How to write Proposal for a Project by Ahmadshah Pashaye

Writing Proposals
with a logical
framework

Welcome
This is a course on writing effective
project proposals.
You should have already learnt about
pre-planning and logical frameworks.

What is a proposal?
• Your proposal is an important document
• Donors will decide to finance your project or
not from what they read.
• Any proposal should show thoughtful planning

Identify the project idea
• Do your Pre-Planning and Stakeholders
Analysis
• Look at possible funding and local resources
• What you learn from this will point you in the
direction of the best way to help - the ‘project
approach’ and ‘project logic’

Identify the project idea
• Your pre-planning should have pointed to an
approach that fits into this model:
Available resources
Community demand
Needs identified by experts
Project

Good ideas
1. Make sure there is a genuine problem and that you
can face it.
2. Two-step approach:
o First define your project thoroughly and using a
participatory approach,
o Then adapt your project proposal according to
the targeted donor.
3. Use the logical framework - a tool to design a
project in a systematic and logical way .

Find the right funding source
• Which donor has a target compatible with your
project ?
e.g. Humanitarian aid or development - ECHO, EuropeAid
Refugees - Austcare
HIV, Malaria - Global Fund
• What are your potential donors preferences?
e.g. Mines victims - Irish Aid
Institutional strengthening - AusAID
• How does each donor evaluate project proposals?
Are you likely to be selected?
‒ Is there an evaluation grid ?
– Do they require a partnership? Gender equity? What?

Remember
o Your Proposal is often the only way for the
donor to choose or reject your project
o Write a proposal only when your project idea
is already well thought out
o Fit to the donor’s guidelines

Package your project into an
attractive proposal (1)
• Follow a logical thread:
Background
 Problem
 Solution
 Sustainability
• Ensure match-up between:
Problem – Outcomes – Means
(this is called internal coherence)
• Many donors want the Logical Framework Approach

Logic checklist
• Don’t leave a problem unsolved
• Don’t identify outcomes that do not
correspond to a problem
• Don’t identify outcomes for which you don’t
have a solution
• Don’t propose activities that are not related to
problems and outcomes
• Don’t list human resources that don’t match
the outcomes you aim to achieve

Editing and layout
 Pay attention to the language:
- Use simple language
- Use future tenses
- Be concise and logical
- Avoid spelling mistakes
- Find a catchy title
 Pay attention to the layout / presentation:
- Use your organization’s logo on the first page
- Use headers and footers
- Use clear titles and paragraphs
- Break the monotony
- Add table of contents
- Print on standard format paper

Proposal structure
1. Executive Summary
2. Organisation description
3. Project background
4. Problem statement
5. Goal and objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed methodology:
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and Evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
Partners
Project implementation
Activities
Risks and assumptions
Means

14
Why is it important:
 It is the first part that is read
 Sometimes the only part that is
read…
 It can be used by the donor to
communicate to others about
your project
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation of
the organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

15
Summary
 What do you propose to do?
 Where?
 Why?
 For whom?
 With whom?
 For how long?
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation of
the organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

16
DO :
 Write it last
 Do it carefully
 Keep it short
DON’T :
 Cut and paste
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation of
the organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

17
2. Presentation of the organisation
Why is it important?
 Purpose: to establish credibility
and image of a well-managed
organization that meets critical
needs in its area of work
Tips
 Should not be too long
 If you are approaching a new
donor, attach in appendix an
organisation brochure and the
last annual report
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

18
2. Presentation of the organisation
Contents
 Who are you?
 Philosophy / mandate?
 History and significant
interventions / track record
 Expertise in addressing the
problem or need
 Organisational structure
 Major sources of support
 Affiliations / accreditations /
linkages
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring
and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

19
3. Project Background
Contents
 Who took the initiative?
 Does the project fit into an existing
development plan or programme?
 Is this the first phase of the project, or
continues an activity already started?
 If continuing, what have been the
main results of the previous phase?
 What studies have been done to
prepare the project?
 Who else operates in this field?
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring
and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

20
3. Project Background
Tips
You need to demonstrate that :
 The project arises from the
beneficiaries and/or the local
partners
 You know the local context very
well
 You have the experience needed
to run the project successfully
 You have been successful before
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring
and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

21
4. Problem Statement
Unless donors are convinced that
there is a real problem, they will
not agree to pay for our project!
Tips
A “good” problem should:
 concern people
 be concrete and demonstrated
 be solvable
 come from a demand
 be an emergency or priority
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring
and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

22
4. Problem Statement
Contents
 Describe the scope and size of
the problem
 What are the immediate causes?
 What are the underlying causes?
 What are the effects?
 How does it affect people?
 Why does it have to be
addressed?
 Why now and not later?
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring
and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

23
5. Goal and Objectives
Goals (or overall objectives):
Describes the long-term goals your
project will contribute to.
Project Purpose or Specific Objective:
Describes the objective of your project
in response to the core problem.
Expected Results:
Describes the outputs (or outcomes) -
the concrete results of your project.
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring
and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

