Workshop Five Review: Proposals

In this workshop we looked at an example of a grant proposal. We discussed different ways of sequencing information in a proposal and looked at various issues regarding editing to meet the demands of a word limit.

Writing Proposals

Proposals are common in workplace writing and many kinds of applications. They do not follow the same pattern as memos. They are more like mini reports. They are usually 1-3 pages in length and are designed to contribute to an ongoing discussion or to suggest change - however small - in an organisation.

In any proposal there must be a balance between information and opinion. Recommendations need to arise out of factual analysis and evaluation. It is usually not enough to say 'We think X should happen because of Y and Z'.

Planning a Proposal

As with previous assignments on this course, I suggested in the workshop that you plan a proposal by breaking it into sections. This gives you a sense of the whole text.

For typical proposals, I recommend that you use a drafting structure of four parts plus a summary:

1. Short summary (one/two sentences) of the whole proposal.

2. Introduction: a concise outline of the situation or the problem, giving its brief history, who is involved, and the organisational context.

3. Analysis of the current situation: a mini-report of what the situation is like now. This often includes summarised data and evidence. Use an appendix or a diagram if you have a lot of statistical information and only mention the headline facts in the text.

4. Evaluation of needs: a description of why change is necessary and/or the possible options. This should emerge from the analysis of the current situation. It may include a comparison of bids for a contract, for example, or a review of a situation which requires change.

5. Recommendations or requests: an outline of the proposal's suggestions for change or requests for action, building on the short summary at the start(1).

Proposals may include additional sections such as 'Discussion' or 'Findings'. Also, as we saw in the workshop, there are different ways of interpreting 'background situation'.

However, by following a rough outline like this you should be able to plan your proposal. It helps to organise your initial thinking in this way and then develop it.

Word Limits

Word limits are a fact of writing life nowadays. When drafting, try to get a balance between the sections of your text depending on your word limit. Make sure, for example, that the introduction is not overloaded with history or background if you only have 300 or 400 words.

If it is overloaded, the evaluation of needs and the action statements will be drowned out. The proposal must give an impression of looking forward, not back. Avoid digressions - bits of information which lead the reader away from the key points of the proposal.

Proposals often succeed - or fail - on the specific examples given in the request section (for example, how grant money will be spent). So two or three well-chosen examples are usually better than a long description of aims.

Extras

If you have a large word limit, consider using an attachment or an appendix to give further in-depth information. Charts and diagrams can also be very effective in communicating information quickly, though usually only in combination with text.

The summary should be used to capture the essence of the whole proposal. It can be put at the beginning and again at the end. Often, only summaries are read when many proposals are being compared.

Headings are useful in any text of more than 500 words. But even if you are not using headings, make sure that each paragraph has a specific function and a small number of keywords that you want the reader to remember.

Summary of Advice on Proposals

* Remove unnecessary information from the summary and first paragraph
* Give a concise but brief account of the history - don't get sidetracked into a long story
* Use an appendix or table if you want to give lots of statistical data
* Select the main facts and arguments which will stand out (three/four is memorable)
* Make sure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence (see handout on 'Paragraphs')
* Break down long sentences into two, or edit out parts to make the main clause clearer
* Use one key word instead of a list of three (eg 'training programmes' is better than 'education, training and career development programmes')
* Use active and dynamic verbs, especially in the final section: 'set up', 'establish', 'launch', 'investigate'.

The Proof is in Reading....

This workshop also included an exercise on proof-reading, always important in the final stages of writing. See here for some proof-reading tips (such as 'read you text backwards'. Yes, it really helps!): http://www.ualr.edu/owl/proofreading.htm

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Grant Proposal Example

An example of a grant proposal from this workshop, written by Orphée Bottse. Thanks to Orphée for sharing this work.

The Landmine Education Trust (LET) is seeking a sum of € 100,000 to support a landmine awareness and education training programme which has recently been introduced in the country of Balanan.

The current situation in the kingdom of Balanan requires urgent action. Landmines cause unnecessary and lasting injuries in the years following a war. It is estimated that nearly half a million unexploded landmines are still on the island of Balanan. Peacekeeping mission UNIBAL began work on clearing unexploded mines in Balanan last year after the end of hostilities but has cleared less than 5% of the unexploded mines on the island.

LET is currently active in landmine education and awareness programmes in Guatemala, Angola, East Timor and Bosnia where recent conflicts have left behind large numbers of unexploded landmines. In order to assist Balanan, LET plans to provide education and awareness programmes to the local population in:

* Identifying areas were mines are still active, including training local community leaders in mine awareness techniques
* Organising local communities to seek alternative farming areas
* Working with UNIBAL in efforts to defuse mines

A LET team has been active in Balanan since January establishing the first training centre. In order to succeed in its mission, LET needs the financial support of the Global Aid Foundation. The grant of € 100,000 will allow LET to finance the above mentioned education and awareness programmes and, thereby, help prevent landmine injuries from occurring.