Transcript Proposal/Grant Writing Workshop

Day 2
November 13, 2009
Bren School of Environmental Science and Management
Kate Kokosinski
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Proposal construction
Writing strategies
Review exercises
Confidentiality
Editing tips
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Title
Executive Summary
Problem Statement
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Objective
◦ Ex. “to determine the impacts of breaching on ocean water
quality as measured by indicator bacteria concentrations”
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Background
◦ What is known?
◦ What is not known?
◦ Why knowledge needs to be gained (societal importance)?
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Approach/Methods
◦ What are you going to do?
◦ How are you going to do it?
◦ How can you provide evidence that you are prepared to do this?
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Qualifications
◦ Make specific to self or organization
◦ Use evidence to support claims
◦ Include innovative aspects of technology or methodology
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Schedule
Budget
Budget Justification
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Benefits Statement
◦ Why is the work important?
◦ To whom will it be important?
◦ Is there significance beyond the immediate project?
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Organization
Coherence
Clarity
Conciseness
***Read good writing before you write!
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Take some time to read the first example
Discuss in groups of 4-5
Answer questions:
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What did this author do well?
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What suggestions do you have to improve this
proposal?
3.
Do you think this proposal was successful or
unsuccessful?
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Organization
Background
Focus
Argument
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Take some time to read the proposal
Discuss in groups of 4-5
Answer questions:
1.
Do you think this proposal was successful or
unsuccessful?
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How does this example differ from the first?
3.
What does the author do effectively?
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Detailed methods
Clear descriptions
Interesting argument
Break
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RFP
Funding proposal
Audience
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Read draft proposal
Discuss in groups of 4-5
Answer questions:
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What is effective about this proposal?
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What could be strengthened before submission?
Effective
 Background
 Clear direction
 Numbers
Ineffective
 Undefined acronyms
 Project schedule
 Conclusion missing
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Ideas
Product/technology
Partnerships
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Edit later
Read your writing out loud
Print your paper when reviewing
Peer edit
Visit the Communications Center
Kate Kokosinski
[email protected]