Advanced Proposal Writing: Planning the ProjectProposal Writing 201

Agenda

• Introductions

• Objectives and Agenda

• Steps in Team Building

• Developing the Project

• LUNCH

• Developing the Project, Cont.

• Tips for Proposal Writing and Editing in Teams

• Questions & Process for Session 202

“Any proposal manager (or outside consultant, for that

matter) who claims to know how to run a serious proposal

effort without chaos should be quietly and briskly dismissed

from reality. Chaos is the very nature of the proposal beast,

and the manager who accepts this fact is ready to face

another one: While the chaos of proposal work cannot be

eliminated, it must be controlled. Otherwise, it will eat the

managers, the proposal team, and the proposal itself alive.”

Pugh, 1993, p. 82 (quoted in Sweet, 2003, slide 5)

Objectives

• To Recognize the Importance of the Team

Building Process and What Each Member Can

Contribute

• To Develop the Project as Fully as Possible in

Advance of Proposal Writing

• To Understand the Unique Aspects of Team-

Based Proposal Writing and How to Create a

Strong Proposal

Three-Step Process

1. Build the Team

2. Develop the Project

3. Craft the Proposal

Four Stages of Team Building

1. Forming

2. Storming

3. Norming

4. Performing

Develop the Project/Program

• Opportunity or need (or both) drive new projects and

programs

• Quality begets quality

• What do you think of McNamara’s six cornerstones?

How do you see them playing out (or not) in your

organization

Outline the ProjectThink about an RFP or a proposal template as the outline for a proposal:

• What information in each section will show the quality of your project/program?

• What credentials your organization as the expert in each section?

• Why is it important to think about budgeting early on?

McNamara’s 8 Guidelines

Focus on OutcomesExamine Your Intended

Outcomes Conduct Some Basic Marketing

Coordinate the New Program with Other

Current Programs

Explore if Client Services Can Be Delivered More Effectively via Collaboration

Plan Key Indicators of Program Success

Include Short-Range Focus in a Long-Range

Plan

Learn by "Testing the Waters"?

Plan Program Reviews

Theory of Change

• A program roadmap

• Links the program’s intended outcomes with the activities

necessary to achieve them. “All the building blocks required

to bring about a long-term goal.” (theoryofchange.org)

• Provides a tool for strategic planning, program development,

proposal writing, and communications

Theory of Change Process

Then…

The Road Map to Impact

If we…. Which will lead to…

Community or Social Change

Strategies & Activities Immediate Outcomes Intended Impact Intermediate Outcomes

Prepare and support mentors

to understand, support and

advocate for the needs of

teen parents.

Offer a rich curriculum

designed to meet the needs

of teen parents.

Provide (weekly, bi-monthly)

education and peer support

sessions

Foster strong relationships

among teen parents

Activities Short-Term Outcomes (0-6 months) Intermediate Outcomes (7-18 months)

Support

Teen parents feel supported, understood, accepted,

and empowered. They develop or discover: (1)

supportive relationships with adults and with peers

facing similar situations; (2) willingness to identify

and explore and try new strategies to address

education barriers; (3) techniques and support to

meet their responsibilities as parents while

continuing their education.

Long-Term

Outcomes

OrganizationProgram Name Theory of Change

Engagement, Effort, and

Enthusiasm

Teen parents develop a

sense of belonging to a

community. They intensify

engagement with the

program, peers, parenting,

and their own education

process.

Realization

Leads to Continued ParticipationThe 2 S’s:

Support and Skills

The 3 E’s: Engagement, Effort + Enthusiasm

Improvement

Realization

Participation

Prepare high schools and

colleges to create appropriate

learning environments

Provide support and

referrals to help teen

parents meet the needs of

their children.

Improvement College, Family, Career,

and Beyond

Teen parents

improve their ability

to advocate for

themselves.

Teen parents learn that effort will

improve performance.

Teen parents learn that they can

succeed.

Teen parents earn

college credits

and/or and

graduate from

college.

Teen parents discover that learning

and education are valuable.

Teen parents increase focus on

long term goals and overcoming

obstacles.

Teen parents

succeed in their

careers.

