Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Faculty Survey

St. Kate's Grant Institute:
January 12-14, 2010; Join us for a three day workshop designed for faculty and staff interested in pursuing grants. More »

St. Kate's Evaluation Institute:
June 2010; Join us next June for a two-day workshop designed for faculty and staff interested in learning more about project evaluation! More »

Developing your Proposal

You have filled out the Grant Proposal Form, received notice of its approval and met with ORSP and/or CFR staff to identify potential funding sources. It's time to start developing your proposal!

ORSP is happy to assist as you develop your proposal and will help you to proofread and perfect your proposal and make sure everything is complete for your application. We will also work with you to develop your budget.

Here are some tips to help you get started as you develop your proposal. Please contact ORSP with questions and concerns!

STEP #1: Get in the "proposal" mindset

Before you begin writing your proposal, be sure you understand what it is you are writing! Remember that a grant proposal is distinctive from other types of scholarly writing and may require you to adjust your mindset. Always

Read the Guidelines Carefully. Pay particular attention to page length requirements and any special topics that must be addressed in the proposal.

Know your Audience. Funders are often generalists, so keep your audience in mind when writing the narrative.

Think Like the Reviewer. Reviewers read hundreds of proposals each year. Writing that is clear, well-organized, and free of unnecessary jargon and technical language will help the reviewer better understand your proposal.

Tailor your Proposal to your Funder’s Interests and Biases. Once a funder is identified, try to position your request to appeal to that funder’s priorities, making as many connections as possible between your program/project and the funder’s interests. ORSP and CFR can assist you in assessing your funder.

Be Honest and Realistic. Remember that you will have to follow through on any methodologies described or claims made in your proposal! Be realistic about your project's feasibility and the time and effort required for the work you are proposing.

Focus on the Details. Be specific in outlining your goals and objectives, the work you will do, your intended outcomes, and the significance of your proposed work.

Review Sample Grant Proposals. ORSP and CFR can provide you with samples of successful grant proposals for you to review.

Go through Peer Review. Have someone from outside your discipline read your proposal for general ease of understanding and someone within your discipline read your proposal for input on content and methodology. ORSP has established a Peer Review Board and can help you connect with colleagues in this process.

STEP #2 Put together your proposal

Your proposal should provide answers to several important questions:

Why are you applying?
What is the problem you are addressing?
What have others done to address the problem?
How are you building on the work of others?
What's your solution?
How will you do it?
Why are you the right person for the task?
What is it going to cost?
How will you evaluate the success of your work?

A strong proposal contains several key sections:

Assessment of Need. Concisely identify the problem your proposal addresses and why your work is necessary. Consider the following: What needs to be improved or strengthened? What is missing from the body of knowledge? What created this need? Who is affected by this problem?

Organization Information. Provide a brief summary of the St. Kate's history, mission, goals, relevant programs and enrollment numbers. Highlight the diversity of St. Kate's students and our commitment to "educating women to lead and influence." Visit Institutional Research and Planning for commonly requested statistics. ORSP and CFR are happy to provide Organizational Information for your use.

Literature Review. Demonstrate your knowledge and expertise within the discipline, as well as the ways in which you are building on the work of others.

Project Goals and Objectives. Explain what you intend to accomplish, being as specific and concrete as possible. Goals are general results; objectives are quantifiable. Keep your goals and objectives as outcome-based as possible. Most funders want to see measurable outcomes. Consider using a bulleted list to highlight the importance of each goal and objective.

Methodology. Outline how you will accomplish your goals and objectives. Prepare a work plan and timeline. Provide evidence of long range planning. Be as specific as possible.

Budget. Provide a detailed budget as well as a budget justification that explains how you will use requested funds. Visit Developing your Budget for additional information on budget development.

Evaluation Plan. Outline your plan to assess the efficacy of the work you are doing. The large majority of grant proposals request funding for an external evaluation to be conducted by a consultant. Evaluations might involve collecting survey data, engaging in focus groups or conducting site visits. ORSP can connect you to specialists to help you develop a strong evaluation plan.

The MN Council on Foundations has compiled additional tips on developing a proposal as well as a MN Common Grant Application Form that serves as a useful template for constructing a grant proposal. Some local foundations accept the MN Common Grant Application Form. Keep in mind, however, that your proposal must be tailored to the specific requirements of the funding agency to which you are applying.

STEP #3 Prepare necessary attachments

You will often be required to submit additional materials along with your proposal narrative such as CVs, project summaries, letters of support, tax exempt certificates, etc. Be sure to include all necessary attachments. Pay attention to details such as consistent formatting and proof the attachments as carefully as the core narrative.

STEP #4 Peer review

It is often helpful to ask your colleagues to read over your proposal at various stages of development. Colleagues within the department may offer concrete feedback on your methodology, your objectives, the significance of your study, your literature review, etc. Colleagues outside your discipline often have a different perspective, and can offer feedback on whether your proposal is easy to understand, free of jargon and clear to a "lay person." A number of St. Kate's faculty also have special knowledge regarding particular funders. ORSP can help you connect to faculty willing to read your proposal. If you are interested in becoming a peer reviewer, please contact us!

ORSP will also review and proofread your entire proposal before submission, and is more than happy to read drafts at any stage of the process (in fact, sometimes the earlier the better!)

STEP #5 Submission

Once you feel comfortable with your proposal, ORSP will submit it to the funding agency along with all necessary attachments. Most government funding agencies now require electronic submission of proposals, thus, submitting your final proposal to ORSP at least 7-10 days in advance of the application deadline will allow ORSP staff time to address potential problems caused by electronic submission. While the government is working to fix the "bugs" in the electronic submission system, occasional delays are inevitable and the government's electronic systems are not always reliable. Submitting early provides time to address any complications should they arise.