the proposal.
More importantly, writing proposals is something organizations must do repeatedly and so is an

essential skill every NGO relying on grants to fund projects must possess. The resources put
into hiring a consultant might be better spent developing internal capacity in proposal writing.
Consultants can be great resources in certain areas. Consultants can conduct donor research,
organize field research, create marketing tools etc. Consultants can also review and edit
proposals written internally.
How long does it take to receive funding after submitting a proposal?
Awarding grants tends to be a very long process and so it can take a long time for the funding to
actually come in. This is especially true for large donors such as government agencies which
are very bureaucratic and slow-moving.
Donors receive many proposals, therefore just reading through all the applications for a given
opportunity can take weeks. Even after receiving confirmation of interest from a donor,
organizations may still have to undergo further negotiations and wait for months before the
funding arrives.
When planning a project timeline, make sure to take into consideration the time it will take to
raise the funds.
Smaller donors, although typically only able to give small grants, do tend to have less turn-over
time in distributing funds.
Additionally, past and current donors are often able to provide further funding to donees
because much of the initial due diligence has already been completed.
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: What is a Concept Note?
A concept note is perhaps the shortest expression of a project idea given on paper to a donor. A
concept note is generally used in the first instance when proposing a project to a donor. A
concept note can be identical to a letter of inquiry. However, the letter formatting is not required
in a concept note.
Unlike a proposal, a concept note does not directly ask for funding. The goal of a concept note
is to gain the attention of a donor and spark further dialogue between the applying organization
and the donor. Ideally, this dialogue will help the applying organization develop a high-quality
proposal that is more likely to get funded.
Purpose of a concept note
Concept notes have many advantages for grant donors and grant seekers alike. Concept notes
are particularly suited for submitting unsolicited applications. Additionally, it is becoming
increasingly common for donors to request a concept note instead of a full proposal in the first
round of funding. Applicants should carefully read the donor’s application requirements before
submitting a concept note or a proposal.
For grant donors, concept notes present a clear and practical framework which is easy to
quickly comprehend. Many donors, especially in well-known agencies, receive hundreds if not
thousands of applications and are only able to fund a small percentage of those. So for an initial
review, it is much easier and efficient to read concept notes instead of so many proposals. Short
concept notes help donors save time in initial reviews and are also easier to print and file.
Grant seekers also save a lot of time and effort by creating a concept note before a full
proposal. Since there is often only a small probability of success when soliciting first-time
potential donors, it is more efficient to send a concept note initially instead of a full proposal.
Sending a concept note first also has the added benefit of flexibility, as submitting a short
summary of a project allows an organization to make changes in the details even after the
concept note has been submitted. It is much more difficult to make changes to a submitted
proposal when all those details should already be accounted for.
Size and format of the concept note
A concept note is typically a minimum of one page to a maximum of four pages. However, each
donor may have their own individual requirements. Applicants should read these requirements
carefully before applying.
In general, the concept note can be thought of as the most condensed possible text for a project
idea. So, the shorter the better.
Unlike a full proposal, most donors typically do not require a specific format for a concept note.
The applicant should choose a format which best displays the information to be shared.
However, there are some donors which do have formatting requirements, such as the European
Commission. If a donor requires a specific format, such information will be explained in their
application guidelines.
Contents of the concept note
While there is no standard format, generally a concept note consists of the following:
 Organization name, project title and date

 Name of potential donor
 Project goals and objectives
 Context and project rationale
 Project strategy and list of activities
 Expected results and number of beneficiaries reached
 Organizational background (briefly explains organization’s expertise and experience)
 Funding requested and budget summary
 Complete contact information of the NGO and a contact person
Exact content and organization of the concept note varies. Applicants should pay special
attention if donors require answers to certain questions (e.g. innovation, sustainability, cross-
cutting themes etc.)
For a letter of inquiry, this information should be organized in formal letter format and also
include a request to meet with the donor or a follow-up discussion. If submitting a concept note,
it would still be a good idea to include the request in an accompanying email or letter.
The concept note should contain just about enough information for the donor to understand
what the project is about and why it should be funded. Nothing more is necessary at this stage.
Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: What is a Logical Framework Analysis?
Some donors request what is typically known as a logframe, short for Logical Framework.
Logframes also go by many other names, including: Logical Framework Analysis, LFA, Logical
Framework Matrix or even Project Framework. Whatever it is called, this framework is a
summary of the project in table format. The logframe was reportedly developed originally by
USAID during the 1970s for organizing logistics and now many large donors require it in their
applications.
A logframe is:
 A management tool for effective planning and implementation of projects.