24
Objectives should be SMART:
 Specific = they must meet the needs
(problems) identified
 Measurable = they should be
measured by concrete indicators
which should reflect the extent to
which they have been attained
 Acceptable = by all involved partners
 Relevant = they must be adequate to
the project socio-cultural environment
 Timely = must be reached by the end
of the project
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring
and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
5. Goal and Objectives

25
6. Beneficiaries
Contents
 Clearly identify direct and
indirect beneficiaries:
• Direct support to target group
• Indirect benefits to others
• How many?
• Where?
• Characteristics?
 Specify how and at what stage
they will be involved in the
project
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

26
7. Proposed Methodology
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
Contents
 Partners
 Project implementation
 Activities
 Risks and assumptions
 Means
 Shows how objectives will be
achieved

27
Partners:
 Clearly divide main partners and
other partners
 Provide background information:
 Goals/philosophy?
 Area of intervention?
 Relationship with beneficiaries?
 Cooperation track-record?
 Type of partnership you set up
 Specify each partner’s role
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

28
Project implementation:
 Rationale for selecting this
methodology
 Project implementation structure:
roles and responsibilities of all the
project stakeholders
Tip
Use a chart to show the project
implementation structure
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

29
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
Activities:
 What will be done?
 How?
 By whom?
 Where?
 By when?
Tips
 Be as precise as possible
 Cluster activities by expected
result
 Use a work plan to summarise

30
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
Example:
Training:
 How many persons?
 For how long? Starting when?
 Which methodology will be used
(seminars, in-house training, ad hoc
courses, etc.)
 Why is the training necessary?
 Which new skills will the trainees
acquire?
Year Year 1
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

31
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
Risks/Assumptions:
 Risks are external factors that could
potentially jeopardise your project and
are beyond your control
 Assumptions are things you are
expecting to be a certain way
 It helps assess the factors which could
jeopardise your project
 It helps examining the project for
completeness and consistency

32
7. Proposed methodology
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
Means:
 Human resources:
 Explain the responsibilities and
tasks of each key person in the
project.
 Justify the need for expatriate
personnel
 Material resources:
 Give an explanation of the most
important budget lines
 Justify vehicles

33
8. Budget
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
Contents
 Budget spreadsheet
 Budget explanations and
justifications
Tips
 Prepare it using your action plan
 Don’t inflate the budget
 Carefully follow donor’s
requirements
 Divide your budget into years

34
9. Monitoring & Evaluation
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring
and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
 Monitoring: to assess whether
your project activities are on track
 Evaluation: to assess whether
your project is effective, efficient,
has an impact, is relevant and
sustainable
Contents
 What will be monitored and why?
 By whom?
 How often?
 Using which tools and methods?

35
10. Sustainability
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
Contents
 Institutional sustainability
 Technical sustainability
 Socio-cultural sustainability
 Financial sustainability
Because donors want to be sure
that their investment will not be
lost at the end of the project and
that you are already planning the
phasing out of the project.

36
Contents
 Glossary
 Maps
 Statistics/ policy documents
 Proof of registration and tax benefits for
donors
 Financial statement
 Composition of Board of Directors
 List of major donors
 Annual report, brochures & publications
 Specific studies or evaluation reports
 Memorandum of agreement with
partners
 Letters of support
 Pictures, case studies
 Other...
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes
11. Annexes / Appendices

37
11. Appendices / Annexes
Tips
 Refer to the appendices in the
proposal (see appendix a), but....
 If something is crucially
important, write it in the proposal!
 Add a table of contents for the
appendices
 Put the appendix number on the
top of each page “appendix no xy”
 Separate each appendix by a
coloured page
1. Executive
summary
2. Presentation
of the
organisation
3. Project
background
4. Problem
statement
5. Goal and
objectives
6. Beneficiaries
7. Proposed
methodology
8. Budget
9. Monitoring and
evaluation
10. Sustainability
11. Annexes

Proposal package
1. Cover letter
Use letterhead, mention project title, purpose, amount
requested, contact person and list of attached documents
2. Project proposal:
• Title page with logo
• Table of contents
• Executive summary
• Detailed proposal
• Annexes
3. Requested attachments
Include all documents requested by the donor (which are not
already included) in the annexes

Final check
Ask someone outside the project team to read
the proposal before sending to a donor.

41
CASE STUDY
Handicap
International

42
Case study: Laos project
• Targeted donor: ECHO (European Community
Humanitarian Office)
– ECHO mandate: humanitarian and emergency
actions
• Context: Need of gap funding between two
contracts with EuropeAid (budget line B7-661 « mines »)
– EuropeAid mandate: long-term development
oriented
• Project rationale: training of deminers in Laos,
Savannakhet Province

43
Version I:
what would you change/improve ?
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Title of operation: Technical support for the
maintenance of Lao National Unexploded Ordnance
(UXO LAO) activities in Savannakhet. Province of
Lao PDR while preparing the consolidation of a 24
month final phase of the project.
Start-up date: March 2002.

