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How to Write a Proposal and Get What You Want (Free Templates)

A proposal has a lot of different purposes, but there’s only one good way to write one: the way that pulls together all of the information in a concise and persuasive way and helps you get what you want … whether that’s a whole new software system, or just a tweak to your marketing strategy.

This Process Street article isn’t about a business proposal — also known as a quote — but instead about the document required when formally pitching an idea for action and execution by managers or department heads .

To explain how to write a proposal document and get what you want, we’ll go through the following:

Free proposal writing template

When are proposals necessary, why are proposals important, examples of proposals, how to write a proposal: step-by-step, last steps before submitting the proposal, more free proposal writing checklists, even more free proposal writing checklists, customize your proposal checklists with process street.

Let’s get started.

If you fancy taking a quick look at a free interactive template, that will help you write your proposals right away, feel free to dive straight into this!

Writing a Proposal: Step-by-Step Guide

There are more templates, like this one, further down in this post, so stick around.

Any project you don’t have the clearance or authority to start without a higher-up’s approval, you need to submit a proposal for.

According to SSWM , a proposal is “a detailed description of a series of activities aimed at solving a certain problem”.

That problem  could be anything, from:

• Process improvement
• Cost reduction
• A new marketing strategy

If it’s an idea you need to ask permission to execute, or to get action on, it needs a proposal.

A proposal is a way to pitch an idea and state your requirements, so it’s important for supervisors because they can get information in writing (not casually in the elevator), and be able to act knowing the full implications of their decision.

They’re also a chance for you to make a structured, logical argument and lay down everything in favor of your idea. A well-written proposal shows your manager you care about the cause, and it’s not just a mid-meeting whim you blurted out.

To write a top proposal you need to scrutinize it before you present it.

It’s a broad topic, but it’s best explained with examples.

• Proposal for Process Improvement
• Proposal for Server Replacement
• Proposal for Cost Savings

Below is a simple proposal example with some basic sections.

Now let’s take a look at how to write a proposal — whether it’s as simple as the one above, or more complex.

Here’s the general structure of a proposal:

As you can see, a proposal generally consists of:

• Introduction : A brief overview of the problem, solution, costs, and benefits.
• Issue : The main definition of the issue, including subject, purpose, main argument, background information and importance.
• Solution : The main definition of the solution, including your step-by-step plan, the benefits, and how potential obstacles will be overcame.
• Qualifications : Overview of the personnel required, experience.
• Conclusion of the costs and benefits, and wrap-up : Balance the cost against the benefit, reinforce your point one last time.

1. Identify and define your reader

Just like with any kind of persuasion, it helps if you understand how to appeal to your audience. Who will be reading your proposal and deciding if it’s accepted or rejected? What do they care about? What kind of language and benefits would resonate with them? This is the first step because it’s an important thing to keep in mind as you go along and as information that informs the way you write from here on.

2. Define the problem your proposal will solve

Who : Who will the proposal affect?

What : What’s the reason for you to write the proposal in the first place? Explain the current situation and the problems that come with it.

3. Define the solution

How : How are you going to solve the problem? Explain step-by-step in detail.

Who : Identify the personnel you need, along with their prior experience to add persuasion to the proposal

4. Conclusion: costs, benefits and wrap-up

Reiterate : The purpose and main argument

Costs : Break down the projected costs involved for different elements of the project

Benefits : Break down the benefits to the organization, monetary and non-monetary, to persuade the reader there’ll be a return on investment

Thanks : Thank the reader for their time.

Contact information : Where can the reader get in touch with you? Make sure to be crystal clear to make the details easily discoverable.

Clear writing is your best friend when you’re trying to write persuasively. For that reason, there are a few checks to run before you submit your proposal.

Remember, what’s clear to you might not always be clear to other people.

1 .Check for jargon (then destroy it)

Although jargon is popular in the business world, not everyone shares the equal love for it. It’s terms like right-size, blue sky (verb), turn-key, and synergize. They might mean something to you, or make you feel intelligent, but there are simpler alternatives that will help people understand what you mean !

