Request for Proposals and Proposal Writing (non-profit and profit)

1. Request for Proposalsand Proposal Writing(non-profit and profit)

2. Preliminary Proposal –Non-profit • Many grantmakers permit grant applications by invitation only, and require potential grant recipients to submit preliminary proposals in the form of inquiry letters in order to be invited to submit a Full Proposal.Inquiry letters are designed to convince the grantmaker to consider your request. They provide you the opportunity to give the grantmaker a snapshot of your proposed project/program. Be sure to establish a connection between your proposal's goals and the grantmaker's priorities, and focus on detail, clarity, and conciseness, while conveying the impact your proposal will make on the need or problem you are addressing.

3. Inquiry Letter – main elements • Organization Overview/Purpose • State Reason for and Amount of Funding Request • Describe Needs or Problem (including target population, statistics, examples) • Describe Project or Program • List other Project Funders (prospective and committed) • Request Funding Application • Typical inquiry letters, usually a maximum of 2-3 pages, include the following components:COVERSHEET: Organization Name, Address, City, State:, Zip Code, Country, Contact Name, Title, Telephone, Fax, E-mail Address

4. Cont… • INTRODUCTION: • The mission of your organization (one paragraph) • The purpose of your request (one paragraph) • How your request fits the grantmaker's funding priorities (one sentence) • Total annual general operating budget • Fiscal Year • Total proposed project/program budget (if other than general support) • Grant amount being requested • Matching funds committed from other funding sources • Proposed grant project/program time frame (beginning and ending dates) • Tax exempt status

5. Cont… • NARRATIVE (maximum of 1/2 page)A concise narrative or a synopsis of the proposed project/program, that generally covers the following: • The purpose of the request (project or program) • The problem or need being addressed, and how you will address the identified problem or need • The population or community served by your organization • How your project or program will promote long-term change • FINANCIAL INFORMATIONFor project or program finding requests, you will usually need to submit both a project/program budget and a general operating budget. However, for general support requests, you will usually only need to submit a general operating budget.

6. Full Proposal – Non-profit • Always follow the exact specifications of the grantmakers in their grant applications, Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and guidelines. Full Proposals are generally a maximum of 15 pages (single-spaced) and include a Cover Letter, Cover Sheet, Narrative, Budget, Qualifications, Conclusion and Appendices, as follows): • Cover Sheet - a case statement and proposal summary; • Needs Assessment - a concise demonstration of the specific situation, opportunity, problem, issue, need, and the community your proposal addresses; • Program Goals and Objectives - a succinct description of the proposed project/program's outcome and accomplishments in measurable terms, and how it matches the funder's interests; • Methodology - a rational, direct, chronological description of the proposed project and the process used to achieve the outcome and accomplishments; • Evaluation - the plan for meeting performance and producing the program/project;

7. Cont… • Budget/Funding Requirements - a realistic budget with a detailed explanation of the funding request, committed matching funds, evidence of sound fiscal management, and long term funding plan; • Qualifications - your organization's background, its funding history, board involvement and staff qualifications, and its capacity to carry out your proposal; • Conclusion - a brief, concise summary of your proposal; • Appendices - additional attachments required by the funder, such as proof of tax-exempt status, organizational and financial documents, staff/board lists, support/commitment letters.Unless required, do not include an index or table of contents, or bind the proposal, and be sure to sign it and submit the number of copies requested by the grantmaker.

8. Federal Government RFP What's in a typical Federal Government RFP? Federal Government RFP format and composition is mandated by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). They are typically broken down into sections that are identified by letter. Here is a list of what is in each section: • Section A. Information to offerors or quotersIdentifies the title of the procurement, procurement number, point of contact (POC), how to acknowledge amendments and how to indicate “No Response” if you decide not to bid. • Section B. Supplies or Services and Price/CostsThis is where you provide your pricing. It defines the type of contract, identifies Contract Line Items (CLINs), and Subcontract Line Items (SLINs) that identify billable items, describes the period of performance, identifies option periods (if any), and provides cost and pricing guidelines. This section is often presented and responded to in tabular form. • Section C. Statement of Work (SOW)Describes what the Government wants you to do or supply. Outside of your pricing, most of your proposal will be responding to this section, tell them how you will deliver what they need. Sometimes this section is contained in a separate appendix and is frequently associated with other appendices in Section J with other details to enable the bidder to understand the nature and scope of the tasks requested in Section C.

