so, this morning, I am googling “How to write a winning proposal.”
Some of the points that stuck with me:
Read the RFP and then read it again (and again). Most RFPs that are put out by government agencies are full of details and requirements. Make sure you get both the big picture of what they are asking for and the details of how they want it. Highlight the relevant sections. Make notes to yourself on it. Know the document inside out and backwards before you start to write your proposal.
Follow their directions to the word. Most RFPs put out by government agencies (and often those by other organizations as well) include a section that lays out the evaluation criteria that will be used to score the proposals. As a reviewer, I have to measure how closely a given proposal meets the criteria. Therefore, if the RFP requires that you discuss how you will bring in community partners to participate in the project, you’d darn well better talk about that in the proposal. If it says that you need to put a picture of a purple triangle at the bottom of page 28, you’d better do that too, even if you think it’s ridiculous. So often in the proposals I reviewed, they were missing a requirement that could have been met by the inclusion of a single sentence, but because they did not include it, I had to deduct points.
Speak the same language as the RFP. As I said, the RFP required specific points to be discussed in order to meet the evaluation criteria. By presenting your project using the same language as the funder–even if it’s not exactly how you usually talk about your work–you will make sure that you receive the points you deserve. If the RFP says to describe your experience in providing “capacity building,” use that term even if your organization usually calls it “improving nonprofit effectiveness.”
http://blog.social-marketing.com/2006/08/insiders-guide-to-writing-winning.html
Be generous with your ideas You may fear that revealing your ideas about how to solve a problem during the proposal process could result in clients taking those ideas and completing the project themselves. In rare cases, that may happen. But you’ll have more success if you don’t hoard your ideas. Use them to show clients that your team thinks and approaches problems in creative and innovative ways.
Be accurate If you are using client data to support aspects of your proposal, double-check and triple-check that information. It’s easy for facts to be misunderstood and misused in a proposal. You’ll risk turning a winning proposal into a loser if you present inaccurate data to the client.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/12-tips-for-writing-a-winning-proposal-HA010024506.aspx
It helps to see the request for a proposal (or in whatever form the request comes) as a problem that needs solving – and each specification as a question that needs answering. How are you the best person to solve each issue?
http://smallbusiness.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2008/07/11/responding-request-for-proposal/
While You Write the Proposal (True or False):
- Our executive summary addresses customer needs. (T/F)
- Our executive summary is one page or less. (T/F)
- Our proposal follows the customer’s specified format. (T/F)
- Our proposal expresses a real customer need or desire. (T/F)
- Our proposal mitigates risk so the customer won’t worry. (T/F)
- Our proposal aligns with the customer’s corporate culture. (T/F)
- Our proposal will convince the customer we can deliver. (T/F)
- Our proposal defines how to measure success. (T/F)
If the answer to any of the above is “False” keep writing until you’re sure they’re true.
nerdjonistories 