2. Change the passive voice to the active voice

The passive voice is defined as :

“The noun or noun phrase that would be the object of an active sentence (such as Our troops defeated the enemy) appears as the subject of a sentence with passive voice (e.g. The enemy was defeated by our troops).”.

It’s a long-winded way of expressing something that could be expressed in simple terms:

The passive voice sounds distant and even deceptive, and, since the reader might even just be skimming your proposal, you don’t want to add extra words to cloud your point.

3. Proofread the proposal

Install a tool like Grammarly and check the proposal in an online text editor. Grammarly will manage to pick up on anything that is grammatically incorrect and sometimes even flags up stylistically poor phrases. Poor spelling and grammar will only discredit the value of what you’re saying and could be a problem that leads to your proposal being rejected.

As promised, check out the below five templates that have each been designed by the team at Process Street — makers of the finest remote work software for processes around — to help you write winning proposals.

Proposal Template Checklist Process

This proposal template is a checklist that should be used alongside the proposal document you are planning to submit. Use it to make sure that all the elements have been considered, that the proposal contains everything it needs to and that it meets all set requirements.

Click here to access the Proposal Template Checklist Process!

Business Proposal Template Checklist

Whether your business proposal is solicited or unsolicited, use this business proposal template checklist to ensure you include all the required information in your proposal and cover key areas such as these the problem the organization is facing, the proposed solution, the budget, and a key CTA.

Click here to access the Business Proposal Template Checklist!

How to Write a Grant Proposal Checklist

Use this template to make sure your grant proposal includes all the relevant information, that it contains everything it needs to, and that it meets all stated RFP requirements.

Click here to access the How to Write a Grant Proposal Checklist!

Research Proposal Example Checklist

Use this template to convince others that you have a worthwhile research project and that you have the competence and the work-plan to complete it.

Click here to access the Research Proposal Example Checklist!

Project Proposal Template Checklist

Use this template, alongside the proposal document you are planning to submit, to set the project vision, define the project requirements, describe the deliverables, and specify the deadlines.

Click here to access the Project Proposal Template Checklist!

If you’re looking for more inspiration, give these alternative proposal writing templates a go too.

• Bid Proposal Template Checklist
• Budget Proposal Template
• Construction Proposal Template Checklist
• Consulting Proposal Template Checklist
• Continuation Project Proposal Template
• Contractor Proposal Template Checklist
• Event Proposal Template Checklist
• Marketing Proposal Template Checklist
• Project Proposal Template
• Renewal Project Proposal Template
• Simple Proposal Format Checklist
• Sponsorship Proposal Template Checklist
• Supplemental Project Proposal Template
• Website Proposal Template Checklist

If the above templates don’t quite fit your company, industry, or the proposal document you are writing, don’t worry!

Process Street to the rescue!

Process Street is super-powered checklists . We are a super-charged, state of the art BPM SaaS platform which allows you to create templates and run individual checklists from these. You can check tasks off as you work through them, set deadlines, request approvals, assign various tasks , and work through your proposal workflows with ease.

Watch this to get an idea about who we are and what we do:

To help you customize your proposal writing template, and make your proposal wriitng easier, you can use all these different types of Process Street features:

• Dynamic due dates
• Task permissions
• Conditional logic
• Approval tasks
• Embed widget
• Role assignments

You can also connect your templates to thousands of apps through Zapier , webhooks, or API access to automate your proposal processes and workflows.

If you’re unfamiliar with process automation, what it means, and the benefits it can bring to your business, watch this Process Street webinar on automation:

Remember, if you want to get access to any of our proposal writing checklists, just click the links above and they will be added to your Process Street account where you can use them over and over again. Or, if you haven’t yet signed up for a Process Street account, click here and start your free trial.

Has this guide helped you out? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

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Benjamin Brandall

Benjamin Brandall is a content marketer at Process Street .

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How to Write a Proposal for a Project (With Examples)

An excellent project proposal should address the client’s main concerns and goals, sell your unique approach, and clarify the project process.

If the project is crystal clear to both you and your client, you can reduce confusion, scope creep , and complaints.

In this guide to writing proposals for projects, we dive into what this type of proposal must include and how to write one. Plus, we showcase excellent examples to copy and data-driven best practices to follow.

What’s in this guide:

What is a project proposal?

