Speak Their Language
One size will not fit all. Whatever the project, proposals must be tailored to each potential funder, and their priorities. They can be five pages, or they can be fifty. What they share in common is a structure that leads the writer and the reader from an understanding of the issue to acceptance of a plan to resolve it.
There are countless guides to writing an effective proposal. This one covers all the bases.
Whatever structure you decide to use — and it can be as simple or complex as the project requires — remember one rule: don’t confuse inputs, outputs and outcomes!
Clarity Counts
Inputs: what you provide
Outputs: what you deliver
Results: what you accomplish
Keep it Short
I apologize for the present letter. It is a very long one, simply because I had no leisure to make it shorter.
Once your proposal is done, shelve it. Consider it a project blueprint that will shape what and how you craft a specific request for support. It doesn’t change the nuts and bolts of what you’re proposing; you’re simply spotlighting what each potential funder cares about.
Now develop a prospectus or letter of enquiry that describes the project and the types of outcomes most likely to engage a potential funder. Try to stick to three pages or fewer. People need a good reason to pore through a ten-page document. Just because you sent it isn’t a good reason unless a prospective donor asks for it.
Tip: Write your first draft. Count the words. Then try to edit it into a second draft using only half the words you used in the first. The result will be a concise, sharper description of your project.
Forms, Rules and More Rules
Meet the Need. Beat the Bot!
Brevity will be a given, especially if people not bots are reviewing applications. But funders who receive many requests may distill the pool by machine searches.
You can “beat the bot” with your proposal by using key words that echo the donor’s interests.
Find them in the request for proposals, annual reports and organization websites.
If the potential donor is an individual or small organization, take a look at their online presence for insights.