 A framework to build clear, concise and systematic information about a project.
 A table which shows project components and the relationships between these
components.
 A method to clearly display the progress from goals to activities to results.
A Logframe format in a European Commission call for proposals application form:
The logframe has become an essential tool for donors not only in planning their own macro-
level strategies, but also in seeking in-depth information about the small and medium-sized
projects they fund.
Logframes also give a clear summary of what resources would be needed and how these willbe
used for various project activities.
While a good logframe can be very useful in planning a project, it can be very difficult to create.
Many donors recognize this fact, and either do not require a logframe in the application or
require a logframe but do not score it.
However, even in cases where the logframe is not directly needed for win funding, donors may
refer back to it throughout project implementation. For example, the donor may look at the
logframe during the project mid-evaluation to ensure the project is properly monitored and is
achieving its set targets.
The Process of developing the Logframe in Your Proposal
Experts know that logframes are a great tool to start building complex projects; large projects
have many moving parts and logframes keep track of the details while still focusing on how
these details fit into the overall goal of the project. Ideally, the logframe should be developed
early on in the project’s planning phase and then used as an outline to form the project
proposal.
In practice, many organizations find creating a logframe before developing a proposal time-
consuming and difficult. Logframes require a very clear understanding of the project and its
results, which is oftentimes hard to achieve before the process of detailed writing that occurs
while making proposals.
Thus, many logframes are developed after the proposal is completed and only if the donor
requires it. However, it is ideal to develop the logframe first, use it to write the proposal, and
then work back and forth between the two for adjustments and improvements.
Since the logframe serves as the base forming the project and the proposal, developing the
logframe needs to be a participatory process. The final logframe should represent the ideas and
concerns of all the stakeholders involved in the projects.
These stakeholders can be communities or the direct beneficiaries of the project, the
implementing organization, the partner agencies, the local authorities and in some cases, the
donor as well. Without the participation of all stakeholders, the logframe only presents one side
of the story.
The Big Picture of the Logframe
As stated above, a logframe is able to show the relationships between a project and its
components. The Problem Tree diagram is a model for understanding the cause-and-effect
relationships of these components:
As shown in this diagram, for the tree to grow and leaves to spread, the base must be firmly
rooted in solid ground. The metaphor here is that each project component feeds into the next
component, eventually achieving the overall goal. Each component must be functioning in
connection to each other and have a firm basis.
This table shows how the logframe is organized with each individual part connecting back to the
overall objective. This concept is important to remember; as it is very easy to only focus on the
project details and technical requirements and lose sight of the bigger picture.
The Components of a Logframe inside Your Proposal
Since a logframe is a tool for developing a project outline that can then be turned into a
proposal, the basic components of a logframe match those of a proposal.
Sometimes different donors use different terms or add specific requirements to logframe
documents. For example, a narrative summary of the logframe with clear written descriptions
outside the table format may be requested. Differing requirements may seem to force applicants
to make different logframes for each donor. However, no matter which terms donors use, all
logframes have the same design, purpose and general meaning. Understanding the general
principles of developing the logframe makes completing logframes for all donors much easier.
Final tips on creating the logframe
 Use paper, blackboard or a whiteboard while discussing the logframe initially before the
typed document.
 It is acceptable to use sections from an already developed logframe when creating a
new one, but it should be completely revised and customized to fit the new project.
 Do not leave the logframe for last. Create at least a draft before the proposal as a
reference.
 The logframe should show a clear relationship between the various parts of the project.
The goal should be aligned to the objectives, the objectives to the activities, the activities
to the results and the results to the indicators.
 Summarize all the components in a logframe. The best logframes are only one or at
most a few pages long. If it is over four pages, start thinking of ways to summarize and
further shorten it.
 Make sure it is possible to report and deliver on the indicators. Donors will pay close
attentionto these and expect full reports.
 Ensure that the logframe is in line with other components of the proposal. Always
double-check the logframe after completing the full proposal to make sure they are
consistent with each other.
 If in doubt, ask the donor for guidance. Remember that most donors who request
logframes understand the difficulty in creating logframes and will likely be lenient.
Developing the Budget in Your Proposal
What is a budget?
A budget simply put, refers to a document which specifies how money will be allocated to
implement the activities described in the proposal. Think of the budget as the proposal narrative
explained in numbers.
The budget gives a clear picture of all expenditures involved in carrying out a project. In short, a
budget is a description of the project in numbers.
The budget may well be the most important part of any proposal. It is necessary to focus on the
budget early on in the proposal writing stage to ensure that it is clear and that all the
expenditures proposed are justified.
A proper budget is required to convince donors to provide funding. In budgets, donors typically
look for:
 Transparency
 Impact
 Cost effectiveness
 Value for money
 Capacity
 Competitiveness to others NGOs
 Following donor guidelines
Basic types of budgeting
While many organizations only list project costs in their application budgets, budgets should
actually include both income and expenses.
Income includes all sources of project funding – grants, donations, value of in-kind gifts, value of
volunteer hours, earned income, matching funds etc.
Providing income information in the project budget can assist in adding transparency to the
project, showing sustainability and no dependency on one donor, and impressing the donor with
the number of other groups involved in funding the project. It is also possible to include
projected future income, for instance if earned income will supplement the second half of the
project or a matching grant will be applied for in the coming months.
Expenses or expenditures enumerate how and where that money will be spent. Expenditures
may be itemized, summarized by category, activity etc.
There are two basic means of organizing expenses: by activity and by line-item.
Activity budgets group costs by activity. Activity budgets tend to be the easiest to format when
starting out, as it is easier to envision an activity and its needs.
Line-item budgets group costs by type of expenditure. Line-item budgets take the individual
expenses underlying the activities and re-group them into separate categories.
Line-item budget sample
The Costs in the Budget of Your Grant Proposal
There are different types of costs that have to be covered in the budget. Most donors prefer to
have the costs spread over different areas (line items) to get an overview of how the resources
have been divided between different types of expenditures. Overall costs can be segmented
into:
Capital costs: Although donor agencies are typically averse to paying for capital expenditures,
these costs are often essential. Capital costs include: computers, office furniture, vehicles, office
building, etc. so they need to be reflected in the budget. Make sure that they are in line with the
total budget, otherwise the donor is apt to disallow them.
Contingency: Contingency refers to the money set aside to cover any unforeseen expenses of
the organization or the project. Contingency expenses may be required because a project can
face contingencies where additional costs are incurred. However, most donors require an
approval before contingency budget can be utilized and may request the money back if no
contingencies occur. Therefore, it is generally preferable to integrate these amounts directly into
the budget lines if at all possible. This will allow additional flexibility and leeway for the
implementing organization.
Core: Core costs are costs incurred that cover the expenses of running the organization. Most
donor agencies would like to know how much money the NGO will spend on the administration
and operation of the organization. Costs here can include: staff meetings, stationary, rent,
utilities and other office maintenance expenses. In some cases, the expenses of hiring a
receptionist or caretaker who is not directly contributing to the project can be listed here.
Finding core funding can be very difficult, as most funding is project-based. Typically, past
donors and donors with a strong relationship to the NGO are more likely to be willing to cover
core costs.
M&E: Monitoring and evaluation of the project can cost money, whether through staff time,
purchasing M&E-related software or equipment or hiring an external evaluator. Some budget
formats seek specific information about costs proposed by the NGO for monitoring and
evaluation of the project.
Operational costs: Operational costs include those expenses that are needed to implement
activities for a project. Activities such as: organizing a village meeting, conducting a training
workshop and running an awareness campaign involve certain expenses. These expenses are
often listed under the Operational Costs in a budget.
Overhead: Overhead costs are expenses that are required to run the organization. These
expenses may not directly contribute towards project implementation but they are still essential
to project success as they cover the day-to-day operation of an NGO. Many donors allow a
percentage of the total project budget to be added as overhead, e.g. 10% of the total budget.
They also often place a cap on the maximum percentage allowed. One good practice is to
include overhead as budget lines in the budget (e.g. rent, utilities, accounting expenses etc.)
while still including an overhead percentage at the end of the budget.
R&D: Research and Development expenses refer to those expenses required in a project to
undertake research, assessment and consultation for intervention. In some projects, it could just
be part of the initial ground-work while in others it can be a continuous activity.
Staff: Staff costs refer to the expenses towards paying salaries and consultancy fees. Staff
costs include expenses right from the recruitment of the staff (interview, orientation etc.) to
payment of their salaries. It is important to reflect how much time a particular staff will provide
for the project and his/her salary has to be calculated accordingly. For example, the head of the
organization may be able to give only 25% of his/her time to a particular project for which funds
are being requested and budgeted. So, the budget will also be adjusted to reflect this by
requesting for only 25% of his/her salary in the proposal.
Start-up costs: Start-up costs relate to the expenses incurred by the organization in launching
a project. For new projects, activities such as; office set-up, staff recruitment, orientation, pre-
feasibility studies, etc. all fall under the start-up costs.
Unit cost: Unit cost is the cost of a single item or a unit. It could be per day cost of a staff
member or a consultant, or the cost to acquire one computer. Typical units are: per day, per
month, per person, per item, per trip, etc.
Who should develop the budget?
A proper budget that reflects the realities of the project, capacity of the implementing
organization, accounting regulations and other considerations requires that developing the
budget be a team activity.
 The project officer(s) should take a leading role, as they often have the best
understanding of the field realities and costs.
 Service providers and others should be consulted for specific cost estimates
(consultants, trainers, contractors etc.)
 An accountant can provide valuable insights and ensure proper fiscal standards are met.
 The finance officer should advise on any other expenses or overheads missing.
 Senior management should review and approve the budget. Management may also
include other administrative expenses if required, such as salaries and capital
expenditures for any new purchases.
It is important for all the staff to be aware of both the needs of the project and the organization,
as well as policies of the donor agency. NGOs should discuss internally the costs involved in
implementing various project activities. What kind of manpower and material support is required
for these activities? Can they be done within the organization or will external consultants/service
providers from be needed? Who will be involved in the project and how much staff time will be
allocated? Where will the activity take place? What might be some hidden costs?
Budgets myths clarified
There are a lot of commonly held misconceptions and misinformation surrounding budgets.
Here are just a few:
“Budgets all have the same format”
FALSE: All budgets do not have the same format. Different budgets are developed for different
purposes. A proposal budget is different from an organizational budget. Budget requirements for
one donor will be different from another. There are different ways of organizing budgets to better
suit
different projects.
“Budgets can be developed overnight”
FALSE: Accurate budgets are not developed overnight. Rushing to create a budget ends up in
poor planning and even rejection of proposals. Always take time to research and build a budget.
“Budgets do not have a basis”