What to include in a project proposal, how to write a project proposal.

Examples of project proposals

Tips for writing a project proposal

Looking for proposal templates, automated follow-ups, and closing insights? Get a custom Proposify demo .

12 min. read

A project proposal is sent by a design, consulting, or other type of firm to a potential client in order to present important project details like deliverables, timelines, expected outcomes, and costs. When the terms of service are included, a signed project proposal can double as a contract for the legal protection of both parties.

A project proposal is not to be confused with a request for proposal (RFP), which is sent by a corporation or government agency to multiple consulting firms in order to receive the maximum amount of proposals and pricing options for a project that they’ve already defined internally.

A project proposal, on the other hand, is created as part of a consultative selling process and can benefit a client even if they don’t move forward with the work because of the helpful project breakdown.

Types of project proposals

There are many different types of project proposals, from different lengths to fee structures.

Project length:

Short, one-time project

Longer, phased project

Retainer or ongoing project

Paid discovery or audit project

Payment type:

Hourly with estimated hours

Hourly with min and max hour range

Hybrid flat rate and hourly (common in interior design, event planning, and other fields with hard costs and hourly costs)

Industries:

Website design

Graphic design

Architecture and engineering

Construction and property services

Commercial leasing

Interior design

Event planning

Software subscriptions

Administrative management

Payroll and HR management

Market research and analysis

Software development

Product development

Solicitation types:

Solicited proposals sent in response to an RFPs

Unsolicited proposals sent without a prior RFP

A successful project proposal will include all or most of these important sections. You can mix and match them with your own templates or AI writing tools to craft the perfect project proposal outline.

The cover page is the easiest page to write.

It typically includes:

Your company’s name

The client’s name or project name

A photograph or graphic design

You might also choose to include your contact information on the cover page, but this is usually reserved for the About Us page or a dedicated contact page.

Executive summary or letter

The executive summary is where you offer an overview of your methodology and the proposed project. Consider it elevator pitch. Shoot to write approximately 75 - 200 words.

Use this free AI-enabled character counter to help both get through writer's block as well as make sure your executive summary is the right length.

Many other parts of the proposal will be written as bullet points or very short phrases, so use this section to really paint the full picture of the project with language that is on-brand.

Goals or objectives

You can include the project goals and objectives of the client in the executive summary, in the project summary, or in a section dedicated just for this purpose.

You might write 75 - 150 words describing the goals, or utilize a bulleted list of 3-8 goals.

The approach section can go by a lot of different names, such as “solution” or “methodology.” In this section, you’re describing the strategy behind your approach. It sets the stage for the project details and budget to follow.

This is particularly important when winning over new clients who aren’t familiar with what sets your business apart from the competition.

A catering company might use this proposal page to talk about the sort of experience or quality of food they provide.

Meanwhile, a marketing company might include its brand ethos or core beliefs here.

Project summary and deliverables

While the previous section is about the strategy, this section is all about the specifics. Spell out exactly what you’ll do for the client.

Here’s what you might include in the project summary:

A quick description of the project

A list of project deliverables

A description of project phases with their own deliverables

A project timeline or roadmap

Your project management process

The collaboration or communication software you plan to use

Measurable or specific milestones in the project

A description of the project team and the talent included

About the company

You can write an About Us page, an Our Team page, or both. An About Us page should include a description of what your company does, your target audience, and the results you provide. An Our Team page will feature bios of important people on your team.

You need to spell out the project costs. Depending on the nature of your business, you might show a flat rate project total, your hourly rate alongside the number of estimated hours , or a variety of package options for the client to choose from.

Terms and conditions

Next up: terms and conditions. When using a proposal management software with e-signatures , your proposal can work as a binding contract. Include your master service agreement and allow the project summary to serve as the statement of work.

Social proof and samples

Prospective clients will need some reassurance to help them trust your business.

Consider including:

Testimonials

Star rating averages

Portfolio pieces

Work samples

Mini case studies

Ready to pitch a new project? Here’s a step-by-step process to create a winning project proposal.

1. Discover the client’s needs

The first step is to understand the client’s current challenges and goals. As part of your discovery process, you might conduct a single sales call, or several.

