Proposal Writing

Soraya M. Coley is president of Cal Poly Pomona University. Prior to that, she served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at California State University, Bakersfield, and at Alliant International University, as well as dean of the College of Human Development and Community Service at California State University, Fullerton. She has nearly 30 years of higher education experience and has worked with nonprofits, community-based and civic organizations on program design, evaluation, and grant writing.Cynthia A. Scheinberg is a psychologist (inactive) with 23 years of senior administrative leadership in the nonprofit sector. She has successfully designed, written, obtained, and implemented federal, state, foundation, and local government funding. In addition, she taught program design and proposal writing for 18 years at California State University, Fullerton in the Human Services Department. Now happily retired, she consults on program design, grant writing and compliance issues, and in her free time, enjoys grandchildren and playing clarinet in two community bands.Yulia A. Levites Strekalova is Director of Educational Development and Evaluation and Assistant Research Professor at the University of Florida Clinical Translational Science Institute and a grant writing coach for the National Research Mentoring Network. She is also a science and health communication scholar and actively participates in large federally funded projects as a program developer and evaluator. She has over 15 years of research administration experience and has been teaching grant writing in the U.S. and internationally since 2014.

• PrefaceAbout the AuthorsChapter 1: An Orientation to Proposal WritingA Book for the Beginning Grant WriterA Brief History of Giving and PhilanthropyDifferences Between Grants and ContractsDefinition of a ProposalRequest for Proposals (RFP)Key Points for Chapter 1Chapter 1 ActivitiesChapter 2: Understanding the Nonprofit AgencyAbout the NonprofitMission-Driven Analysis of the Agency/OrganizationOrganizational CapacityKey Points for Chapter 2Chapter 2 ActivitiesChapter 3: Finding and Applying for FundingFinding FundingThe Federal GovernmentThe State and Local GovernmentFoundations and Corporate GivingCrowdsourced FundingSearch and ReviewIs This Information for Real?Key Points for Chapter 3Chapter 3 ActivityChapter 4: The Proposal OverviewThe Components of a ProposalProposal Submission and Scoring ProcessKey Points for Chapter 4Chapter 4 ActivitiesChapter 5: Logistics and Basics of Writing the ProposalThe Nuts and Bolts of Writing a ProposalWriting for an Established versus New OrganizationWriting a Proposal for a CollaborativeWriting Style and FormatUsing Audio/Visual MediaKey Points for Chapter 5Chapter 5 ActivitiesChapter 6: Design the ProgramUnderstand the Community Through DataFormulating Program IdeasKey Points for Chapter 6Chapter 6 ActivitiesChapter 7: Program Objectives and EvaluationEvaluationFour Steps to Preparing the Objectives and Evaluation PlanA Logic ModelWriting the Evaluation SectionEthical ConsiderationsKey Points for Chapter 7Chapter 7 ActivityChapter 8: Writing the Need or Problem StatementThe Aim of the Need/Problem StatementA Guide to Writing the Need StatementTheory of ChangeKey Points for Chapter 8Chapter 8 ActivitiesChapter 9: Program DescriptionImplementation PlanThe Project NarrativeProject TimelineScope of Work FormsKey Points for Chapter 9Chapter 9 ActivitiesChapter 10: Creating the Budget and Budget JustificationThe Budget ContextPreparation of a Line-Item BudgetOther Types of BudgetsOther Budgeting IssuesKey Points for Chapter 10Chapter 10 ActivitiesChapter 11: Other Proposal Components and Finishing TouchesProject AbstractAgency Capability StatementSustainability StatementLetters of SupportMemorandum of Understanding (MOU)Finishing TouchesKey Points for Chapter 11Chapter 11 ActivitiesAppendix A • Estimating TimeAppendix B • Funding Resource InformationAppendix C • BudgetAppendix D • Additional InformationAppendix E • Proposal SectionsAppendix F • Handout MaterialsReferences and Suggested Readings