Proposal Writing: Tips for Writing a Winning Proposal

1. Proposal Writing: Tips for Writing a Winning Proposal By: Carol Wickersham, Director of Community-Based Learning Emily Sager, Office Coordinator, Liberal Arts in Practice Center

2. Where to Find Funding • Beloit-Only Opportunities • National Fellowships and Scholarships-Undergraduate • Post-Graduate Fellowships www.beloit.edu/lapc/funding/ • Other sources: Internship site, organizations, clubs, major/minor, library, etc.

3. Finding Opportunities • Prior jobs • Current or prior volunteer opportunities • Networking • Search specific companies, organizations, etc.

4. Use of Beloit College Grant Funds YES • Airfare • Research expenses • Room/board • Conference fees • Tuition for a specialized course (not offered by Beloit) NO • Faculty-led projects/courses • Airfare to home country, study abroad site, or country under travel warning/ban • Risky activities • Borrowable equipment • Personal expenses • Undifferentiated misc. expenses

5. Purpose Purpose: • To define goals • To understand how experience will enhance your academic, career, and personal goals • To discover/respond to opportunities meaningful to you and/or your project sponsor

6. Project Narrative: What you hope to do and why Background • Major/minor • Experience (volunteer, research, classes) Current Goals • I will… (learn X, expand my knowledge of X, become familiar with X) Future Goals • This experience will… (further my learning in Beloit classes, aid in my senior thesis, give me an advantage in applying to grad school, contribute X to society, world, community, etc.)

7. Methodology What are you interested in learning? • The effects of X • The relationship between X & Y • The culture of X, etc. • Self-reflection How are you going to accomplish learning this? (BE SPECIFIC) • By going to city X, working with X organization, and interacting with X culture, etc. • Through activities (teaching, observing, researching, etc.)

8. Outcomes/Evaluation Measuring the Project’s Success • Report • Survey • Self-evaluation of goals

9. Dissemination How will you share your project with others? Through the college • Symposium, TA, class discussions, workshop, research, etc. Through the community • Sharing your knowledge through discussions with community leaders, volunteering, etc.

10. Budget What Will I Need to Accomplish My Project? Note: -I will not need local transportation as I will be able to walk from my host family to my project site. -I will buy groceries every week and make my own food to save money. –My parents’ insurance covers the cost of vaccinations. –I will pay for my visa fees out of money I saved last summer.

11. Be Advised… All LAPC fellowship recipients are required to register their experience for credit • FEP 200- Faculty Sponsored Internship • FEP 201- LAPC Sponsored Internship • Special Project *All of these options have a registration fee attached*

12. Writing Exercise If you have not done so already begin to think about the questions proposed throughout this presentation and jot down some ideas you currently have. Any volunteers?

13. Assessment • All grant recipients will be required to fill out an evaluation • Pay close attention to all requirements for each funding source

14. How and When do I apply? Beloit Grants: • Use common grant application www.beloit.edu/lapc/funding/beloitonly/ • Indicate which funds you want to be considered for • LAPC, Venture, Intl Ed/Weissberg • Submit to lapc@beloit.edu • Deadlines: • Monday after spring break for summer *Other funding sources will have varying deadlines*

15. Resources • Writing Center • Liberal Arts in Practice Center -Example proposals -Brainstorming • Professors/Advisors

16. Thank you and Good Luck! Questions? lapc@beloit.edu