9. Cont… • Section D. Packages and MarkingDefines how all contract deliverables such as reports and material will be packaged and shipped. This information is important as these instructions may effect costs and raise logistics issues. • Section E. Inspection and AcceptanceDescribes the process by which the Government will officially accept deliverables and what to do if the work is not accepted. This can also affect costs and identifies tasks you must be prepared to undertake. • Section F. Deliveries or PerformanceDefines how the Government Contracting Officer will control the work performed and how you will deliver certain contract items. • Section G. Contract Administrative DataDescribes how the Government Contracting Officer and your firm will interact and how information will be exchanged in administration of the contract to ensure both performance and prompt payment. • Section H. Special Contract RequirementsContains a range of special contract requirements important to this particular procurement, such as procedures for managing changes to the original terms of the contract, government furnished equipment (GFE) requirements, and government furnished property (GFP) requirements.

10. Cont… • Section I. Contract Clauses/General ProvisionsIdentifies the contract clauses incorporated by reference in the RFP. These clauses will be incorporated into the contract. While it doesn’t require a separate response, it’s terms will be binding. • Section J. Attachments, ExhibitsLists the appendices to the RFP. These attachments can cover a wide range of subjects ranging from technical specifications through lists of GFE. It generally is used to provide data you need in order to respond to the Statement of Work. • Section K. Representations/Certifications and Statements of OfferorsContains things that you must certify to bid on this contract. These can include things such as certification that you have acted according to procurement integrity regulations, your taxpayer identification, the status of personnel, ownership of your firm, type of business organization, authorized negotiators, that your facilities are not segregated, that you comply with affirmative action guidelines, whether you qualify as a small business, disadvantaged business, and/or women owned business, etc.

11. Cont… • Section L. Proposal Preparation Instructions and OtherProvides instructions for preparing your proposal. These include any formatting requirements, how they want the material organized/outlined, how to submit questions regarding the RFP or procurement, how the proposal is to be delivered, and sometimes notices, conditions, or other instructions. • Section M. Evaluation CriteriaDefines the factor, subfactors, and elements used to “grade” the proposal. Proposals are graded and then cost is considered to determine who wins the award and gets the contract.

12. How to be successful • Prove that you have a significant need or problem in your proposal. • Deliver an answer to the need, or solution to the problem, based on experience, ability, logic, and imagination throughout your proposal. Make sure your proposal describes a program/project for change. • Reflect planning, research and vision throughout your proposal. • Research grantmakers, including funding purposes and priorities, and applicant eligibility. • Determine whether the grantmakers' goals and objectives match your grantseeking purposes.

13. And… • Target your proposal to grantmakers appropriate to your field and project, but do not limit your funding request to one source. • Contact the grantmaker, before you write your proposal, to be sure you clearly understand the grantmaker's guidelines. • Present your proposal in the appropriate and complete format, and include all required attachments. • State your organization's needs and objectives clearly and concisely. Write well. Do not waste words. Use active rather than passive verbs. Use proper grammar and correct spelling. Be clear, factual, supportable, and professional. A well-written proposal is a key factor in the grantmaker's decision-making process.

14. And… • Present your proposal in the appropriate and complete format, and include all required attachments. • State your organization's needs and objectives clearly and concisely. Write well. Do not waste words. Use active rather than passive verbs. Use proper grammar and correct spelling. Be clear, factual, supportable, and professional. A well-written proposal is a key factor in the grantmaker's decision-making process. • Be clear about why you are seeking a grant, what you plan to do with the money, and why you are a good fit with the grantmaker's priorities. Prepare an interesting, persuasive and unique proposal. • Always cover the following important criteria: project purpose, feasibility, community need, funds needed, applicant accountability and competence.

15. And finally… • Answer these questions: Who are you? How do you qualify? What do you want? What problem will you address and how? Who will benefit and how? What specific objectives will you accomplish and how? How will you measure your results? How does your funding request comply with the grantmaker's purpose, goals and objectives? • Demonstrate project logic and outcome, impact of funds, and community support. Be specific about broad goals, measurable objectives, and quantified outcomes. • Always follow the exact specifications of the grantmakers in their applications, Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and guidelines. • Follow-up with the grantmaker about the status, evaluation, and outcome of your proposal, after it is submitted. Request feedback about your proposal's strengths and weaknesses.