FALSE: Budgets should always be developed on a solid basis. They cannot be developed by
guesswork. In most cases, the basis should be the previous year’s income and expenditures of
the organization as funding limitations should also be considered.
“Budgets can be developed by a single person”
FALSE: Budget development is a joint exercise. Involving the entire team is important in
producing an effective and realistic budget. Persons to invite include: accountants, program
implementers, project planners, fundraisers
and if possible, donors.
“Budgets cannot be changed”
FALSE: Budgets can be modified to some extent after they are submitted. Of course, changes
may require prior permission from the donor. Sometimes reallocating donor funding can be
tricky, but donors typically do not have issues with diversifying resources and cutting costs.
“Budgets are non- negotiable”
FALSE: Once a donor has indicated an interest in funding a project, there is typically a window
of opportunity to negotiate details in the budget. Once the final terms are agreed on, it is
possible in some cases to re-negotiate, but it is
more difficult.
Final tips on creating the Budget
Key ideas to keep in mind while creating a budget:
• Make sure the budget is presented in the required donor format if available.
• The budget should clearly be in line with the project activities.
• The budget should clearly fit into the given timeframe.
• If an activity is concrete and specific, then it is easy to budget.
• If there is any recurring income from project activities, it needs to be clearly reflected
in the budget section.
• Income - including in-kind donations, community contributions, earned income, other
grants and amount requested from the donor – should also be included in the
budget.
• If the proposed donor is only being asked to pay for part of the cost, include the
entire project budget but also make it clear separately what the request is.
• The budget should also include a proper overhead rate (a percentage of the total)
that covers overheads not reflected in the budget.
• Overhead negotiations can be a stressful topic, but NGOs should accurately explain
to donors why the overhead is necessary and advocate for its inclusion.
• The budget should be reflected in the currency of the donor (or US$). If the local
currency amount is also used, include the exchange rate.
• While budgets can be made just on pen and paper, Microsoft Excel is one of the best
tools to use for calculating budgets.
• Get help from a good accountant.
• Remember to double and triple check the math!
Before Writing a Proposal
While the proposal is often thought of as the first step to receiving a grant, it is also one of the
last steps in the project planning process. This section will explain how to take the information
from the planning stages and format it into a proposal which a donor can read, understand and
hopefully fund.
Note that this guide will focus on the creation of a project proposal, not a proposal for general
operating support. In general, most donors prefer to fund project proposals. FundsforNGOs only
recommends sending requests for general operating support to long-time donors and those who
explicitly indicate willingness to fund general operating expenses.
This guide will go over the main written content of a proposal, but it also contains many
elements that are important when writing as a whole and not just unique to writing proposals.
While this guide includes some general writing types, it is by no means extensive.
Conduct Research
Before starting to write a proposal, it is very important to conduct research. No matter how small
or big the proposed project is, referencing outside sources will be very useful. Taking time to
conduct good research in the early phases of project planning is an important step that many
NGOs skip, but later in the application period, the NGOs that conducted good research often
have much higher chances of success.
Research should uncover:
• Who the target beneficiaries are and what challenges they face
• How NGOs with similar projects conducted their programs to solve these problems
• Which donor the proposal will be sent to and what their priorities are
Usually, it is assumed that the NGO has enough information at hand about the problem or the
project before writing the proposal.
Yet, this is not always the case and most NGOs need to spend a significant amount of time
finding research to direct their choice of projects. In some cases, donors sponsor pre- proposal
research so that organizations have enough background data before developing the actual
proposal.
Unfortunately, this tends to be very rare. Fortunately, there is a large body of publicly available
resources online that NGOs can make good use of.NGOs can also learn much from the
examples of other NGOs. No project is 100% innovative, so take time to see what other NGOs
have done. NGO activities are typically explained on their websites, annual reports, or on social
media. NGOs also often attend conferences or collaborate, it is thus a good idea to try
networking.
Writing the Proposal by Understanding what the Donor wants
Having a specific donor in mind when writing a proposal is also very important. Since writing a
proposal can be a time-consuming activity, many NGOs create master templates or reuse old
proposals, but it is always still ideal to tailor each proposal to a specific donor. NGOs that
understand a donor’s goal, giving history, requirements etc., and can include such information
into a proposal have higher success rates.
Make sure to gather enough information about the donor, such as:
• Donor priorities and goals

