Looking for information on how to write a project proposal? Here’s an article which covers the topic and follows it up with a sample.
Often, it may happen that a business hits upon a pretty alluring business plan, but unfortunately hasn’t the funds to get it started. But someone does and you need to coax the money out of that ‘someone’. The project proposal does just that. The project proposal is a business writing piece, which discusses the business opportunity an entrepreneur sees, the revenue expectations from the project and an assurance that the entrepreneur can return the money and some more by the way of interest, apart from making himself a tidy profit. Clearly a project proposal is not unlike the business proposal sample. So understandably, the project proposal is one which is tough to write, given that it is hard to get money out of anyone.
While writing the project proposal outline, there are a few very important things that the writer has to keep in mind. Firstly, your project proposal example will need to outline the exact numbers. Apart from all the mumbo-jumbo which you may choose to include in the project proposal, the one thing which the financier wants detailed information on is the return on his investment: how, when and how much. So make sure that your project proposal contains the necessary information in that regard, outlined in sufficient detail.
Secondly, the project proposal needs to be written in a formal way, since it is a tool of business communication. The project proposal should also be written in a coherent order, so that the reader can link each section of the project proposal.
Project Proposal Guidelines
- General Information: This section introduces the reader to the company. You should write a summarized history of your organization and some of the successes of the company to get the financier in a more generous state of mind. You can use this section to increase the respectability and credibility of your company, so that the first step in availing finance is completed.
- Project Statement: This section states the details about the project being implemented, the need and the expected result, all in a nutshell. The contents of it can be discussed in further detail, but the summary of it all is discussed in this section.
- Project Objectives: No doubt, you have certain expectations from this project. You want it to be a success and how exactly you intend to make it a success is touched upon in this section of the project report sample. The objectives of the project, what you intend to achieve at the end of it is given here.
- Project Implementation: In project management, a very crucial activity is to map your implementation plan. A lender will always want to know the critical events of your projects and will want to monitor if all the deadlines are being completed. So specify the details regarding the implementation of your project in this section.
- Project Monitoring: Of course, the lender will also expect you to keep a key eye on things, and this is what you will address in this section. Project monitoring involves measuring and continuing the work on the project.
- Project Budget: Without a doubt, if there is one section which grabs the attention of the lender, it is this one. The project budget needs to be very detailed and you need to specify the amount you need, and the exact breakup of what you need the amount for, under each different head
The project proposal template is an important document and needs to be prepared with sufficient caution and needs to be given enough attention while making it.
Project Proposal Sample Organization Name: ABC Corporation
Address: 123 Park Avenue, Orlando, FL 32911
Phone: 123-456-789
Email: [email protected]
Project Name: Employment Placement for the Visually Impaired
ABC Corporation is a non-profit organization that is continuously striving for the betterment of society. Through various ongoing projects, we reach out to help thousands of individuals all across America. Our vision is to aid those who want to be self-sufficient, but are hampered due to some disability. Our programs are open to all citizens and permanent residents of the United States of America.
Employment Placement for the Visually Impaired aims to be a $10 million program intended to help 1,0,000 employers and 1,00,000 job-seeking individuals, that covers all the states in the US.
We at ABC Corp., through this program, aim to connect and bring together employers and employees who have like-minded needs, in this case, those with visual impairments, so that both parties can benefit from the employment of such individuals. There will be seminars and recruitment drives in different centers across all states on specified dates as and when the program is finalized and the schedule is put in place. Care will be taken to see that convenience is taken care of for all parties concerned.
Project will include:
- Identifying Employers-Employees
- Personal Financial Needs and Budgeting Skills
- To-and-fro Transport for Training
- Specific Training for the Job
- Interviews and Follow-ups
This program is targeted for the next financial year, and depending on its response and success, we plan to continue it further if the need so arises. There will also be continuous monitoring of employers and employees alike so as to ensure progress for all parties involved.
Project Budget $10 million
ABC Corp. Contribution: $5.5 million
Required Funding: $4.5 million
You can download this sample and modify it to suit your own requirements.
Writing a Proposal for NGO Funding
The Research
Before writing a proposal to a donor for funding, an NGO must conduct thorough research of the objectives for which funding is being sought. This can come in the form of field data, analyzed in light of the resources available to the organization and the possible bottlenecks it might face when going about disbursing the appropriated funds. Often, large donor agencies like governments and corporate bodies also sponsor this research so as to make the whole process smoother. However, a prior relationship is required in most cases, to avail of this facility.
The Planning Stage
Planning the proposal comes about when the most important factors regarding the project are taken into consideration. These are the direct or indirect beneficiaries of the project, the donor agency and lastly, the NGO itself. In cases of NGOs working for the benefit of society or otherwise well-defined demographic, the representatives of such a beneficiary must be taken on board for the planning of the proposal. This is all internal to the NGO itself, the next stage is incorporating the donor requirements and funding guidelines into the proposal.
The Donor Agency
This is the basis of the entire proposal exercise, the donor agency, if a professionally managed trust fund or humanitarian organization will have several rules and protocols to be followed before funding can be attained. These must reflect in the proposal for it to be a valid one. An NGO must prepare itself by
- learning about the aid structure of the donor agency. Which fields of activity does the donor consider of vital importance?
- Does the donor have a strategy for different regions of the globe? Is there a specific set of funding rules for the country of origin for an NGO?
- What are the proposal guidelines expected by the donor agency?
- What is the background of the donor? What types of projects and how many, have they funded before? Is the process compatible with the NGO’s requirements?
A proposal must be drafted keeping these points in mind.
Writing a Proposal for an Undergraduate Research Project
Some Useful Tips
- Be absolutely clear about the research question, why you are undertaking this particular project and how it is relevant to your area of study.
- Write drafts of your proposal before deciding on a final copy. Show these drafts to two types of people, one who don’t know much about what you are studying and others who are experts in the field and know more than you. This will give you two very different perspectives on your proposal. The test group of people who don’t know a lot will comment on how easy or tough it is to read the proposal. The ones who do know will tell you where you have gone wrong.
- Make an effort to identify the problem you seek to address in your research paper, don’t make the proposal about how tough the problem is and what you feel about undertaking it. Talk of solutions, not obvious drawbacks.
- Before beginning work on your proposal, organize all the data you have about the research problem in front of you. Note down salient points of the research you shall be doing, the timeline by which you expect to finish major parts and the resources that you possess. This will help you organize the flow of the proposal in an objective manner.
Writing a Proposal for an Internship Project
An internship proposal requires a formal, eloquent tone and rich yet subtle language. Here are some tips for a successful internship proposal.
- Before starting work on your proposal, try and learn as much as you can about the organization you have targeted for internship. Learn about its products, sales strategy and markets it covers. This will help you understand your own role in the company hierarchy and word your proposal accordingly.
- The cover letter is a crucial aspect of your proposal. Mention your areas of interest in the cover letter, the position you wish to apply for and who it is you are supposed to contact for further guidance. Try not beating about the bush. Corporates prefer brief, to the point proposals with definite quantifiable objectives.
Take into account the length of the internship you aim to apply for. Longer internships will require more detailed descriptions of the value addition you hope to bring to the organization or university while shorter internships will be worded differently.
One of the most important aspects of writing an internship proposal is one that is often ignored by prospective candidates. Who will be the first person reading your proposal? Even more importantly, who is the decision-maker in the organization tasked with reviewing your internship? This depends on which department you wish to undertake your internship in. A sales intern will be reviewed by the sales manager of the firm, while an engineering intern will go to the production manager.
Write your proposal keeping these important tips in mind. It will help make a better impact on the overall presentation. Good luck!
