In some guidelines for proposals for specific donors, you might have seen a request to include the “scope of work”. But what does that actually mean? In this article, we will explain this term and show how you can use it in your proposal.
The scope of work is basically an agreement on the work that should be done. This agreement includes many specifics about what needs to be done by when, and by whom. Typically, the scope of work includes the expected results, a timeline, milestones, and reports.
When you have to elaborate on the scope of work, you have to be very precise and make very clear who in your organization has to do which tasks and by when the finalizations of these tasks can be expected. When you have to make these statements, it is much easier for the donor to see if you really have a good implementation plan, or if your project is not based on reality.
When you submit a scope of work, the donor can clearly see what to expect at what point of the implementation process. There will be no misunderstandings about responsibilities and deliverables. For a donor, this is attractive because they can manage their expectations and have a precise timeline at hand.
Having to be so precise with your planning also has many advantages for you and your organization. Responsibilities will be assigned very clearly, which will make it easier to know who is doing what at what point of the implementation. Reports and milestones will make it easy for you to catch roadblocks and avoid or tackle them. You will get a much better understanding of your own project and the processes connected to it and will get a very realistic view on it.
Eva is based in Germany and has worked for nearly a decade with NGOs on the grassroots level in Nepal in the field of capacity development and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. Before that, she worked in South America and Europe with different organizations. She holds a Ph.D. in geography and her field of research was sustainability and inclusion in development projects.
