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Project Description or Narrative This section is the heart of the proposal. Keep potential reviewers in mind when deciding on the level of writing. Write in the active voice. Although the organization and content of the proposal varies with the particular sponsor's requirements and with the type of proposal (research, program, training or equipment) some common components include:
The length and the level of detail are somewhat determined by the page length, font size and line spacing specifications in the particular guidelines. Where criteria for review are clearly given a point value, a rough formula could be to allocate pages in proportion to the points possible for a section. Review criteria can often be used as section headings to make it easier for your reviewers to find the information they need to evaluate your proposal. This section gives the background for the goals and objectives of the project and should be a well-reasoned and compelling argument backed by local statistics, results from local surveys, or a survey of pertinent research. The statement of need states why this project should be funded and the objectives of the project. What is to be Done and the Methods to be Used This section details the activities that will take place and includes a justification of the methods to be used to achieve your objectives. Research is often outlined as a series of steps, with the methods and expected results given for each step. Research is either explicitly or implicitly hypotheses driven, so this is the place to describe what will be done if research results are other than those expected. Programs and training grants normally consist of several components. Some start with the recruitment of participants from a particular population. Each activity in the program needs to be justified as a method for achieving one or more measurable objectives. Build in periodic evaluations (formative) so that you can adjust activities that do not seem to be producing desired results. Detail who will help decide what new methods will be employed. Equipment grants start with detailing the research or program objectives that will be made possible with the addition of the requested equipment. Again, objectives need to be clearly stated and methods devised to measure the success of the projects made possible by the addition of the requested equipment. Qualifications of those who will carry out the projectResearch proposals emphasize the qualifications of the principal investigators by citing the results of previous research in refereed professional publications. Project Directors for programs and training grants also cite previous experiences with similar projects and/or their organization's previous experience. If there are gaps in expertise or experience, consultants or partners to the research may be included to strengthen the proposal. Many sponsors also require vitae or biographical sketches to be included as part of the application. Sponsors want to know that the project can be carried out with the monetary, physical and human resources available to the project. This is the place to describe partnerships or access to facilities or equipment not available to the Principal Investigator or Project Director. Some agencies have a separate form for this aspect where facilities and equipment on hand or available to the project are described.Time Lines for Completion of Project Components Some sponsors want to see a chart depicting the various components of the project and the times those activities will start and end. Some sponsors want a chart depicting not only the times, but also who will be responsible for each activity. Some sponsors want to see a chart of objectives, the activities to achieve the objectives, the timing of the activities, who will be responsible for the activities and how each objective will be measured. Read the guidelines. In any case, to make it easier for the reviewer to visualize the project, it is useful to organize the order in which the activities will take place. Project Management Sponsors want to see clearly who will be responsible for what, to whom each person will report, and when and how data will be collected and stored to measure achievement of objectives. Evaluation or Measures of Success Research outcomes should be fairly clear: the activities in the project should produce data to prove or disprove hypotheses and lead to new questions and hypotheses. Programs and training grants are usually concerned with imparting skills and/or changing behavior. The national office of United Way has a good model for thinking about the evaluation of program objectives: http://national.unitedway.org/outcomes/model.htm. The Department of Education also has good ways to think about program evaluation: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/eval_tools.html. Research projects should be designed to address significant problems or make significant advances in understanding. Some sponsors are requesting research in certain areas; make sure that your project addresses the objectives of the sponsor. Read the mission statement and strategic plan of the targeted sponsor, read the review criteria (if provided) and read the proposal guidelines to make sure that you are addressing all the required criteria and goals. Contact Carole Robarchek at 978-6806 or by e-mail for editing assistance.
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