Writing a Project Proposal

Fundraising Workshop
ILGA-Europe, Krakow

By Maxim Anmeghichean
CONTENTS

 START-UP
 KEY ELEMENTS OF A GRANT PROPOSAL
(cover letter, title page, summary,
introduction, problem or need assessment,
objectives, activities / methods, evaluation
plan, sustainability, budget).
 EXERCISES / EXPERIENCE
ORGANIZING WORK

 Involve your team (one person shouldn’t

write a proposal)
 Prepare all preliminary information
 Create a checklist
 Don’t bother the funder too much during the
preparation process
 Think of the structure
START-UP WORK

 Identifying a project idea

 Looking for a potential funder
 Studying priorities, guidelines and application
forms / previously funded projects
 Establishing initial contact (organization’s
mission and vision, strategy, structure, team)
 Creating partnerships (now or earlier)
COVER LETTER

 First thing the funder reads

 Must engage the reader so (s)he reads the
rest of the proposal
 Personal, to the point, concise
 Structure: project title, goals and objectives,
total amount requested, duration of the
project)
SUMMARY

 A succinct, clear synopsis of the project

 Not more than a page
 Description of the organization
 Statement of problem and / or need
 Project objectives
 Outline of proposed activities
 The amount requested
INTRODUCTION

 Description of the applicant (mission,

vision, values, strategic objectives,
structure, team)
 Short list of organization’s achievements
 Who are you beneficiaries and partners
 Why do you apply to this funder?
NEEDS ASSESSMENT

 What is the problem or need?

 Describe the problem in relation to your target
group
 Place the problem in a larger context your
organizations works in
 Use figures and concrete examples (case
studies)
 Relate it to the funders guidelines and priorities
OBJECTIVES
 All objectives should be SMART i.e. Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed.
 Specific - Be precise about what you are going to achieve
 Measurable - Quantify you objectives
 Achievable - Are you attempting too much?
 Realistic - Do you have the resource to make the
objective happen (human resources, financial, the right
context and opportunities)?
 Timed - State when you will achieve the objective (within
a month? By February 2010?)
EXAMPLES OBJECTIVES
 Strategic objective: to promote the change of negative social
attitude towards LGBT community and discriminatory
governmental practices by means of awareness raising
activities.
 Short-term objectives:
 Objective 1: to provide different governmental actors, the
society and LGBT community with objective information about
sexual orientation and gender identity
 Objective 2: to increase the level of tolerance of mass media
towards sexual minorities and transgender persons
 Objective 3: to create networks / partnerships with professional
groups working with sexual and gender minorities in order to
improve their skills and qualifications
METHODS / ACTIVITIES

 Answer to the question “HOW?”

 Right place to give details and figures
 Put activities in the time order
 Give reasons why you selected this method
 Be consistent with overall project goal,
objectives and the context
 Make references to previous use of the
method by you or other organizations
OUTCOMES / OUTPUTS

 Know the difference

 Outcome: long term result / effect (hard to
measure)
 Output is a very concrete result / product
(easily measurable)
 Provide both outcomes and outputs in a clear
structure
EVALUATION PLAN

 Strategy to measure the success

 Explanation of the criteria used to measure
the success
 Includes:
- quantitative indicators (numbers)
- qualitative indicators (contents)
- vision of success (what you want to achieve
BUDGET

 Structure: human resources, purchases,

operational costs, activities
 Clear budget items (how did you come up
with the amount you’ve indicated in the
budget line)
 Explanations to the budget in annex (why
you need a particular amount, offers, etc.)
 THE FUNDER IS YOUR MR. OR MRS.
RIGHT!

ASK YOUR MR(S) RIGHT TO MARRY YOU.

WHAT WILL YOU SAY?
THAT THERE IS A WARRANT OUT ON YOUR
ARREST?
WILL DISCUSS YOUR PREVIOUS FAILED
MARRIAGES?
WILL BRING UP YOUR FAMILY PREDISPOSITION

FOR TERRIBLE DISEASES?  NO!

 THE FUNDER IS YOUR MR. OR MRS.
RIGHT!

Tell your Mr(s) Right that you are:

- Winning
- Upbeat
- Ambitious
- Can-do
- Strong and getting stronger!

You have made yourself very attractive to

your Mr(s) Right! Happy honey moon!