Some companies actually charge for a longer discovery or audit process, and use a proposal to sell that introductory service. They will then later upsell that client on a project based on their findings with a custom proposal. However, most firms conduct the discovery process for free and then make project recommendations in their first proposal.

2. Define their core problem and goals

Next, you’ll want to distill everything the client has shared with you. You might take some time to gather your notes, talk it through with a colleague, and then determine the most important objectives. These project objectives will guide all further decisions.

3. Determine the best approach to serve them

Now it’s time to decide which method or approach will lead to project success. If you have a templatized project process and always serve similar clients, you can offer your usual solution.

But if you offer custom work unique to each client, then you’ll need to decide on the approach. For example, an event planner might decide to offer event marketing, registration, setup, and breakdown services if a client doesn’t have any in-house resources, but they might only offer setup and breakdown if the client has in-house marketing and ticketing specialists.

4. Breakdown the project into deliverables, timelines, etc.

Now that you’ve done your research and decided what to pitch to the client, it’s time to break the project down.

Determine the project costs or pricing options, break up work into phases, and clarify deliverables. You can jot this down on a piece of paper or work directly inside of a proposal template .

5. Add all necessary sections and details to your proposal

Write out your proposal and make sure that you’ve covered all of the bases. It’s worth noting that longer isn’t necessarily better. Through our analysis of 1 million proposals, we found that winning proposals have 7 sections and 11 pages on average .

The most common proposal structure is:

Executive summary

Approach or solution

Deliverables

Keep in mind that you can alter and rename these sections to match your services and unique brand voice. Leverage an AI writing generator to help brainstorm content while you work on the sections of your proposal.

6. Send the proposal to the client (with e-signatures)

Now it’s time to send the proposal. You can save time and reduce your software needs by using one software for both proposals and contracts. Just make sure that you’ve included your terms and conditions.

Proposals with e-signatures assigned to both the sender and recipient have a 426% higher closing rate. And if you sign the proposal first (before the client opens it), you’ll increase your chances of closing by a further 36.8%.

7. Handle change requests promptly

Be on hand to make changes per client requests, whether they want to change the project scope or adjust contractual language because of their picky legal team.

Being asked to revise a proposal isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, proposals that are revised a couple of times are more likely to close.

5 examples of proposals for a project

Need some inspiration? These project proposals offer examples of exactly what to include in your next pitch.

1. Printing project with optional items

This printing proposal offers an excellent example of how to clearly communicate your pricing and offer interactive options. When we analyzed 1 million proposals sent with our platform, we found that proposals with fee tables have a 35.8% higher closing rate than those without and that proposals with editable quantities have an 18.5% higher closing rate.

You can use this proposal template with your free trial of Proposify and easily customize it for your unique business offerings.

This example project proposal template includes these sections:

Our Services

Sample Work

Your Investment

2. Marketing proposal with project timeline

A project timeline is an important part of any project proposal. This marketing proposal template offers a great example of how to share this timeline in a simple format.

Break your project down into distinct steps so the client knows exactly what to expect.

This example proposal template includes the following sections:

Overview & Goals

Scope of Services

3. Accounting project with goals and batches of work

Our next example is an accounting proposal .

This proposal stands out because it includes the client’s goals in the Project Summary section. See those short and sweet bullet points? They serve as a smart way to let the client know that you understand their goals and will be able to satisfy them.

This proposal also includes a breakdown of work that is categorized into four different batches, or chunks: QuickBooks Startup, Data Migration, QuickBooks Data Build, Overall (throughout the project). You can use this example when breaking down a project into different stages or services.

Access this accounting proposal template with a paid subscription or a free trial of Proposify.

The template includes the following sections:

Project Summary

Work Proposal

4. Construction project with project summary and exclusions

Do you need to include exclusions in your proposals? If the type of work you offer is contingent on other service providers or lends itself to complications, then you might want to start adding exclusions. This can help protect your business from the many risks associated with project scope confusion or misaligned expectations.

This construction proposal template , available inside of Proposify, offers a perfect example of an exclusion section, which follows what is included in the project.