44
VERSION II:
What was written in the final version
• VERSION 2
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Title of operation: Maintenance of Handicap
International Technical Assistance to UXO Clearance
Operations in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR
Start-up date: 1st March 2002

45
Version I:
4.1. Overall objective(s)
Phase 4 – Transfer of knowledge, skills and capacities to UXO
LAO Savannakhet in respect of the application of comprehensive
national procedure across all aspects of the programme leading to
the complete withdrawal of HI technical assistance.
4.2. Project purpose/ Specific objective
To provide reduced technical support to UXO LAO Savannakhet for
UXO area clearance and disposal in order to allow UXO LAO to
maintain limited activities to national standards.
This is an interim arrangement of six months that will allow limited
continuity of operations for UXO LAO in Savannakhet until
implementing partner funding becomes available. This will allow
UXO LAO Savannakhet to conduct its full range activities
(community awareness, survey, roving and area clearance) to
national standards under the technical supervision of Handicap
International technical advisor as described in the phase four
financing proposal.

46
VERSION II:
• 4.1. Overall objectives:
The populations of Phine, Xepon, Vilabuly, Nong,
Atsaphanthong, Phalan Xai and Atsaphone of Savannakhet
Province, Lao PDR live in a safer environment.
• 4.2. Project purpose/ Specific objective:
The negative impacts of UXOs in the districts of Phine, Xepon,
Vilabuly, Nong, Atsaphanthong, Phalan Xai and Atsaphone of
Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR are reduced.

47
Version I:
• VERSION 1 :Number of direct beneficiaries:
UXO Lao staff in Savannakhet Province. Currently UXO Lao assisted by HI
have 160 deminers, surveyors, community awareness (CA) members and
supporting staff in the province.
The general population on the four most UXO affected districts of
Savannakhet Province will also directly benefit of the clearance operations
undertaken by UXO Lao.
The quantitative outputs of UXO LAO Savannakhet in the key activities
since the HI project started are:
Area Clearance: Agriculture land cleared: 2,534,935m2 ( 58% of the total
land cleared)
Roving Tasks: Villages visited: 939
Community Awareness: Villages visited: 561 out of more than 625

48
VERSION II:
Number of direct beneficiaries:
The general population on the seven most UXO affected districts of
Savannakhet Province will directly benefit of the clearance operations and
awareness activities undertaken by UXO Lao. The direct beneficiaries are
more specifically, the populations of the districts of Phine, Xepon, Vilabuly,
Nong, Atsaphanthong, Phalan Xai and Atsaphone. The number of direct
beneficiaries is estimated at over 22,000 people. The vast majority of the
beneficiaries are subsistence farmers from ethnic minority groups in remote
areas. Through activities undertaken in this programme, the local
population will benefit from improved land accessibility, improved land
availability, a safer working and living environment and an improved ability
to avoid accidents caused by unexploded ordnance.
Equally, UXO LAO staff in Savannakhet Province are direct beneficiaries of
this programme. Currently UXO Lao staff assisted by HI includes de-miners,
surveyors, community awareness (CA) workers and support staff in the
province. The number of beneficiaries equals 160 employees of UXO LAO.
Through activities undertaken in this programme, UXO LAO employees will
benefit from training aimed at safer, more efficient and more diverse
unexploded ordinance identification, removal and destruction.

49
VERSION III:
Keep it short…
Number of direct beneficiaries:
The general population of the seven most UXO affected districts of
Savannakhet Province, estimated at over 22,000 people, will directly
benefit from the clearance and awareness activities of UXO Lao.
Most beneficiaries are subsistence farmers from ethnic minorities in
remote areas who will benefit from improved land accessibility and
availability and a safer living and working environment.
UXO Lao staff in Savannakhet Province who are also direct
beneficiaries include de-miners, surveyors, community awareness (CA)
workers and support staff, totalling 160 employees.
Staff will benefit from training aimed at safer, more efficient and more
diverse unexploded ordinance identification, removal and destruction.

50
Checklist: all the good questions to bear in mind when
drafting a project proposal
1. Before writing the proposal:
• Is the stakeholder analysis done and complete?
• Have I established a coherent problem tree and a concrete
problem ?
• Have objectives, results and activities been discussed with
all partners and accepted ?
• Do I know the donor to whom I will send my proposal (e.g.
mandate, criteria, specific format, etc.)?
• Is there an internal organisation that has been set up
within your organisation around this proposal ? Does
each person know her tasks ?

51
Checklist: all the good questions to bear in mind when
drafting a project proposal
2. When drafting the proposal:
• Is my proposal coherent:- identified problem  suggested
activities  proposed outcome?
• Is my proposal precise enough (e.g. explanation of
expected results and intended activities, definition of
SMART indicators)?
• Is my proposal understandable by everybody (not too
many technical terms, theories explained, etc.)?
• Have I really respected the donor’s criteria ?
• Have I put the information in the correct place ?
• Have I corrected all the spelling mistakes ?

52
Thankyou
Adapted for Health Poverty Action by Tony Hobbs
from original material and case study by Handicap International

How to write Proposal for a Project by Ahmadshah Pashaye

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