How to understand the proposal logic?
A proposal text has these elements (in most cases):
- Idea
- Objectives
- Background (concept), need, what the founder want
- Current knowledge, SoA
- Your contribution/research
- Methods
- Work plan
- Resources, team partners
- Results/deliverables
- Impact; dissemination and use
The logical point: It is all about the same:
Idea = objectives = work beyond SoA = methods/work plan = resources needed = deliverables/results = impact
If you apply a logical understanding to this and follow it through your text and thinking everything gets much easier. The key is the objectives. Use them for all your thinking about the project logic.
- The idea matches the call and need of the funding scheme
- Based on your idea you set up the objectives that is what the project will achieve
- Background, concept and the need for a solution and the aim of call is answered by the objectives that are the project achievement.
- Current knowledge, SoA, is written closely related to the objectives. You should set a platform for your research and your objectives as precise as possible
- Your contribution or ambition in your project is to go beyond SoA. And that which is beyond SoA is your objectives. This is what you will do in the project.
- The methods you use must match the work plan and be suitable for achieving your objectives.
- The plan for you work is the instrument to achieve the objectives. The Work Packages in a project should match the objectives. It is nearly one to one. You must have a plan that shows clearly that you will perform all the work needed for the objectives. But you should not do work not needed for the objectives. (if this is the case add/modify the objectives so the logic match)
- The resources, team and partners, must have the knowledge and capacity to fulfil the objectives i.e. the work plan. When you set up and describe the partners/team it is their competence relevant for the objectives you describe.
- The results of the project are the deliverables from the work plan. The results are your achievements i.e. the objectives. The deliverables list should therefore match WPs and objectives.
- Impact is the effect of your results post project (or from late in project). Writing impact is telling that your results i.e. objectives will make a difference. What make the impact are the achievements.
Writing: The benefit of the logic:
- Help you focus your writing
- Help you keep the page limits
- Make your story consistent and easy to read
- Prevent you from writing about “everything”
- Help you when you are stuck
- Help you to get the right input from others
- Prevent you from logical errors in your thinking
- Ensure that you answer “all questions”
When writing you cannot follow the logic mechanically. You should write a good story and follow the proposal template.
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