The project proposal template includes the following sections:

Cover Letter

Meet Our Team

Previous Projects

Project Schedule

5. Event management project with hourly work estimates

Event planning is complicated—that’s exactly why the event industry serves as a great example of how to charge for both hourly work and fixed costs at the same time.

You can access this event planning proposal template with your Proposify account (check it out with a free trial ).

In the Budget section, the proposal kicks things off with a fee table including all of the hourly costs .

This project proposal also has a second fee table to estimate the hard costs , such as catering and photography, and the hourly costs and hard costs are then added up for the full project total.

This template includes the following sections:

Introduction

Our Understanding of Your Needs

Writing a great proposal is a lot of work.

Here are some project proposal best practices that will help you save time and get better results:

Create templates for different services, projects, or clients. The faster you send a proposal, the more likely it is to close. Try creating a few different templates to make it easy to generate a new proposal based on the clients’ unique needs. And of course, you can always speed up the process by beginning with one of our templates .

Get the client’s opinion on your plan before you turn it into a proposal. Try pitching your project idea to the client at the end of the sales call. Check to see their reaction. If they love what you’ve suggested, turn that into your proposal. If not, ask what they have in mind. This way, you’ll create a proposal that is more likely to close.

Ask the client what they want the proposal to include. If your client has given you a detailed RFP , you’ll know exactly what to include in your proposal. If not, don’t be afraid to ask. Especially when working with large corporations and government agencies, your main point of contact should be able to share what all stakeholders will expect to see in the project plan.

Offer dynamic pricing options. Proposals with both optional rows and editable quantities have a 20.2% higher close rate. Consider add-ons and options that will cater to decision-makers while customizing and perfecting the project scope. Clients should be able to select the options directly in the business proposal to create an accurate project total in real-time and then sign off on it.

Include multimedia content in your proposal. Proposal content shouldn’t just be in a written format. Accompany your writing with mages and videos to help them visualize the project. Proposals with images are 72% more likely to close and proposals with videos are 41% more likely to close. Try including pictures of your team and your previous work and illustrations of your process or typical ROI.

Write and automate follow-up emails. Proposals with just one automated follow-up email are 35% more likely to close. If you use Proposify, you can easily turn on automated follow-ups for every proposal. You can use our follow-up email templates, or create your own templates for different types of clients or projects.

Next steps: write your own project proposal

An excellent project proposal should include the project roadmap, milestones, budget, and any supplemental information that will help the client really understand the value of the project and secure buy-in.

To make any proposal more likely to close, make sure you include multimedia content, pricing options, and e-signatures.

Proposify’s proposal templates , automated follow-ups, and viewing analytics can take your proposal closing game to a whole new level. Book a demo today.

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Home » Proposal – Types, Examples, and Writing Guide

Proposal – Types, Examples, and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Definition:

Proposal is a formal document or presentation that outlines a plan, idea, or project and seeks to persuade others to support or adopt it. Proposals are commonly used in business, academia, and various other fields to propose new initiatives, solutions to problems, research studies, or business ventures.

Proposal Layout

While the specific layout of a proposal may vary depending on the requirements or guidelines provided by the recipient, there are some common sections that are typically included in a standard proposal. Here’s a typical layout for a proposal:

• The title of the proposal.
• Your name or the name of your organization.
• Date of submission.
• A list of sections or headings with corresponding page numbers for easy navigation.
• An overview of the proposal, highlighting its key points and benefits.
• Summarize the problem or opportunity.
• Outline the proposed solution or project.
• Mention the expected outcomes or deliverables.
• Keep it concise and compelling.
• Provide background information about the issue or context.
• Explain the purpose and objectives of the proposal.
• Clarify the problem statement or opportunity that the proposal aims to address.
• Describe in detail the methodology , approach , or plan to achieve the objectives.
• Outline the steps or tasks involved in implementing the proposal.
• Explain how the proposed solution or project will be executed.
• Include a timeline or schedule to demonstrate the project’s timeline.
• Define the specific activities, tasks, or services to be provided.
• Clarify the deliverables and expected outcomes.
• Mention any limitations or exclusions, if applicable.
• Provide a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with the proposal.
• Include itemized expenses such as personnel, materials, equipment, and any other relevant costs.
• If applicable, include a justification for each cost.
• Introduce the individuals or team members involved in the proposal.
• Highlight their qualifications, expertise, and experience relevant to the project.
• Include their roles and responsibilities.
• Specify how the success of the proposal will be measured.
• Define evaluation criteria and metrics to assess the outcomes.
• Explain how progress will be tracked and reported.
• Recap the main points of the proposal.
• Reiterate the benefits and advantages of the proposed solution.
• Emphasize the value and importance of supporting or adopting the proposal.
• Include any additional documents, references, charts, graphs, or data that support your proposal.
• These can include resumes, letters of support, financial projections, or relevant research materials.

