Thank you to Susan Shiroma, Network Engagement Manager at Candid, for presenting “Introduction to Proposal Writing” on August 19th. During this class, Susan explored proposal writing as part of the total grant writing process, which includes planning, researching, writing, and follow up.
Susan discussed the common elements that go into a project proposal:
- Executive Summary – a condensed version of the proposal
- Statement of Need – the need of your community, backed by statistics
- Project Description – explaining goals, objectives, methods, evaluation, and sustainability
- Organization Information
- Conclusion
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Supporting Materials
She then looked at some common questions funders may ask of grant applicants:
- What specific need are you addressing?
- What are you trying to achieve?
- What is your strategy for making this happen?
- How will you know if you are successful?
- Why are you the best organization to do this work?
- How will this project sustain itself in the long run?
Susan also shared a wealth of resources available for free through Candid and their Funding Information Network member locations, like the New Jersey State Library. Some of these included:
- Foundation Directory Online – a research tool you can use to find grant funders
- Candid Learning – Training, Sample Documents, FAQs and more.
- Candid’s Nonprofit-related eBook Catalog – free registration and access
- The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing, 5th ed. (2007) – free audiobook
- Candid’s Philanthropic Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Find more information about the grant and nonprofit resources available at the New Jersey State Library by visiting our Funding Information Center webpage.