• The donor’s country strategy paper (if any)
• Proposal guidelines
• Previously funded projects and programs
REMEMBER: a proposal is a document made for a donor. Therefore, everything should be

written and described with the donor in mind
Consult with Stakeholders
While planning the proposal, it is also a smart idea to consult stakeholders. There are generally
three main categories of stakeholders involved in the process of writing the proposal. They are:
 The Proposing Organization(s) or the Proponent: This could be just one NGO or a
group of NGOs applying for project funding.
 The Community: The most important stakeholder for whom the project is conceived.
Community members, beneficiaries and/or the target group need to be involved in the
proposal planning processso that the project reflects a participatory approach and
community ownership.
 The Donor Agency: Wherever possible, it is useful to include inputs from the donor. In
formal invitations for proposals, the donor may discourage any contact with the
proposing organizations. However in other situations, the donor may request a proposal
and be involved in its development. It is critical to research donor priorities while
conceiving the proposal idea.
Conducting research and outreach in these areas at the planning stage can drastically increase
a proposal’s likelihood of success.
Additional Tips
Once the background research is completed, the type of proposal and formatting to use can be
determined. Should the application be a full proposal or a concept note? Is there a specific
application template to complete or will any format do? Should the proposal be highly technical
or simple and appealing to the average reader? Should the proposal be branded? Should the
proposal focus on quantitative or qualitative aspects of the project? Here are some thoughts to
keep in mind while considering how to frame the proposal:
How to Write Proposals according to donor/funding agency’s guidelines
A proposal must be written according to the format and guidelines provided by the donor or
funding agency. For most institutional donors, this information is accessible on their website, call
for applications notice or available upon request. Before applying, carefully review the criteria
and guidelines to ensure eligibility and read any information about the application process.
Sometimes, there are specific deadlines or steps such as an online registration or concept note
submission which is required before the proposal.
Do research before writing
Although it is believed that the organization has enough references & data about the problem,
however it is always advisable to keep the information handy before sitting to write the proposal.
This research could either be online or offline.
Use simple and concise language
Write in simple language that can be easily understood even by someone who is not linked to or
aware of the problem. Avoid using too-technical terms or jargon. Use active voice, avoiding
passive sentences and cut out any extraneous information that is not immediately relevant. Try
to keep the tone of the proposal positive and uplifting, not negative or overly weighed down by
information. All statistics, maps and pictures used should be quoted with its source clearly
stated.
Most importantly, remember that the proposal is not about the needs of the proposing NGO, but
about the needs of the beneficiaries and the donor.
A good proposal must convince donor/funding agencies about the following aspects of the
project to be proposed by the organization:
• The issue to be addressed matches with the objectives/target area of the donor
agency.
• The problem to be addressed is of significant magnitude in the proposed area
amongst the target population.
• A needs assessment/baseline survey has already been done to assess the gravity of
the problem.
• The beneficiaries were involved in needs assessment by using various participatory
tools. Many participatory tools are currently in use, including: Participatory Rural
Appraisal (PRA), Participatory Learning and Action (PLA), Rapid Rural Appraisal
(RRA) etc.
• The organization believes in beneficiaries’ capacity & capabilities to bring changes.
• Partnership and networking with other organizations in the area, working for the
same problem/issue.
• Is the organization well equipped to undertake the project in terms of manpower,
capital, infrastructure etc.?
How to Create an Outline for Writing a Project Proposal
Creating an outline before writing is a great way to stay organized and on point; this is true for
writing a proposal or any other document. Creating a general outline and then filling it in with
details from past research and project planning is an easy way to create the structure of the
proposal.
The exact format of a proposal will vary greatly depending on what the donor requests and how
the NGO decides to frame its project. Depending on the size and purpose, a proposal may have
all or some of the following:
• Cover Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Abbreviations
• Executive Summary
• Project Rationale
• Project Goals and Objectives
• Project Strategies and Activities
• Project Results
• Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
• Budget
• Logframe
• Sustainability Plan
• Crosscutting Themes
• Case Study
• Workplan
• Innovation Plan
• Annexes
• Appendix
• Other
However, not all proposals are structured exactly the same way. A good proposal should be
organized with the donor specifically in mind. This means the outline should be modified based
on what the donor requests. For example, an evaluation score sheet from an opportunity by the
European Commission is provided below:
This scoresheet clearly states what the EC wants to see in the application. Thus, the applicant
wantsto make certain the reviewers can easily find this information. One way to accomplish this
is to directly take the outline from the scoresheet and use it for the proposal outline. The
headings of such of an application for this example might look like this:
1. Relevance of the Action

1.1 Relevance of the proposal to the needs and constraints of the target country, target
groups and final beneficiaries
1.2 Relevance of the proposal to the objectives of the call for proposals
2. Effectiveness and Feasibility of the Action
2.1 Problem identification and analysis
2.2 Description of proposed activities
2.3 Involvement of implementing partners and other stakeholders
3. Sustainability of the Action
3.1 Assumptions and risk analysis
3.2 Long-term sustainability after completion of the action
Note that this outline covers the same general topics as listed previously, but uses a different
language to more accurately reflect what this specific donor is looking for. While most donors
will nothave publicly available scoresheets as in this example, they will most likely provide some
application guidelines which can be used the same way.
Regardless of donor specifications, the basic purpose of creating a proposal is the same for
all organizations, thus the basic components are universally recognized. A typical proposal has
the following content:
These five parts are a recognized and proven method to organize an effective proposal. These
sections are interlinked with one another in the proposal narrative. It is often a good idea to
directly use these components as headings so donors reading the proposal can find the
information they are looking for easily. The following sections will focus on these five parts, with
some supplementary information on other pieces which may be included.
Painting the Problem: How to Write the Project Rationale that can create an Impact
The project rationale, also called the ‘project justification,’ ‘problem statement,’ or ‘project
background’ is an argument in favor of implementing the proposed project. It gives a detailed
explanation of why the project is required. In other words, it describes the issues and problems
the community faces and how the organization and the proposed project will address these
issues with the donor’s help.
For example: if a donor is interested in child health, then in the project rationale the NGO needs
to prove a child health crisis exists in their community and that the project can solve it.
The project rationale should:
• State the problem as clearly and precisely as possible.

• Reflect the donor goals and guidelines.
• Summarize relevant background information about the region, community and
resources available.
• Include specific information regarding the focus area and beneficiaries, including
input from the community.
• Refer to research data, live examples, past projects, quotes and media articles to
build a case for support.
• Explain the organizational strength and capacity in addressing this problem and
achieving long- term impact.
The project rationale uses all of these tools to convince the donor of just two things:
1. The problem the donor is interested in exists in the NGO’s community.