Types of Types of Proposals

When it comes to proposals, there are various types depending on the context and purpose. Here are some common types of proposals:

Business Proposal

This type of proposal is used in the business world to present a plan, idea, or project to potential clients, investors, or partners. It typically includes an executive summary, problem statement, proposed solution, timeline, budget, and anticipated outcomes.

Project Proposal

A project proposal is a detailed document that outlines the objectives, scope, methodology, deliverables, and budget of a specific project. It is used to seek approval and funding from stakeholders or clients.

Research Proposal

Research proposals are commonly used in academic or scientific settings. They outline the research objectives, methodology, timeline, expected outcomes, and potential significance of a research study. These proposals are submitted to funding agencies, universities, or research institutions.

Grant Proposal

Non-profit organizations, researchers, or individuals seeking funding for a project or program often write grant proposals. These proposals provide a detailed plan of the project, including goals, methods, budget, and expected outcomes, to convince grant-making bodies to provide financial support.

Sales Proposal

Sales proposals are used by businesses to pitch their products or services to potential customers. They typically include information about the product/service, pricing, features, benefits, and a persuasive argument to encourage the recipient to make a purchase.

Sponsorship Proposal

When seeking sponsorship for an event, sports team, or individual, a sponsorship proposal is created. It outlines the benefits for the sponsor, the exposure they will receive, and the financial or in-kind support required.

Marketing Proposal

A marketing proposal is developed by marketing agencies or professionals to present their strategies and tactics to potential clients. It includes an analysis of the target market, proposed marketing activities, budget, and expected results.

Policy Proposal

In the realm of government or public policy, individuals or organizations may create policy proposals to suggest new laws, regulations, or changes to existing policies. These proposals typically provide an overview of the issue, the proposed solution, supporting evidence, and potential impacts.

Training Proposal

Organizations often create training proposals to propose a training program for their employees. These proposals outline the training objectives, topics to be covered, training methods, resources required, and anticipated outcomes.

Partnership Proposal

When two or more organizations or individuals wish to collaborate or form a partnership, a partnership proposal is used to present the benefits, shared goals, responsibilities, and terms of the proposed partnership.

Event Proposal

Event planners or individuals organizing an event, such as a conference, concert, or wedding, may create an event proposal. It includes details about the event concept, venue, logistics, budget, marketing plan, and anticipated attendee experience.

Technology Proposal

Technology proposals are used to present new technological solutions, system upgrades, or IT projects to stakeholders or decision-makers. These proposals outline the technology requirements, implementation plan, costs, and anticipated benefits.

Construction Proposal

Contractors or construction companies create construction proposals to bid on construction projects. These proposals include project specifications, cost estimates, timelines, materials, and construction methodologies.

Book Proposal

Authors or aspiring authors create book proposals to pitch their book ideas to literary agents or publishers. These proposals include a synopsis of the book, target audience, marketing plan, author’s credentials, and sample chapters.

Social Media Proposal

Social media professionals or agencies create social media proposals to present their strategies for managing social media accounts, creating content, and growing online presence. These proposals include an analysis of the current social media presence, proposed tactics, metrics for success, and pricing.

Training and Development Proposal

Similar to training proposals, these proposals focus on the overall development and growth of employees within an organization. They may include plans for leadership development, skill enhancement, or professional certification programs.

Consulting Proposal

Consultants create consulting proposals to present their services and expertise to potential clients. These proposals outline the problem statement, proposed approach, scope of work, timeline, deliverables, and fees.

Policy Advocacy Proposal

Organizations or individuals seeking to influence public policy or advocate for a particular cause create policy advocacy proposals. These proposals present research, evidence, and arguments to support a specific policy change or reform.

