Problems in Writing Proposals The following are the common problems we face while trying to write a proposal: Confused about the format? There are as many proposal formats as there are a number of donors and each donor as a different format. Although the basic information requested by various donors is generally the same, yet… [Read More]
Proposal Writing
What are the key aspects of preparing a budget for a USAID proposal?
Some of the prerequisites for applying to USAID for assistance grants are: Your organization’s mission and capabilities must be aligned with USAID’s proposed program and you must go through the eligibility criteria in detail based on the terms of the USAID solicitation. Read the solicitation completely and very closely. Make sure you understand the program… [Read More]
What are the areas of USAID funding and how and where can I find the USAID funding opportunities?
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) releases a wide range of federal grant opportunities for the developing nations with the aim of furthering its objectives of saving lives, reducing poverty, strengthening democratic governance and progress; by means of humanitarian assistance and international development efforts. USAID works in over 100 countries in the areas… [Read More]
What are the various types of concept note submission opportunities for NGOs?
The various types of concept note submission opportunities for NGOs are: ‘Calls for Concept Notes’ opportunities: Many donor agencies solicit concept notes on a periodic basis which can be semi-annual, annual, etc. Most of them publish the ‘Call for Concept Notes’ on their websites, other web-portals, their regular publications, and sometimes in the print media…. [Read More]
What to do if your grant proposal is rejected?
Grant proposal writing is the “Go big or go home” of the fundraising world. When successful it can regenerate entire organisations and communities. When it goes wrong you have potential lost hundreds of hours of work and investment with very little to show for it. Our experience actually shows that in some cases receiving a… [Read More]
How and when should I start proposal preparation for a USAID funding opportunity?
Ideally, you must begin the preparation even before the opportunity is released by USAID. To have a good shot at getting shortlisted, the proposal must be of very high quality and stands out from the competition. This can only be ensured by spending time and effort in comprehensively researching, understanding the complete process, onboarding the… [Read More]
How can I use Project Activities to prepare my project’s budget?
As project activities influence the budgeting of your project, it is important to gain greater clarity about them. If you know the specifications of your project activities, then budgets can be developed more easily and more frequently. We will understand this from the following example. Let us say that you, as an NGO in Nepal,… [Read More]
How do I Write a Master Proposal?
You can draft the proposal using this template and then customize it to suit donor guidelines. For helping you develop your proposal, suitable examples have been used to describe the content of each section. Title Page: The title page typically contains the project title, along with contact details of the organization and the donor. Remember… [Read More]
How can I start developing a project budget?
A project proposal has several components such as project goals, objectives, results, strategies and activities. With so many sections, how and from where you can start the process of developing a project budget. An ideal way of starting to develop a project budget is to look at your project activities. Although the project development process… [Read More]
What is a Concept Note and why NGOs are required to develop it?
A concept note is the shortest expression of your project idea on a paper. It is a brief written note, giving an introduction to your project and your organization. If your NGO is seeking to raise funds for a project, then the first thing you would do is develop a short note of this project,… [Read More]
