Guide to Proposal Writing Experts agree that proposal writing is a process that requires a multitude of steps to be followed in order for the successful submission of a proposal. The term “proposer” refers to the person(s) writing the proposal. The term “sponsor” refers to the funding source (i.e., governmental sponsor, corporation or foundation). The term “pre-award phase” refers to all of the activities leading up to and including the actual submission of a proposal. "There is no special mystique about proposal writing. Anyone with a good, well-planned idea, appropriate research on sources of support and the ability to communicate effectively in writing can do a successful job of preparing a funding request. The preparation of a proposal normally follows a well-established pattern which, in many respects, is analogous to the traditional planning process found in the literature on management." Hall, M., Getting Funded: A Complete Guide to Proposal Writing, (Portland State University, 1988) The above statement was actually written in 1971 and still holds true in today's ferocious competition for funding. By viewing proposal writing as a process, the proposer can begin to see a series of repetitive steps that can be applied to every grant application while building a reservoir of experiences for future program development.
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