Website Design Proposal

Web designers or agencies create website design proposals to pitch their services to clients. These proposals outline the project scope, design concepts, development process, timeline, and pricing.

Environmental Proposal

Environmental proposals are created to address environmental issues or propose conservation initiatives. These proposals may include strategies for renewable energy, waste management, biodiversity preservation, or sustainable practices.

Health and Wellness Proposal

Proposals related to health and wellness can cover a range of topics, such as wellness programs, community health initiatives, healthcare system improvements, or health education campaigns.

Human Resources (HR) Proposal

HR professionals may create HR proposals to introduce new policies, employee benefits programs, performance evaluation systems, or employee training initiatives within an organization.

Nonprofit Program Proposal

Nonprofit organizations seeking funding or support for a specific program or project create nonprofit program proposals. These proposals outline the program’s objectives, activities, target beneficiaries, budget, and expected outcomes.

Government Contract Proposal

When bidding for government contracts, businesses or contractors create government contract proposals. These proposals include details about the project, compliance with regulations, cost estimates, and qualifications.

Product Development Proposal

Businesses or individuals seeking to develop and launch a new product present product development proposals. These proposals outline the product concept, market analysis, development process, production costs, and marketing strategies.

Feasibility Study Proposal

Feasibility study proposals are used to assess the viability and potential success of a project or business idea. These proposals include market research, financial analysis, risk assessment, and recommendations for implementation.

Educational Program Proposal

Educational institutions or organizations create educational program proposals to introduce new courses, curricula, or educational initiatives. These proposals outline the program objectives, learning outcomes, curriculum design, and resource requirements.

Social Service Proposal

Organizations involved in social services, such as healthcare, community development, or social welfare, create social service proposals to seek funding, support, or partnerships. These proposals outline the social issue, proposed interventions, anticipated impacts, and sustainability plans.

Proposal Writing Guide

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with proposal writing:

• Understand the Requirements: Before you begin writing your proposal, carefully review any guidelines, instructions, or requirements provided by the recipient or organization. This will ensure that you meet their expectations and include all necessary information.
• Research and Gather Information: Conduct thorough research on the topic or project you are proposing. Collect relevant data, statistics, case studies, and any supporting evidence that strengthens your proposal. This will demonstrate your knowledge and credibility.
• Define the Problem or Opportunity: Clearly identify and articulate the problem or opportunity that your proposal aims to address. Provide a concise and compelling explanation of why it is important and relevant.
• State Your Objectives: Outline the specific objectives or goals of your proposal. What do you hope to achieve? Make sure your objectives are clear, measurable, and aligned with the needs of the recipient.
• Present Your Solution: Propose your solution or approach to the problem. Describe how your solution is unique, innovative, and effective. Provide a step-by-step plan or methodology, highlighting key activities, deliverables, and timelines.
• Demonstrate Benefits and Impact: Clearly outline the benefits and impact of your proposal. Explain how it will add value, solve the problem, or create positive change. Use evidence and examples to support your claims.
• Develop a Budget: If applicable, include a detailed budget that outlines the costs associated with implementing your proposal. Be transparent and realistic about expenses, and clearly explain how the funding will be allocated.
• Address Potential Risks and Mitigation Strategies: Identify any potential risks, challenges, or obstacles that may arise during the implementation of your proposal. Offer strategies or contingency plans to mitigate these risks and ensure the success of your project.
• Provide Supporting Documentation: Include any supporting documents that add credibility to your proposal. This may include resumes or bios of key team members, letters of support or partnership, relevant certifications, or past success stories.
• Write Clearly and Concisely: Use clear and concise language to communicate your ideas effectively. Avoid jargon or technical terms that may confuse or alienate the reader. Structure your proposal with headings, subheadings, and bullet points to enhance readability.
• Proofread and Edit: Carefully review your proposal for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. Ensure that it is well-organized, coherent, and flows logically. Consider asking someone else to review it for feedback and suggestions.
• Include a Professional Cover Letter: If appropriate, attach a cover letter introducing your proposal. This letter should summarize the key points, express your enthusiasm, and provide contact information for further discussion.
• Follow Submission Instructions: Follow the specific instructions for submitting your proposal. This may include submitting it electronically, mailing it, or delivering it in person. Pay attention to submission deadlines and any additional requirements.
• Follow Up: After submitting your proposal, consider following up with the recipient to ensure they received it and address any questions or concerns they may have. This shows your commitment and professionalism.