2. The proposed project can solve the problem the donor is interested in.
Proving the Problem
While most NGOs feel the problems and challenges they face are obvious, this is not so for
donors who may live half a world away. Many donors are very knowledgeable on the issue
areas they fund, but others might need to be educated on the basic problems faced by the
NGO’s community. Providing relevant background information, definitions, pictures, statistics
and personal testimonials can help educate the donor on the issues.
Additionally, it is not enough to just prove that the problem exists; NGOs also need to convince
donors that the problem is critical and needs immediate attention. Donors have to choose
between many competing proposals, so proving to the donor that one project will have the
greatest impact is an important way to stand out.
Proving the problem requires good research and a good understanding of the problem at hand.
Proper identification of the problem is key to finding the solution, however identification of a
single problem can be difficult in real-life where multiple factors are at play.
For example, suppose there is a high child mortality rate in a community and an NGO wants to
address it. The NGO cannot treat child mortality as the basic problem because child mortality is
in fact a result of other problems. In this case, there could be a prevalence of diarrhea due to
low hygiene standards which leads to high child mortality. Thus, the NGO may propose to solve
the prevalence of diarrhea by improving knowledge in the community about proper hygiene and
sanitation.
A problem can have many causes and effects. The best way to understand the cause of an
issue is to ask “Why” continuously. This is a basic exercise, but often works.
Proving the Solution: How to Convince the Donor for Funding Your Project
The above example not only points to the underlying problem of high child mortality, but also
pointsto the solution, which is the second part of the project rationale. Once the NGO proves to
the donor that the problem is real and important, the NGO also has to prove that the solution is
with the NGO.
While most solutions seem like basic common sense, it is still important to explain them and
prove they are the most effective means of solving the problem. Additionally, the applicant still
has to prove that they are capable of implementing the project. For this, NGOs often use SWOT
analysis.
The SWOT (strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats) tool below comes in handy
for discussing the pros and cons of the organization and environment that could impact the
project. Strengths and weaknesses are internal issues occurring within the organization, while
opportunities and threats are external issues NGOs have less control over but still need to make
contingency plans for, in the case they appear.
Clearly, more experienced NGOs with long histories of success are in a better position to prove
themselves capable of implementing projects. However for some projects, small grassroots
organizations are ideal implementers because they can respond quickly and have close ties
with the project beneficiaries. Larger organizations tend to be more bureaucratic, slow-moving
and distanced from the beneficiaries.
In this section, it is important to prove the NGO is best placed to implement the project.
However, many NGOs spend too long praising their organization. While it seems unfair to all the
NGOs doing great work, most donors care more about the project results and the beneficiaries
reached than the implementing organization. This is especially true for first-time donors. It is
generally best to keep the organizational description short, with a weblink for more information.
Additionally, a longer organizational description can be included at the end of the proposal or in
an annex.
It is also important for NGOs to research their own organizations before writing the
organizational description. Since staff come and go, it is often the case that fundraisers and
even program officers are not aware of important facts about their own organizations. Make
sure the information is accurate and up to date.
How to Frame Your SMART Project Goals and Objectives in a Grant Proposal
The project rationale should lay the ground work of what the problem is and why it is important
to solve. In the next section, the proposal should explain the overall goal and objectives,
showing how the project intends to approach the problem.
While often used interchangeably, there is a fundamental difference between a goal and an
objective in proposal writing.
A project goal, also called the overall goal or overall objective, is a very general, high-level and
long-term vision for the project. A goal cannot be achieved by the project on its own, but in
pursuit of the goal, the project is designed. Usually, there is one project goal only, which can be
reflected in the title of the project.
The goal gives direction to the project or the organization. There can be many other projects
and groups working towards the same or similar overall goal. However, within the life cycle of
one project, it is typically impossible to achieve such a goal.
Examples of overall goals:
“End child labor”

“Provide housing facilities for earthquake-affected victims”
“Reduce the impact of natural disaster on communities belonging to the hilly region”
A Project Goal is
 Very general, high-level and long-term

 Unachievable by one project; each project is a step towards achieving the goal
 A major benchmark to compare work between different projects
 The single reason for planning the project
 Often reflected in the title of the project
 Supported by the overall policy of the government or the donor agency
Project objectives are the specific achievements which the project aims to complete. Objectives
should directly address the problem described in the project rationale. They should be specific -
the more specific, the easier it will be to design activities and indicators. Specific objectives also
clearly address the problem stated and more easily convince the donor.
Specific objectives can and should be achieved by the project. The overall goal can be broken
into several specific goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
For example, ‘to reduce by 25% the number of girls working in carpet factories in city X''; 'to
increase school
Project objectives are the specific achievements which the project aims to complete. Objectives
should directly address the problem described in the project rationale. They should be specific -
the more specific, the easier it will be to design activities and indicators. Specific objectives also
clearly address the problem stated and more easily convince the donor.
Specific objectives can and should be achieved by the project. The overall goal can be broken
into several specific goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
For example, ‘to reduce by 25% the number of girls working in carpet factories in city X''; 'to
increase school
Tips for SMART objectives:
 Think about what success means for the project and how to show that success.
 Refer to the results expected from the project.
 Describe the focus population and the desired change among the population.
 Include the location and time period for each objective.
 Reflect the intended changes in systemic conditions or behaviors that must be achieved
to accomplish the goal/strategic objective.
 Objectives should have measurable indicators which show what, when and how
conditions, behaviors and practices will change.
 Objectives must be verifiable at some point during the execution of the project.
Ensuring that the objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound will
allow for much easier planning and evaluating once the project is implemented.
How to build Strategies and Activities in Your Grant Proposal
Proposals need to provide details on how project objectives will be achieved. Project objectives
are achieved through projected activities, as aligned by project strategies. If proper background
research was conducted for the problem rationale, then developing and describing the
strategies and activities will be much easier.
Strategies are broad concepts or approaches to achieving the specific project goals Strategies
in a project can include:
 Capacity-building/ awareness raising

