Proposal and Other Formal Writing

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Proposal and Other Formal Writing
Communicating Your Message Raising Funds Keeping
People Informed
A TakingITGlobal Resource V.1 Nick Moraitis -
nick_at_takingitglobal.org www.takingitglobal.org
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Part 1 Planning proposals

• Do you have an idea that will transform your
  community? This presentation is designed to help
  you communicate effectively your vision so that
  it can raise the support it needs! The types of
  documents it covers might include
• Concept papers presenting an idea
• Fundraising proposals asking for money
• Reports saying what happened
• Roadmaps presenting a timeline of activities
• Evaluations what worked, and whats next

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Some overall tips

• Use formal language but plain English
• Every sentence must be important, otherwise
  delete it.
• Use lots of headings and bullet-points
• Formatting is very important
• Work out the entire structure first (know where
  you are going)
• Write it in one or two sittings do not
  procrastinate. Get fast feedback!

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How long should it be?

• Generally between 5-10 pages
• 1-page for every 10,000? ?
• Background is sometimes very important
• For important documents that are likely to be
  used for multiple purposes / audiences create
  versions of different lengths.

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The Big Headings

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Background
• Objectives
• Activities
• Timeline
• People and Institutions
• Budget
• Evaluation Plan
• Appendices

On the coming pages well look at each of these
in more detail.
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The Executive Summary

• Paragraph 1 Who, what, when, where, how, and
  why? Whats the request?
• Paragraph 2 The problem
• Paragraph 3 The background lt-gt
• Paragraph 4 The track-record
• Paragraph 5 Details on activities
• Paragraph 6 Supporting mutual objectives
  Urgency
• Minimum 2/3 page Maximum 1.5 pages

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Introduction

• What problem is this project trying to address?
  Tell a story!
• Why is this the most important issue in the
  world? What is the context? What other
  initiatives are trying to address this issue?
  What are their short-comings this initiative
  will/has overcome?

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Introduction

• What problem is this project trying to address?
  Tell a story!
• Why is this the most important issue in the
  world? What is the context? What other
  initiatives are trying to address this issue?
  What are their short-comings this initiative
  will/has overcome?

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Background

• What is the specific context?
• History of the initiative, what has led to its
  creation, who is involved, what has been done so
  far, and why is it important to continue.
• Recent movement on the topic research, activity
  by others that links into this project.
• Related events, such as conferences.
• If this is a proposal to someone, why should they
  be interested? Repeat back to them their
  concern for the initiative to make sure they
  remember. Make the linkage for them.

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Objectives

• What does it hope to achieve
• What demographic or special group is it focused
  on (women, youth, people in X country etc)
• What tools or proven program structures does it
  hope to leverage
• To achieve what results?
• Close what gaps / fill what needs
• Use bullet points and make sure that goals do not
  overlap in substance. Have 1-4 objectives. If
  more, group them together (create Goals, and
  then objectives)

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Activities

• What specifically will be done??
• Can organize either by type of activity or by how
  activities address goals.
• Types of activities include
• Workshops / Conferences / Events
• Communications products (online networks,
  newsletters, media campaign, outreach etc)
• Specific projects
• 1 page is generally plenty on each activity.

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Activities

• List each activity under a new heading
• Use bullets to list subcomponents
• Explain
• Who will be served by it
• Who will coordinate it
• What will be produced
• What is involved in producing it
• How it will be sustainable
• (Dont think like you are trying to communicate
  with a donor, instead think you are trying to
  explain it to the person who is actually going to
  be doing the project).

