Essentials of a Project Proposal

After joining AKRSP i am hearing a lot about projects and all the betterment it will cause in the life of the so called "beneficiareis" or Stakeholders what we call the subject of the Project. Well never undermine a Project and what it can do to specially to those who execute it or the NGO Mughuls. Lot of paraphernalia typically comes with a project and you don't believe ( As I used to before joining here) that a hell lot of thinking, paper work and material resources are involved in the process of project development. All the stages of project cycle like Planning, Identification, formulation, implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation are there self divided into steps which are based on atypical and incomprehensible Logical Frame Work Analysis.  

To cut it short we are going to present here what a project proposal will compose of. It is an important process because it is submitted to donors and the likelihood of getting anything out of those hawk eyed guys is possible only by submitting a proposal which is decent and attractive.

So let us start with our steps of the guidelines.

GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSALS 

Proposals should include the following information and should not exceed five pages. It should be concise at the time being elaborative.

Proposal Section Details 
I. Organizational Information (One page) • Name, address, telephone/fax numbers (with country code), e-mail and web page address, if available, name of the contact person
• Registration and legal status
• Type of Organization (select one): 
a. International NGO 
b. Regional NGO
• Goal, mandate and strategies of the organization 
• Organizational activities pertaining to issues of governance, women’s parliamentarian participation and leadership 
• Total annual budget of organization 

II. Project Title, Duration and Amount Requested 


 State title, time frame for implementation of the project and amount requested to the donor.


III. Brief Description of the project (1/2 page) 


 Briefly state what the proposal will aim to achieve (main results/outcomes/outputs), how (main activities), with whom (activity target group, partners and stakeholders) and who will be benefiting (ultimate beneficiaries). Develop linkages between your inputs,activities, output, outcome, purpose and Goal. 

IV. Justification Section (1/2 page) 


 Why the particular response being proposed is innovative and relevant to the situation addressed 

V. Strategy for follow up (1/2 page) 


What is the key strategy that the project will deploy to ensure follow up

VI. Work plan (One page) 


List key project activities and describe who will take primary responsibility for their implementation. 
• How do you plan to track and monitor the event? 

VII. Project Budget (1/2 page)


•  A detailed budget against each activity 
• Funds do not cover administrative and overhead costs such as rent, permanent staff salaries, etc. Personnel costs may not exceed 40% of total project budget 




VII. Price schedule 

Payments to the NGO for the installation and to carry out the work. The payment will be made based on deliverables and in installments.  Quote all the prices in your currency and all prices/rates quoted must be exclusive of all taxes. The Price Schedule must provide a detailed cost breakdown. Provide separate figures for each functional grouping or category. In case of an equipment component to the service provided, the Price Schedule should include figures for both purchase and lease/rent options. The offerer reserves the options to either lease/rent or purchase outright the equipment through the Contractor.

The price schedule may follow pattern as given below:
Price Schedule:
Request for Proposals for Services
Description Unit Rate Total


Component 1
Activity 1.1 (Please provide details for all activities)
Activity 1.2
Activity 1.3
Total for Activity 1


Component 2


Activity 2.1
Activity 2.2
Activity 2.3
Total for Activity 2 


Component 3


Activity 3.1
Activity 3.2
Activity 3.3
Total for Activity 3 


Component 4


Activity 4.1
Activity 4.2
Activity 4.3
Total for Activity 4 


Grand Total 


Price Schedule:
Request for Proposals for Services


Description Unit Rate Total
1. Monthly rates for Personnel (Key Personnel and other Personnel). Month
2. Per diems Persons/day
3. Office supplies Breakdown
4. Transportation costs Breakdown
5. Contingencies * Breakdown


Grand Total


*Contingencies – should cover all other expenses needed to perform ALL TASKS under the TOR (rent of specialized equipment; translation services; communication, etc.)


Thus this will end your project proposal. Best of luck with it.