While the proposal is often thought of as the first step to receiving a grant, it is also one of the last steps in the project planning process. This means there is a lot to do before jumping right into proposal writing. Writing your proposal should be part of your fundraising strategy and is only one step of the process. If you want to be successful, there are three essential steps that you have to do before you sit down and put pen to paper.
Before you start writing a proposal or even researching potential donors, you need to have a project plan. If you do not precisely know what you want to do, it is impossible to find a suitable donor match or write a cohesive proposal. To be able to do useful donor research, you need to know precisely in which area you want to work and which strategies you wish to use. Developing a project plan provides the necessary details for this.
Writing a proposal can be a good exercise in fleshing out project details, but you need to have the basic plan before you start. If your team is not on the same page, you will discover issues during the writing process. Activities need to be cohesive with objectives and strategies, and that will only be the case if you have a detailed project plan before you start. Of course, you can also use parts of the project plan for the proposal, even though the two documents are not the same.
The NGOs that conducted proper research in the very beginning often have much higher chances of success. This does not only refer to donor research but other types as well. Research is essential to make sure you understand the problem to be addressed, the local context, the potential donors, etc. If your NGO did good research, you can be sure that you develop a project plan that addresses the needs of the beneficiaries and proposes a start of the art solution to it. Great donor research will eventually lead to better chances for funding.
Networking is an essential step in preparing for the writing of the proposal. Having direct contact with a donor can be critical for any proposal’s success, as you might get supplemental information or just a point of access. However, networking can also be necessary for building ties in the community, with other NGOs, etc. These organizations might be able to share information with you, that is crucial to write a successful proposal.
By conducting these three steps, you will have the majority of information you need ready to go even before you begin writing the proposal. Make sure that you include these steps into your fundraising strategy and allott time and resources to them, so they can be conducted.
Alta Alonzi is a writer and researcher focusing on international development funding and grassroots NGOs. She works with the fundraising consulting company Philantropia conducting research for clients ranging from small NGOs to UN organizations. She also works closely with FundsforNGOs running training webinars, contributing resource guides, and updating the Premium donor database.
how do i get the book NGO GUIDE TO PROPOSAL WRITING in Nigeria and how much does it cost in naira
Hello,
it is an e-book, so you can download it from anywhere. We accept payment via paypal and the price is 25$. Thank you for your interest
Eva i am Richard, i want to get the e-book but i dont have a paypal how to proceed in another way?
Hello Richard: You can also pay through credit card.
I am Alex Chang’a from Tanzania working with farmers to foster coexistence with wildlife. I would like to work very closely with you in fundraising. If we can get information of donors interested in supporting wildlife conservation it will be great to us. If you can review our proposal it will be very helpful.
Thank you
Dear Alex: Our expert can review your proposal but in the condition that you allow us to publish it on our website as a resource material for other NGOs to study. For more information, kindly email to info@proposalsforngos.com
i have started working as endowment fund coordinator at a semi government university,we have very less funds even to fund scholarships of the students at the bachelor level.how to make the fund active and get donations for research and scholarships for the needy students.kindly show me how to start.
Shagufta waseem Phd scholar
visiting lecturer and fund coordinator Pakistan.
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