fundsforngos

A concept note is perhaps the shortest expression of a project idea given on paper to a donor. A concept note is generally used in the first instance when proposing a project to a donor. A concept note can be identical to a letter of inquiry. However, the letter formatting is not required in a … [Read more...] about Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: What is a Concept Note?

There are proposal writers who write proposals on commission. However for most NGOs, hiring consultants to write proposals does not amount to good use of resources. For one, it will not guarantee funding and consultants typically have a fee which they charge regardless of the success or failure of … [Read more...] about Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: Can we hire a consultant to write proposals for us?

In an open call for proposals where a donor invites applications from many NGOs, it may be difficult to seek inputs. Since such calls are competitive, the donor often does not want to favor any single NGO by providing feedback on the proposal. In these cases, the best strategy is to carefully review … [Read more...] about Basic Questions about Proposal Writing: How can I get inputs for my proposal from a donor?

A proposal must be written according to the format and guidelines provided by the donor or funding agency. For most institutional donors, this information is accessible on their website, call for applications notice or available upon request. Before applying, carefully review the criteria and … [Read more...] about How to Write Proposals according to donor/funding agency’s guidelines

Having a specific donor in mind when writing a proposal is also very important. Since writing a proposal can be a time-consuming activity, many NGOs create master templates or reuse old proposals, but it is always still ideal to tailor each proposal to a specific donor. NGOs that understand a … [Read more...] about Writing the Proposal by Understanding what the Donor wants

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 section will explain how to take the information from the planning stages and format it into a proposal which a donor can read, understand and … [Read more...] about Before Writing a Proposal

NOTE all these definitions are specific to NGOs in writing proposals. Many of these words will have alternative meanings outside of this space. Activity: an action undertaken by the project or the organization to achieve the set objectives; also referred to as input. Assumption: a predicted … [Read more...] about Proposal Writing Glossary: Major Terms used in Proposal Writing