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| Proposal Writing Tips |
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The competition for research and programmatic dollars is keen, but the proposal writing process in search of those funds is not all that hard if you are properly organized, can follow directions, know your audience and can write reasonably well. Persuasiveness and clarity are essential elements in the proposal process for both government and non-government grants and particularly so for unsolicited grant proposals. Following grant application guidelines and avoiding common mistakes are also important. The FAU Division of Research has developed this webpage providing resources to assist you in writing a competitive proposal. For tutorials and examples of preparing proposals to specific government agencies or for private dollars, see Know Your Audience below. The Writing Process
When responding to a government RFP, you know three things: that the funding agency is committed to spending the dollars, that the area of research is often well defined, and that your peers are competing for the same dollars. However, the competition for unsolicited grants, particularly from the corporate sector and private foundations has an added element. While the foundation may have a broadly defined program interest in your area of research, they did not issue an RFP or ask you for a proposal. First, you have to compete for the reader's attention and communicate the importance of your idea. Also, remember that often in the case of private grant makers, the reviewers may not be experts in the subject matter of your field and most foundations do not use peer- review panels. Avoid the jargon and focus on presenting a clear case aimed at intelligent lay readers. You want them to understand your project, its importance and why your project is worthy of their funds.
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