Writing Concept Paper

A. DEFINITION

• It is also called "white papers" in the government contracting

sector.
• It is commonly submitted before the submission of a full
proposal.
• This helps save time by eliminating ideas that are not likely to
be funded.
• Summaries of projects or issues that reflect the writer or
organization's interests, experience, and expertise.
• Generally, they provide an in-depth discussion of a topic on
which the author has a strong opinion.
 A. DEFINITION
• Usually with the goal of getting funding from
benefactors for the project.
• Serves as an instructional tool that may have
developed as a result of extensive research.
• Discuss best practices, beliefs, and other
related issues on which the author believes
future action should be done.
 B. USE or PURPOSE:

To provide interest for potential funders

To develop potential solutions or investigations into

project ideas

To determine whether a project idea is fundable.

To serve as the foundation of a full proposal

 C. FIVE ELEMENTS OR PARTS:
• Introduction- Describes how and where
the applicant's and funder's missions
connect or align.
• It explains why the funder should assist
projects in the specified general area.
• It also introduces the applicant's
collaborators and explains why they
want to participate in the project.
 C. FIVE ELEMENTS OR PARTS:
• Purpose or Need or Rationale- outlines what others have written about the
general topic and focuses on the knowledge gap to be filled, the problem to be
solved, or the need to be addressed by the applicant's proposed project.

• Like a literature review, this section allows the applicant to state the purpose or
need so that the applicant's project is the best possible solution to the problem.

• Also, it often provides statements addressing the project's significance (showing

why the project should be supported).

• In some cases, these first two sections are merged into a Background section
that introduces the alignment between the two organizations' missions and
provides the need statement.
 C. FIVE ELEMENTS OR PARTS:
• Project Description: This project will serve as a
solution to a problem, an answer to a need, or
an investigation to fill a knowledge gap.

• The applicant tackles the approach's unique,

uncommon, distinctive, original, and novel
characteristics in this part, demonstrating why
the applicant's team has the best answer and
making a compelling argument for funding.
 C. FIVE ELEMENTS OR PARTS:
• The project's Goals and Objectives are listed in the project
description.
• A goal is an aim, a condition, or an abstract state of being.
• At the same time, objectives are statements of measurable outcomes
that, when taken together, will allow the applicant to track progress
toward the project's goal (s).
• An objective might, for example, be to increase student academic
achievement through an organized teacher professional development
program.
• A goal could be to provide a specific workshop or seminar on a
specific topic to a specified group of teachers in a K-12 school system.
 C. FIVE ELEMENTS OR PARTS:
• A summary of the project's methodology is also included in the project description
(sometimes called Project Activities or Action Plan or Approach).

• The goals, objectives, and techniques (or activities) must be closely aligned with one
another and completed within the specified timeline, which can be stated in months or
years.

• The methods or activities must be consistent with or based on what has previously been
tried.

• Empirical data must support them. They must be both cost and complexity reasonable,
and they must be completed within the given Timeline.

• The project description typically concludes with a statement of Benefits (or Anticipated
Outcomes) along with a description of who will benefit and how.
 C. FIVE ELEMENTS OR PARTS:
• The fourth section, Support or Budget, contains either:

• (1) an outline of the main budget categories for the

requested project support or

• (2) a single bottom-line amount of the request and a brief

discussion of how that amount will be used. Some concept
papers may not even include an amount requested.
 C. FIVE ELEMENTS OR PARTS:
• The fifth and final section provides the
Contact Information of the applicant
organization's chief executive or his/her
designee authorized to make funding
requests.
 D. SAMPLE
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