8.2 THEPARTSOF A PROPOSAL
The following outline and explanation concern chiefly the components of a project proposal.
8.2.1 Typical Parts of a Project Proposal
●Typical parts of a project proposal are：
●Title（or Cover）Page；
●Summary；
●Introduction（including Statement of Problem，Purpose of Research，and Significance of Research）；
●Description of Proposed Research（including Method，Plan or Approach）；
●Description of Relevant Institutional Resources；
●Budget；
●Conclusion.
8.2.2 Presentation of Content
The Title（or Cover）Page.This first page of the proposal is the most important section of the entire document.Here you will provide the reader with a snapshot of what is to follow.Specifically，it summarizes all of the key information and is a sales document designed to convince the reader that this project should be considered for support.
Try to formulate a title with 10 words or less.Use a clear adjective-noun combination to identify the project with its generic class.For example，use“Visual Acuity in Children”，rather than“Studies on the Development of Objective Techniques for Monitoring the Development of Visual Acuity in Children”.If necessary to further distinguish the focus of the problem，use a subtitle，for example，“Visual Acuity in Infants—Objective Monitoring of its Development”.
The Summary.Every proposal，even very brief ones，should have a summary.Some readers read only the summary，and most readers rely on it initially to give them a quick overview of the proposal and later to refresh their memory of its main points.
Each summary should say something about each of the following topics：
●Subject：What is the project about？
●Purposes and significance：Why is the project being done？What is to be accomplished？Why is it important？
●Activities：What will be done？What methods will be used？
●Target population：What special group is being studied or served？
●Location：Where is the work being performed（if different from the location of the principal investigator's organization）？
●Expected outcomes：What types of findings or results will be produced？To whom will these be useful？How will they advance knowledge or the state of the art in your profession？
There are two basic types of abstracts which may be used：descriptive and summary.Most research proposals ask for a summary abstract，while many journals require a descriptive one.
Summary：The summary summarizes the main findings or theories of the proposal or article.The reader can see the projected thrust of the article or project and understands the（potential）outcomes.For example，
Two principal themes are observed in software development，both aimed at improving the productivity of developing and maintaining new applications.The first is to provide increasingly rich system programming function in order to handle the details of managing hardware resources.The second is to provide application development facilities with logical structures and building blocks more closely aligned with the logic of the application itself.An additional challenge is to provide these in a way that will allow continued enhancement of existing software.
Descriptive：The abstract tells what is in the article or proposal，but it does not offer any conclusions or information about the findings.For example，
Enormous progress in electronic technology is accelerating the use of computers in everyday life.In this article trends in hardware，input-output technology，computer architecture，software，communications，and artificial intelligence are examined and complexity is identified as a limitation to further progress.Promising directions of research，which may extend the range of computer applications，are discussed.
The Statement of Need.If the reader reads beyond the summary，you have successfully tempered his or her interest.Your next task is to build on this initial interest in your project by enabling the reader to understand the problem that this project will remedy.
The statement of need will enable the reader to learn more about the issues.It presents the facts and evidence that support the need for the project.The information used to support the case can come from authorities in the field，as well as from your company's own experience.
The Description of Proposed Project.The comprehensive explanation of the proposed project is the heart of the proposal and is the primary concern of the readers.
This section of your proposal should have such subsections as objectives，methods，staffing/administration and evaluation.Together，objectives and methods dictate staffing and administrative requirements.They then become the focus of the evaluation to assess the results of the project.Taken together，these subsections present an interlocking picture of the total project.
Objectives.Objectives are the measurable outcomes of the program.They define your methods.Your objectives must be specific，concrete，measurable，and achievable in a specified time period.Some proposal writers often confuse objectives with goals，which are conceptual and more abstract.For the purpose of illustration，here is the goal of a project with a subsidiary objective：
Goal：Our after-school program will help children read better.
Objective：Our after-school remedial education program will assist 50 children in improving their reading scores by one grade level as demonstrated on standardized reading tests administered after participating in the program for six months.(https://www.daowen.com)
The goal in this case is abstract：improving reading，while the objective is much more specific.It is achievable in the short term（six months）and measurable（improving 50 children's reading scores by one grade level）.
There are at least four types of objectives：
●Behavioral：A human action is anticipated.
Example：Fifty of the 70 children participating will learn to swim.
●Performance：A specific time frame within which a behavior will occur，at an expected proficiency level，is expected.
Example：Fifty of the 70 children will learn to swim within six months and will pass a basic swimming proficiency test administered by a Red Cross-certified lifeguard.
●Process：The manner in which something occurs is an end in itself.
Example：We will document the teaching methods utilized，identifying those with the greatest success.
●Product：A tangible item results.
