Many NGOs ask themselves, how long it would take to write a full proposal. While it is very understandable that this question arises, it is very difficult to give a definitive answer to it. It varies drastically depending on the prior experience of the organization and the type of proposal. Also, every donor has different rules and guidelines that you have to follow and that require different levels of detail.
Remember, the proposal is one of the last steps in the project planning stage. If an organization already has all the background information prepared, taking that information and turning it into a proposal may take only a few days. On the other hand, creating a project and a proposal from the very beginning can take a long time.
Of course, the size of the project matters greatly as well concerning the time it takes to prepare it. If your organization is only applying for a small grant, you don’t have to gather that much information and background data. Its completion probably only takes a couple of days. Creating a proposal for highly technical donors such as USAID or the European Commission could potentially take months of work. These proposals are normally also for a higher amount of award money. Fortunately, many donors understand the difficulty involved in writing a full proposal and so often require only a short concept note in the first instance.
As you see, planning and writing a proposal can take quite some time and several people and departments are involved. Try to plan accordingly and find out early if everybody is available at all times. A workplan can help you – it cannot only be used to plan the timeline of the project itself, but also the timeline of the writing process. This way you can already assign responsibilities and roles.
Also be realistic about the time you will need to finish a proposal. If you come across an opportunity that is a week from today for a small grant, you might be able to put a proposal together if everybody is on the same page. If it is a proposal for a huge grant with many different technical requirements, be realistic and understand that this might take weeks, if not months to be prepared.
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.
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