What are the things to be kept in mind before writing an effective Concept Note?

A good concept note must explain the entire project idea, objectives, strategies, and plan of action clearly and concisely. Here are the key characteristics of a proper concept note, and things one should keep in mind:

Concise and Coherent

A concept note covers all the critical sections of a proposal, but in a concise manner. It has to contain explicit language to explain more in fewer words. Many organizations give ready-to-use templates and/ or web forms for submitting concept notes, and many of these templates have restricted word limits. One has to be mindful of these aspects while working on a concept note. Typically, a concept note can be 3 to 5 pages long.

Clear, interesting, and action-oriented language

The language is key to the quality of a concept note. Keep the writing clear and action-oriented. Do not over-explain the statements, but avoid being vague. You can make use of the numbers and data from your records to make your case more reliable and to show your NGO’s expertise and experience in the field. Try to keep the title and section titles attention-grabbing and make sure you include some hooks in the language. Read More