FSAC Proposal & Report Writing Workshop – 8 Dec 2015

PROPOSAL WRITINGINTRODUCTORY SECTIONS

OVERVIEW

• General Proposal Writing Tips

• Project Summary

• Context Analysis

• Needs Assessment

• Problem Statement

• Project Rationale / Justification

GENERAL PROPOSAL WRITING TIPS 1• Know your audience

• Tailor each proposal to each event

• Emergency VS. development proposals

• Always follow donor guidelines and templates

• Coordinate with Clusters to avoid duplication, demonstrate your meeting a critical gap, increase your success rate

• Start with problem/objective trees, then Logical Framework (solid foundation)

• Adhere to HRP and Cluster strategies, assessment data and standards

GENERAL PROPOSAL WRITING TIPS 2• Be short and succinct, ensure each sentence counts

• Solid needs assessment and rationale for your project – why should they give their money to you?

• Ask “So what?” – will the reader need to know why or need more information?

• Cross check information and ensure consistence across sections (e.g. figures, locations, activities -> budget, needs assessment -> location selection)

• Be realistic; don’t over-ask to avoid multiple revisions or rejection (e.g. staffing)

• Annex additional information as needed

GENERAL PROPOSAL WRITING TIPS 3• Demonstrate understanding of all steps in Humanitarian Programme

Cycle (HPC)• Different donors use variations of programme cycles and logical

framework models

https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/programme-cycle

PROJECT SUMMARY

General Guidance: Briefly outline the proposed response, main objectives of the proposed response, selected targeted beneficiaries, project activities and expected results, including baseline data and gender equality considerations in the response.

• Short and concise, detailed sections follow in the proposal body

• This section “sells” your proposal

• Include highlights so donor can understand proposal concept, alignment with their priorities, and map against other proposals submitted.

CONTEXT ANALYSIS

General Guidance: Describe current humanitarian situation in specific locations where this project will be implemented (CHF)

• Rationale for the proposed project focusing on results of any preliminary assessments and priority needs

• Rationale for the proposed beneficiaries (male, female) and why they are being targeted

• Description of the NGO’s operational capacity on the ground

• How the project fits within the larger humanitarian response (complementarity)

Food Security specific:

• Refer to annual SFSA and IPC for benchmark

• Review HRP and Cluster strategy for broader context

NEEDS ASSESSMENTGeneral Guidance: Explain the specific needs of the targeted groups(s), including reference to different needs of women, girls, boys and men, and highlight existing and emerging GBV trends (e.g. trafficking, sexual violence, domestic violence, barrier to adequate participation by sex and age, and underlying factors). Outline existing capacity and gaps. State how the needs assessment was conducted, list any baseline data and explain how the number of beneficiaries has been developed. Indicate references to assessments such as multi-sector/rapid assessments. (CHF)

• Strong need for updated, accurate needs assessment data

Food Security specific:

• Refer to annual SFSA and IPC as benchmark

• Ensure acute needs, not chronic/ development programming (refer to Cluster’s thresholds/standards)

PROBLEM STATEMENTGeneral Guidance:

• Important to clearly articulate the problem and your objective to address the problem

• Potential methods (samples on next slides):• Problem/causal tree: tool for a systematic analysis of

the cause and effect relationships of problems in relation to the identified core problem

• Objective tree: tool to help you determine which level of the problem you will address (resources, time, scope)

• Problem statement: prioritization and analysis

Food Security specific:• Refer to HRP, Cluster Strategy, SFSA, IPC, etc.

to inform problem and objective trees

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Problem/Causal Tree

CAUSESCAUSES

CONSEQUENCESCONSEQUENCES

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Sample Problem Tree 1

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Sample Problem Tree 2

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Sample Objectives Tree

PROJECT RATIONALE / JUSTIFICATIONGeneral Guidance:Justify why your organization is best placed to delivery this project. Explain the value-added by your organization (e.g. geographical presence, specific expertise, etc).

• Based on specific needs assessments, specify why this project is required within the humanitarian context; the affected populations; local vulnerabilities and capacities; as well as why the applying NGO is best placed to address the identified needs (CHF)

Food Security specific:• What is the food security consequence if this project is not

implemented?

Thank you