 Organizational development
 Research and development
 Advocacy
 Victim support strategy
 Microfinance development strategy
 Participatory infrastructure development strategy
Example: “building up the capacity of the community members”
 Activities are actions that are undertaken within these strategies. Activities can include:
 Training workshops, street shows, rallies etc.
 Staff selection, staff training etc.
 Baseline survey, participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and focus group discussion (FGD)
 Conferences, meetings, articles and publications
 Establishing shelter homes, counseling and legal support
 Forming self-help groups and cooperatives
 Building irrigation tanks, demo plots etc.
Example: “organizing training programs for community members”
Strategies are broad concepts under which activities are placed. All project activities should be
grouped into strategies as shown in the example below:
When developing activities, it is important to only list activities that are relevant to the specific
objectives. If the specific objectives and activities are not related, it signals to the donor that
the organization is not clear in what it wants to achieve and does not have a good plan. The
donor will be unlikely to fund such a project.
Take these steps to identify, plan and list the activities in a proposal:
 Review previous project proposals and select the most relevant for the current proposal.
 Research best practices, activities in other successful projects and lessons learned that
can be adopted. Indicate that these activities have been successfully applied before.
 Use activities that community members have identified as being important. Make it clear
that the idea for these activities originated directly from the community.
Activities are the means by which the project makes results, so it is vital the activities are well-
thought out and documented. To prove the activities will meet the objectives, it is ideal to
provide information such as lessons learnt from previous projects, activities as identified by
beneficiaries or other community members and other background research. Detailed activities
are also easier to plan and budget.
Your Project Results is about the Impact: How to Write them in Your Grant Proposal?
While the project activities are the actions that need funding, the reason donors are interested in
funding proposals is really for the results. Donors are looking for value for money, so it is
important to highlight the many results a project can achieve during its lifetime and after.
Project results are the changes or effects that are expected to take place after implementing the
project. The results are generally positive improvements to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Results are divided into three types:
1. Outputs
2. Outcomes
3. Impact
Outputs are immediate results achieved soon after the completion an activity. For example, in a
project training locals on human rights, the output might be “20 community workers trained in
basic human rights concepts.”
The outcomes are results that are achieved after a period of time. These are the short-term
effectsof the immediate outputs. If after some time a change occurs because of the project
activity, it can be called an outcome. Continuing the above example, the outcome might be: “the
participants used their training to inform other community members about their human rights.”
The impact is the long-term result that came about because of the activities undertaken in the
project. For the above example, the impact of the project might be that one year later, the whole
community is aware of human rights issues and in the next election the community largely voted
against a leader with a history of human rights violations.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Project results are very important. The results are the reason why the project exists and the
reason why donors would be interested in funding the project. That is why donors are very
interested in knowing what the exact results will be and how they will be measured. This is
where an M&E plan is useful.
Monitoring and Evaluation or M&E, is an approach that has mainly been developed to measure
and assess the success and performance of projects, programs or even entire organizations.
M&E is an important requirement for donors, but proper M&E provides benefits to implementing
organizations as well:
 Catch problematic developments early on

 Provide solid evidence for future donors on project successes
 Acquire access to large amounts of data for future research, proposals, marketing etc.
Monitoring and evaluation refer to two different processes that are closely tied together and
therefore used in the same sentence most of the time. However, it is important to make a
distinction between the two in order to clearly understand the terms.
Monitoring refers to the measuring and documenting of progress, achievements and results
throughout the project. Basically, monitoring means to collect data on the progress of a project
and some predefined indicators and to compare the real-time project progress against the
planned progress. The main goal is to be able to see if a project is going according to plan or if
there is need for adjustments.
The main goals of monitoring are:
 To collect project data

 To check project progress
 To have accountability for resource used
 To have information usable for making decisions regarding the next phase in the project,
evaluating the project and for future projects
Monitoring is an ongoing process throughout the lifespan of the project or program.
Evaluation is the second step in the approach, where the data collected during the monitoring
process is analyzed and evaluated in order to determine if a project’s goal or aim was achieved
or not. With the results of the evaluation process, project planners decide if an approach is
worth repeating or up scaling of if adjustments have to be made. They will also be reported to
the donor and other stakeholders to prove that resources have been used economically and
successfully. A good evaluation strategy gives legitimacy to an organization and its projects.
While the specifics of a monitoring and evaluation plan differ from program to program, the
basic set-up and operation is the same.
1. Determine what exactly needs monitoring and evaluating.

2. Define and agree on the performance indicators which will be used.
3. Indicate the risks and assumptions inherent in the project.
4. Take a baseline measurement using the indicators before the project begins.
5. Continue monitoring through the project regularly.
6. Use the collected information to make decisions and lastly, perform an evaluation.
How to develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Present it in Your Grant Proposal
Step 1: Determine what exactly needs monitoring and evaluating
Step 1 of creating an M&E plan involves understanding what parts of the project needs to be
monitored and evaluated. Typically, the activities are monitored to evaluate and prove that the
objectives were met and results achieved. This should already be seen in the project plan and
the logframe.
In general, it is better to err on the side of performing more M&E instead of less, so long as M&E
does not interfere too much in implementing the program. Most donors like seeing data, and
data can be useful to the implementing organizations as well.
Step 2: Define and agree on the performance indicators which will be used
An effective M&E plan requires defining performance indicators, which are tools used in
measuring the effect of a program.
Performance indicators give a sense of what is achieved. For example, counting the number
of households keeping their surroundings clean and hygienic before and after the project, or
tracking the number of women participating in training programs. Both of these examples could
be good performance indicators of how well a program is working. There are two types of
performance indicators: process indicators and results indicators.
 Process indicators define the indicators for a process or an activity, such as the number
of women participating in a training on gender development. Process indicators answer
questions such as: How is the project progressing? Is the project reaching the
beneficiaries? How many actions have been taken?
 Results indicators refer to the indicators that show the result achieved from
implementing the project, such as the number of women aware of gender rights. Results
indicators show what effect the activities had. They answer questions such as: What has
changed since implementing the project? How many people have been effected? What
is the quality of the change?
Step 3: Indicate the risks and assumptions inherent to the project
Step 3 is to think about risks and assumptions. Risks and assumptions are external conditions
that are not under the control of the project or organization.
Projects span a long period of time and often have to be planned well in advance. This means
project planners often have to predict the future in determining what events beyond their control
might occur that could affect the project. While no one is able to perfectly predict the future,
organizations can think of what possible problems may occur that could affect the project.
Risks are possible external factors that could come in and negatively affect the project. Risks to
a project might include the chance of natural disasters occurring, a change in government
policy, a change in donor focus etc.
Assumptions are external factors which are assumed to occur or supposed to be consistent. An
NGO makes the assumption that the community’s willingness to host a project will not change,
prices in budget will remain constant, laws affecting the programs will not change etc.
Donors often dislike funding risky projects, so many applicants are naturally hesitant to explain
all the possible risks in a project. However, surprises are an inevitability in the real world and
proper identification of risks can convince a donor that the applicant is well-positioned to handle
anything that occurs.
Equally important is to describe mitigation strategies or plans on how the organization will react
to the listed contingencies. For example, if natural disasters are a risk, explain that emergency
supplies and food will be stocked in all program locations and multiple forms of communication
are in place to maintain contact. If a change in government policy could shut down an office,
show that backups of all files are stored in another safe location and the project can still be
operated from a sister office or remotely. If a donor is refocusing and not planning on
renewing funds, show that other grant applications are in progress and that earned income can
sustain the project in the meantime.
Step 4: Take a baseline measurement using the indicators before the project begins
A baseline study is a survey of the status quo of the community or beneficiaries using set
indicators before the project begins which will be used as a base to see how well the project
achieves its objectives. A baseline study is of core importance and should always take place
before project activities begin. The entire evaluation of the project will be based on the baseline
study and its quality will determine the quality of the outcomes of the evaluation process as well.
Thus, it is very important to be careful in deciding upon the indicators and what kind of data to
collect and include.
As seen in the example above, the performance measurement of indicators gives this
organization the possibility to track success and progress and thus makes it easy to identify
bumps in the road and challenges. Even if an organization is not required by the donor to hand
in progress reports, it makes a lot of sense to monitor the progress on the indicators for internal
use.
Determine a method of performing a baseline study that uses the indicators previously
determined and is replicable. In general, it is advisable to set up the baseline study broadly, as it
is usually better to end with too much information than too little. Collecting data in the field can
be costly and time-consuming, and not something that is easily re-done if some information was
missed. Additionally, data can be useful in many other areas outside M&E. It is always
advisable to have a broad data pool which can be used for different purposes such as future
project ideas, future applications, reports and brochures. The more concrete information
gathered about the target population, the better.
Step 5: Continue monitoring through the project regularly
Usually, monitoring has to be done regularly at short-time intervals i.e. monthly or quarterly.
The regular time interval should be chosen in advance and there should also be a plan to use
the same indicators under similar conditions each time the study is replicated. This way, the
acquired data can be directly compared over time.
Most monitoring is carried out by an internal team with input from project staff. Quarterly
monitoring could involve higher level staff like the NGO's director or management. A (semi-)
annual review or evaluation can also include external consultants, donors and even community
members. If changes need to be made to the project, this can be discussed in such a review
meeting.
Step 6: Use the collected information to make decisions and perform an evaluation
At the end of the project, a final evaluation helps in reviewing how much the project has
achieved. While monitoring is almost always done within the organization by its own staff,
sometimes it can be required that the evaluation is done by outsiders i.e. consultants, as it can
be very important that the evaluation is objective.
With the evaluation, organizations want to find out if the project was worthwhile, achieved its
goals and was implemented efficiently. It is also determined if there had been any unintended
outcomes and if those were negative or positive. The evaluation also normally comprises of a
cost-efficiency analysis to see if the money was spent responsibly and effectively.
Although it is relatively easy to measure outcomes given a good baseline study, it is very difficult
to actually evaluate impact. It is very difficult to establish a definite connection of cause between
project activities and outcomes, as there are many other variables that have to be taken into
consideration. Impact assessment can only be implemented when the dataset is very big and
some very clear connections can be drawn. Otherwise, outcomes and results can only be
described without claiming causality.
The Sustainability Plan and Other Cross-Cutting Themes in Your Grant Proposal
Sustainability Plan
What is the sustainability plan for the project? How is the project sustainable? How will the
project results be sustained after the grant is gone? These questions may be worded differently,
but they have the same basic meaning and are commonly asked by donors to organizations
seeking funds.
Sustainability is the ability of an organization to continue a mission or a program indefinitely. All