Example：A manual will be created to be used in teaching swimming to this age and proficiency group in the future.
In any given proposal，you will find yourself setting forth one or more of these types of objectives，depending on the nature of your project.Be certain to present the objectives very clearly.Make sure that they do not become lost in verbiage and that they stand out on the page.You might，for example，use numbers，bullets，or indentations to denote the objectives in the text.Above all，be realistic in setting objectives.Don't promise what you can't deliver.Remember，the reader will want to be told in the final report that the project actually accomplished these objectives.
Methods.By means of the objectives，you have explained to the reader what will be achieved by the project.The methods section describes the specific activities that will take place to achieve the objectives.It might be helpful to divide our discussion of methods into the following：how，when，and why.
How：This is the detailed description of what will occur from the time the project begins until it is completed.Your methods should match the previously stated objectives.
When：The methods section should present the order and timing for the tasks.It might make sense to provide a timetable so that the reader does not have to map out the sequencing on his or her own.The timetable tells the reader“when”and provides another summary of the project that supports the rest of the methods section.
Why：You may need to defend your chosen methods，especially if they are new or original.Why will the planned work lead to the outcomes you anticipate？You can answer this question in a number of ways，including using expert testimony and examples of other projects that work.
The methods section enables the reader to visualize the implementation of the project.It should convince the reader that your agency knows what it is doing，thereby establishing its credibility.In describing the methods，you will have mentioned staffing for the project.You now need to devote a few sentences to discussing the number of staff，their qualifications，and specific assignments.Details about individual staff members involved in the project can be included either as part of this section or in the appendix，depending on the length and importance of this information.Describe for the reader your plans for administering the project.This is especially important in a large operation，if more than one agency is collaborating on the project，or if you are using a fiscal agent.It needs to be crystal clear who is responsible for financial management，project outcomes，and reporting.
Evaluation.An evaluation plan should not be considered only after the project is over；it should be built into the project.Including an evaluation plan in your proposal indicates that you take your objectives seriously and want to know how well you have achieved them.Evaluation is also a sound management tool.Like strategic planning，it helps improve its program.An evaluation can often be the best means for others to learn from your experience in conducting the project.
There are two types of formal evaluation.One measures the product；the other analyzes the process.Either or both might be appropriate to your project.The approach you choose will depend on the nature of the project and its objectives.For either type，you will need to describe the manner in which evaluation information will be collected and how the data will be analyzed.You should present your plan for how the evaluation and its results will be reported and the audience to which it will be directed.For example，it might be used internally or be shared with the reader，or it might deserve a wider audience.A reader might even have an opinion about the scope of this dissemination.
The following aspects should be concerned when writing this part：
●Be clear about the focus of the research.In defining the limits of the project，it is helpful to pose the specific question or questions the project is intended to answer.
●Be as detailed as possible about the schedule of the proposed work.When will the first step be completed？When can subsequent steps be started？What must be done before what else，and what can be done at the same time？For complex projects a calendar detailing the projected sequence and interrelationship of events often gives the sponsor assurance that the investigator is capable of careful step-by-step planning.
●Be specific about the means of evaluating the data or the conclusions.Try to imagine the questions or objections of a hostile critic and show that the research plan anticipates them.
●Be certain that the connection between the research objectives and the research method is evident.If a reader fails to see this connection，he will probably not give your proposal any further consideration.
The Budget.Budgets are cost projections.They are also a window into how projects will be implemented and managed.Well-planned budgets reflect carefully thought-out projects.Be sure to only include those things the reader is willing to support.
Readers use these factors to assess budgets：
●Can the job be accomplished with this budget？
●Are costs reasonable for the market or too high or low？
●Is the budget consistent with proposed activities？
●Is there sufficient budget detail and explanation？
Organizational Information.Normally a resume of your organization should come at the end of your proposal.Your natural inclination may be to put this information up front in the document.But it is usually better to sell the need for your project and then your agency's ability to carry it out.
It is not necessary to overwhelm the reader with facts about your organization.This information can be conveyed easily by attaching a brochure or other prepared statement.In two pages or less，tell the reader when your organization came into existence；state its mission，being certain to demonstrate how the subject of the proposal fits within or extends that mission；and describe the organization's structure，programs，and special expertise.
Conclusion.Every proposal should have a concluding paragraph or two.This is a good place to call attention to the future，after the grant is completed.If appropriate，you should outline some of the follow-up activities that might be undertaken to begin to prepare your funders for your next request.Alternatively，you should state how the project might carry on without further support.
This section is also the place to make a final appeal for your project.Briefly reiterate what your nonprofit wants to do and why it is important.Underscore why your agency needs funding to accomplish it.Don't be afraid at this stage to use a bit of emotion to solidify your case.