Teen parents

participate as

positive,

productive

members of their

communities.

Teen parents

improve academic

performance

Teen parents reduce/eliminate

unsupportive relationships and build

new supportive relationships.

Teen parents

improve their ability

to support their

peers.

Teen parents enroll

in college and

benefit from support

resources before

they encounter

issues

Teen parents

empowered! They

are independent,

self-sufficient

achievers

Teen parents set

and work toward

goals

Teen parents avoid subsequent

pregnancies.

Teen parents

improve their self

awareness and self

esteem.

Teen parents

improve their skills

at personal

presentation.Teen parents are hopeful – they

have a transformed vision of the

future.

Teen parents

improve the lives of

their children.

Recruit appropriate

participants

Recognize achievement

Address parent concerns and

prevent barriers

Participation in Program launches teen parents into a continuous cycle of support and skills development, followed by a jump in engagement, effort, and enthusiasm for the program and school, leading to improvement in education performance, and the realization they can succeed, initiating renewed commitment to participation in the education process and further success.

Skills

Teen parents gain knowledge about and improve their skills in:

Goal setting

Communication

Self-Advocacy

Essay preparation

ACT preparation

Career choices

College selection

College application

Basic budgeting

Financial aid

Leadership

Personal branding

Interviewing

Resume writing

Outcomes

• An outcome is the state of the target population or the social conditions that a program is expected to have changed.

• Outcomes are observed characteristics of the target population or social conditions, not of the program, and the definition of an outcome makes no direct reference to program action

• Must relate to benefits products and services might have, not simply their receipt

Standards for Judging Effectiveness

In Evaluation: A Systematic Approach, Rossi et al say:

• Past experience?

• Performance of comparable programs?

• Professional judgment of program managers and advisers?

• Applicable legal, ethical or professional standards?

“I’ll know it when I see it.”

Without specific before-measurement criteria a wide range of performance might be regarded as acceptable.

Budget Musts

Draft the budget BEFORE you start writing the proposal

Work as a TEAM – executive, finance, and program staff should all contribute to and be able to explain program budget

Include REAL COSTS

Review the budget and proposal as one unit before you submit

Is staffing plan appropriate in terms of number and type of staff for this type of project and its life stage (pilot, established, etc.)?

Are all the costs associated with staff included in the budget?

What about evaluation costs?

Craft the Proposal: Ensure a Unified Voice

• Manual of style everyone uses (APA, NYT Manual of Style and Usage, Economist, etc.)

• Internal style guide

• Protocols for document creation, sharing, editing, tracking changes, formatting, and saving

• A commitment to the active voice

• Meaningful adjectives, if any

• A budget and proposal that speak to each other well

• A proposal manager who will build the team, enforce deadline and serve as the primary editor

Every Proposal-Writing Organization Should Have:

Craft the Proposal

• Establishes quality• Provides the frame work for a “lessons learned” session

following the completion of a proposal

Source: Sweet, Kristen L. “Proposal Management Basics & Tips on Proposal Writing.” For the: STC Tech Comm Career Day. PowerPoint online at

www.stcwdc.org/PDF/Proposal_Writing_Management.ppt

Define the process in writing

Documenting the process eliminates re-inventing the wheel each time

• Summary• Basic guidelines to tailor for each proposal• Detailed checklist

5 C’s of Proposal Review

Coherence

Completeness

Compliance

Consistency

Correctness

Source: “The Red Team and 5 C’s of Proposal Review”

Next Steps in the Series

You have already completed two important steps in the series!

Now…

• Draft your proposal and budget

• Send your draft to Marlee Honcoop mhoncoop@myforefront.org by 5pm on Friday Feb. 12

• Please indicate the section of your proposal on which you’d like to receive the most help in session two.

Proposal Writing 202Next session

Thursday, March 10, 2016 - 9:00 am

Each proposal submitted on time will receive comments from at least

one funder

Some funder commenters will be at the session to share their

thoughts on strong proposals and budgets and to answer your

questions.

There will be time in the session to get feedback from peers and the

instructor; the instructor will use some submitted sections as

examples in class – nominate yours!

Thank You for Participating in Proposal Writing 201