projects have a limited time duration, and donor agencies want to know if the project and its
effects will outlive their direct involvement in the project.
There are different ways an organization can be sustainable: organizational sustainability,

financial sustainability and community sustainability.
 Community sustainability is how the community will continue to carry out the project
activities when there is no grant available.
 Financial sustainability has to do with the financial support required for the project or the
organization after the grant has ended.
 Organizational sustainability is how the organization will continue to be sustained in
absence of donor support.
When developing the sustainability plan, it is important to mention how the community or the
primary beneficiaries of the project will be participating in the implementation process.
A community is an important project stakeholder and its involvement is ensured from day one of
the project. By explaining their involvement in the plan, the donor can clearly see that
sustainability is built into the core of the project.
The organization will give the impression to the community that it is the owner of the project and
it has to continue implementing it even after the support has been withdrawn.
The next part of the plan is to guarantee financial sustainability. In simple terms, where will the
money for activities come from when the donor’s support has ended? For this, an organization’s
project strategy should contain some relevant details.
For example, it might explain how the project is building community-based mechanisms such as
a cooperative or a community association and the project costs would be covered from member
contributions. This is an important element of project sustainability.
In some cases, the donor also wants to know how the organization, not just the project will be
sustained after withdrawal of the grant.
Here, mention that the organization has its own fundraising skills, which will be applied as a
continuous process to raise funds from other funding agencies.
Note that sustainability can also refer to environmental sustainability, which refers to ensuring
natural resources will be available for future generations in the long-term. Environmental
sustainability is a common donor thematic priority, but this is usually not what donors are
referring to when asking if the project or the NGO is sustainable.
Crosscutting Themes
Most project funding is thematically or geographically allocated; meaning that the donor is
interested in certain countries or certain themes and awards grants based on the projects which
best match those specific interests. However, donors often also see projects that have a wider
effect as a positive indicator.
Crosscutting themes are generally secondary themes or areas that can be easily integrated into
a project without losing focus on the main goal. While it generally is a good idea to focus
projects around one central theme, it is very common for projects to have potential to make an
impact in other areas as well.
If a project can be designed to maximize these related or cross-cutting themes, it is important to

explain them, even if they are not a priority.
These themes can vary between types of projects and types of donors. Common easily
integrated crosscutting themes include promoting gender equality, environmental sustainability,
improved governance, livelihood development and poverty reduction.
For example, an NGO may propose a project to bring electricity to a rural village. In this case,
the overall goal of the project might be to improve standards of living in rural areas. However,
the project may also easily be designed to install solar panels and ensure women and girls
receive equal access to the benefits.
In this case, the crosscutting themes of environment and gender have been integrated into the
project. Additionally, the NGO could train local community members on how to build and
maintain the solar panels, which could promote vocational training and job growth.
Preparing Your WorkPlan: A Gantt Chart that needs to be Presented
Projects take time to implement. Even a short workshop takes a lot of planning before the event
and follow-up after the event. A workplan or project timeline should describe the order and
length of time in which each activity will take place.
This includes each step involved in implementing the project, when each step will occur, for how
long and who is responsible.
A detailed workplan proves that the organization has put much thought in planning the project
and also sets an expectation for project progress which will be monitored.
One of the best tools for developing a workplan is a Gantt Chart. A Gantt Chart is a table
that summarizes the schedule or timeline of project activities proposed. Gantt Charts are a good
way to visualize the timing of project logistics. They show:
• List of activities and/or steps to completing activities