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Timeline

• Organize by month
• List activity
• List who is responsible (optional)

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People

• Listing of people involved in proposing the
  project
• Biography and experience
• Their organizational affiliation
• Their role in the project
• Listing of advisors or steering committee
• Adds credibility
• Implies governance structure long-term approach

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People

• Listing of people involved in proposing the
  project
• Biography and experience
• Their organizational affiliation
• Their role in the project
• Listing of advisors or steering committee
• Adds credibility
• Implies governance structure long-term approach

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Budget

• Three columns works best
• Item
• Description
• Cost
• Be very specific
• Itemise all staff costs and show hourly rate
• Other categories include travel, communications,
  etc
• You can include overhead
• Itemize these in budget notes if significant
• In Budget notes including accounting details,
  i.e. who / what organization will be managing the
  money etc.

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Evaluation Plan

• Describe approach to evaluation
• Affirm that its very important
• Use a matrix format
• Restate goals/objectives
• Restate activities (where possible, linking them
  to goals/objectives)
• Measurement tools (how will you get feedback or
  monitor success?)
• Indicators of success (in what areas or
  optionally what types of results would you expect
  to see in order to consider the project a
  success?)

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Appendices

• 1-2 paragraphs on each collaborating institution
• Letters of support from collaboration
  institutions (generally optional) and references
  that would be known to donor.
• Media clippings on previous projects
• Any detailed descriptions or plans that were too
  long for the actual proposal.

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• Writing a good proposal is only one part of your
  project. Next comes the hard part actually
  implementing it. Yet, having a clearly written
  down idea of what you are doing can obviously
  help here too planning helps you think through
  various scenarios and avoid problems before they
  happen!
• GOOD LUCK!
• Dont forget to add your project to the TIG
  Projects System at http//projects.takingitglobal.
  org

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Where can you get money

• Local businesses
• Corporate foundations
• Company marketing budgets
• Community foundations
• Philanthropic and managed Trusts
• Family foundations
• Other non-profit organisations
• Individuals

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Local businesses

• Through your personal networks
• Get a few on board, then others follow
• Provide recognition on materials
• Broader ways for them to get involved
• Catering
• Venues
• Drinks
• Small amounts (100-500)
• May be able to get 10-20 of these

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Corporate foundations

• Philanthropic arm of a company
• Guided by CSR objectives
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• CSR image
• Try youth environment oriented brands
• Are there ways employees can donate their time or
  be involved?
• Would not necessarily require acknowledgement or
  promotion.
• 2000 10,000.
• As with all grants, longish lead times required

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Company marketing budgets

• More about the companies financial objectives and
  how they look in the eyes of their customers. Is
  there an opportunity to directly sell their
  products to youth?
• Try environmental companies, telecommunications
  etc
• Offer brand exposure on website, materials,
  sponsored events and sessions

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Community Foundations

• Focused on a particular community or state.
• Maybe they can be encouraged to pay for delegates
  of their area to attend SOS, especially if there
  is an related-locally-focused action plan
• Long lead times are probably interested in
  climate change issues

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Trusts

• These are like foundations
• Managed by investment companies
• Provide centralised review of proposals and
  disbursement based on priorities

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Family foundations

• Like Trusts, but managed by individuals
• Very common in the US (some of them may give
  internationally) not so common in Australia.

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Other non-profits
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Individuals
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Government
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Where can you network

• Your friends
• Your family
• Work contacts / other organizations
• Conferences like IYP
• Meetings
• Websites and web communities
• Online mailing lists

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Networking at an event

• Approaching People can be a challenge.
• Start with people you know - hopefully they will
  introduce you to people you don't
• Approach people standing by themselves
• Read up on people (in bio's distributed) prior to
  event - have names in mind.
• Be Friendly - smile, be open, ask questions,
  express interest
• Have Confidence - give reason for people to talk
  to you
• Relate - through interests, organizations
• Set goals - ie to leave a good impression, to
  find connections, to identify how to help, look
  for mutual benefit
• Take business cards

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Networking tips

• Business cards
• Easy to remember email addresses
• Writing meeting reports
• Speaking on panels at conferences
• Keep in touch with people!
• Help other people extend their network they
  will return the favour (introducing people to
  each other is also a good way of maintaining
  connection to the original contact!)