Tips for Writing Your Proposal Office of Literacy and Essential Skills

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Writing a proposal can be a daunting task. It can be very difficult to fully explain a project in a short space. Here are some suggestions to help you prepare a proposal that will successfully convey what your organization hopes to accomplish with your project.

• Develop your concept first. A fully developed idea can be transformed into a proposal more easily. Review relevant documents and research to find out what others are saying and doing. The more you know before you start writing, the better. Please be sure to search the National Adult Literacy Database to ensure that a similar idea to yours has not already been completed. Visit the NALD database.
  
  
• Read all available material before you begin. Carefully read the OLES guidelines, application form and other instructions before preparing your application. It is important to understand the OLES program mandate and the objectives of the funding initiative. Collect all the information you will need to complete your application. Knowing what is required and having the facts at your fingertips will make the writing process simpler.
  
  
• Prepare to invest some time. Gathering the information you need, establishing partnerships and writing a well-documented proposal takes time. Allow sufficient time to produce a document that showcases your project and demonstrates your management capacity.
  
  
• Give examples. Don’t make a statement you can’t back up. Demonstrate the need for your project with appropriate statistics on the scope of the problem and how it affects the community. Be prepared to substantiate the stated accomplishments of your organization, contributions by partners and all budget items.
  
  
• Make coherent transitions. Make sure that all parts of your proposal, from the goals and objectives to the action plan, budget, expected results, evaluation framework, and the plan for disseminating results, are logically connected and leave no loose ends.
  
  
• Keep it simple. Write clearly and avoid using jargon that others might not understand. If a reviewer cannot understand your proposal, chances are he or she will not recommend it for funding. Use the application form as it makes it easier for the reviewer to find the information required to make a positive recommendation.
  
  
• Give complete responses. The only information reviewers will have when assessing your project is your completed application form. Answer all questions in sufficient detail so that a reader who is not familiar with your project, can understand your goals, plans and expected outcomes. Make sure that your proposal fully answers all of the questions for each section of the application such as the objective, activities and budget.
  
  
• Ask for help if you need it. The OLES funding application, guidelines and other instructions have been designed to answer most of your questions. If after reading them, you encounter other problems or would like to discuss a concept before submitting your proposal, please please don't hesitate to send us an