• Time periods and durations of each activity/ step, typically by month or quarter
• Persons or teams responsible for completing each activity/step, ideally with one point
of contact
All this information in one table that is easy to read and work with Below is a simple example of
a Gantt Chart:
How to bring about Innovation in the Project You are Proposing
Innovation is a buzzword throughout development circles, from large institutional grant making
organizations to grassroots NGOs. In its simplest term, innovation is using new or novel
ideasand approaches to solve existing problems.
Many donors ask about innovation in the application because innovation forces NGOs into
thinking differently and more creatively about how to utilize their resources and environment.
While an increasing number of donors want to know how innovative an organization or project
is, it is often unclear what exactly donors regard as innovative projects.
Many donors are very experienced and have worked in the development sector for decades, so
innovation can be seen as something new and interesting.
However, donors also tend to be very risk-adverse, and trying something new is inherently risky.
So, the challenge here for applicants is two-fold: finding something new that is also proven to
work. How is this seeming contradiction possible?
Notice that donors ask for innovation, not invention. An invention is something entirely new
which has never been done or seen before. An innovation is a change or modification to
improve something that already exists.
For example, Thomas Edison is credited for the invention of the lightbulb in 1879, however
generations of lightbulb innovations have created the millions of different and improved
lightbulbs in use today.
So, donors are not asking for something entirely new, but improvement or expansion of
something that is already in use.
There are many different ways an organization or project could be innovative:
1. Programmatic: Where the project uses new techniques or technologies to reach

impact. E.g., an organization decides to focus on men when addressing gender
inequality.
2. Financial: Where the organization uses novel ways to attract resources to the
project. E.g., an NGO develops a membership model to attract small donations from
beneficiaries.
3. Institutional: Where the organization changes its operational processes and

structures to accelerate impact. E.g., a social enterprise chooses to do away with
supervisors and have staff decide all work activities in collaborative teams.
4. Policy: Where innovative policies can be brought about by the project. E.g. a local
government implements a higher tax on cigarettes and uses the proceeds for anti-
smoking campaigns.
5. Partnership: Where the organization starts working with new and unusual partners.
E.g. an NGO partners with a trade union to address violence against women.
6. Technology: Where a new technology is used for impact. E.g. a group uses mobile
phones to give hyper localized weather condition reports to rural farmers.
7. Communication: Where the organization uses a new channel to communicate with

beneficiaries and others. E.g. a teachers’ group uses Facebook to reach out-of-
school youth.
When writing innovation into a proposal, be careful to understand the donor’s preferences.
Some donors are specifically looking to only fund innovative projects, while for others,
innovation is of much less importance.
Keep these donor preferences in mind when determining how much emphasis to place on
innovation in the proposal.
Your Proposal in Your Hands: Giving a Final Touch before submitting to Donors
With all of the above complete, the proposal is almost done. However, it is still very important to
review and format the proposal before sending it out.
Run a spell check and read for grammar errors
Some donors are very particular about grammar and spelling and think small mistakes may
indicate the applicant is not very professional. Others may place less importance on it, but some
small mistakes can change the meaning of, cause confusion or even make the proposal very
difficult to comprehend.
Ensure the proposal is specific to the donor
Check to make sure the donor name, contact information, application procedure, supporting
documents etc., all match up with the specific donor. Accidentally leaving in the name of a
different donor is a big mistake.
Make sure the writing is clear and well-organized
Make sure each idea flows to the next without any gaps to make sure the donor understands
the purpose. Keep the writing simple, and defineany acronym, technical term or jargon that is
used.
While writing, use active sentences
Our organization saved the lives of 100 children, NOT the lives of 100 children were saved by
our organization). Active sentences are easy to understand and do a better job of engaging the
reader.
Proposals do not have to be boring to read – all projects are interesting and explain really
important work. The writing style should properly convey this to the reader.
Check for any writing inconsistencies
It is highly likely that some details of the project will change while writing. For example, maybe
the expected number of beneficiaries changed from 150 to 100.
In this case, make sure the number was changed everywhere, including in the project summary,
results, budget, logframe etc.
Similarly, be consistent in word choice. For example, if building school, do not alternatively refer
to the school as an education center, teaching facility, classroom etc. Even if these are all
synonyms, referring to the same thing using different names may confuse the donor.
Additionally, make sure the formatting is consistent throughout; if some paragraphs have a
different font or some parts are formatted differently, it could signal to the donor that the
proposal was just copy and paste work.
Check for any project inconsistencies
Make sure the same information is consistent throughout the activities, results, timeline, budget
etc., and everything lines up. This is where a logframe is helpful. Do not list three activities in the
timeline but four in the budget and only one activity in the M&E plan.
Format the proposal in a way that is clear and visually appealing.
While the content of the proposal is most important, the visual appearance of the proposal on
paper can play a factor in decisions as well.
This includes making sure the text is easy to read: 1” margin, 1.5 spacing, 12pt. font, black ink
on white paper, readable fonts like Times New Roman, Arial etc., are common settings. It is also
often a good idea to use relevant images, charts, tables etc.
Sometimes, organizations like to design or decorate a proposal, even going as far as consulting
graphic designers for this purpose.
While doing this can help make the proposal stand out and help brand the organization,
sometimes this can also negatively detract from the readability of the proposal.
Think carefully about balancing what looks pretty to what is functional.
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June 16, 2022

Get A Complete Understanding of The Grant Proposal Writing Process

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Get a Complete Understanding of

the Grant Proposal Writing

This guide aims to:

This guide is designed to support:

 Those new to proposal writing

Beneficiary: the direct participants or recipients of funding or program support; a group or

INGO: International NGO

NGO: abbreviation for non-governmental organization; a not-for-profit organization that is

Project rationale: an argument in favor of implementing the proposed project; a detailed

Proposal: a document which is used to request funding to implement a project.

Strategy: the broad concept under which activities are placed.

Sustainability: the ability of an NGO to continue a mission or a program indefinitely.

How long should a proposal be?

Carefully read and follow these guidelines.

What is the role of the proposal in the application process?

Can I use the same proposal multiple times?

How do I start writing a proposal?

What is the success rate of a proposal?

 Many factors affect the success rate of a proposal:

More importantly, writing proposals is something organizations must do repeatedly and so is an

How long does it take to receive funding after submitting a proposal?

Purpose of a concept note

Size and format of the concept note

Contents of the concept note

 Organization name, project title and date

 A management tool for effective planning and implementation of projects.

Final tips on creating the logframe

Basic types of budgeting

Line-item budget sample

Budgets myths clarified

“Budgets all have the same format”

“Budgets can be developed overnight”

“Budgets do not have a basis”

“Budgets cannot be changed”

“Budgets are non- negotiable”

Final tips on creating the Budget

Key ideas to keep in mind while creating a budget:

Research should uncover:

• Donor priorities and goals

REMEMBER: a proposal is a document made for a donor. Therefore, everything should be

Consult with Stakeholders

Do research before writing

Use simple and concise language

1. Relevance of the Action

The project rationale should:

• State the problem as clearly and precisely as possible.

1. The problem the donor is interested in exists in the NGO’s community.

Proving the Problem

Examples of overall goals:

“End child labor”

 Very general, high-level and long-term

Tips for SMART objectives:

 Capacity-building/ awareness raising

Example: “building up the capacity of the community members”

Example: “organizing training programs for community members”

Results are divided into three types:

Monitoring and Evaluation