Purpose of Proposal

The purpose of a proposal is to present a plan, idea, project, or solution to a specific audience in a persuasive and compelling manner. Proposals are typically written documents that aim to:

• Convince and Persuade: The primary purpose of a proposal is to convince the recipient or decision-makers to accept and support the proposed plan or idea. It is important to present a strong case, providing evidence, logical reasoning, and clear benefits to demonstrate why the proposal should be approved.
• Seek Approval or Funding: Proposals often seek approval or funding for a project, program, research study, business venture, or initiative. The purpose is to secure the necessary resources, whether financial, human, or technical, to implement the proposed endeavor.
• Solve Problems or Address Opportunities: Proposals are often developed in response to a problem, challenge, or opportunity. The purpose is to provide a well-thought-out solution or approach that effectively addresses the issue or leverages the opportunity for positive outcomes.
• Present a Comprehensive Plan : Proposals outline a comprehensive plan, including objectives, strategies, methodologies, timelines, budgets, and anticipated outcomes. The purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility, practicality, and potential success of the proposed plan.
• Inform and Educate: Proposals provide detailed information and analysis to educate the audience about the subject matter. They offer a thorough understanding of the problem or opportunity, the proposed solution, and the potential impact.
• Establish Credibility: Proposals aim to establish the credibility and expertise of the individual or organization presenting the proposal. They demonstrate the knowledge, experience, qualifications, and track record that make the proposer capable of successfully executing the proposed plan.
• I nitiate Collaboration or Partnerships: Proposals may serve as a means to initiate collaboration, partnerships, or contractual agreements. They present an opportunity for individuals, organizations, or entities to work together towards a common goal or project.
• Provide a Basis for Decision-Making: Proposals offer the information and analysis necessary for decision-makers to evaluate the merits and feasibility of the proposed plan. They provide a framework for informed decision-making, allowing stakeholders to assess the risks, benefits, and potential outcomes.

When to write a Proposal

Proposals are typically written in various situations when you need to present a plan, idea, or project to a specific audience. Here are some common scenarios when you may need to write a proposal:

• Business Opportunities: When you identify a business opportunity, such as a potential client or partnership, you may write a proposal to pitch your products, services, or collaboration ideas.
• Funding or Grants: If you require financial support for a project, research study, non-profit program, or any initiative, you may need to write a proposal to seek funding from government agencies, foundations, or philanthropic organizations.
• Project Planning: When you plan to undertake a project, whether it’s a construction project, software development, event organization, or any other endeavor, writing a project proposal helps outline the objectives, deliverables, timelines, and resource requirements.
• Research Studies: In academic or scientific settings, researchers write research proposals to present their study objectives, research questions, methodology, anticipated outcomes, and potential significance to funding bodies, universities, or research institutions.
• Business Development: If you’re expanding your business, launching a new product or service, or entering a new market, writing a business proposal helps outline your plans, strategies, market analysis, and financial projections to potential investors or partners.
• Partnerships and Collaborations: When seeking partnerships, collaborations, or joint ventures with other organizations or individuals, writing a partnership proposal helps communicate the benefits, shared goals, responsibilities, and terms of the proposed partnership.
• Policy or Advocacy Initiatives: When advocating for a particular cause, addressing public policy issues, or proposing policy changes, writing a policy proposal helps outline the problem, proposed solutions, supporting evidence, and potential impacts.
• Contract Bidding: If you’re bidding for contracts, whether in government or private sectors, writing a proposal is necessary to present your capabilities, expertise, resources, and pricing to potential clients or procurement departments.
• Consulting or Service Contracts: If you offer consulting services, professional expertise, or specialized services, writing a proposal helps outline your approach, deliverables, fees, and timeline to potential clients.

Importance of Proposal

Proposals play a significant role in numerous areas and have several important benefits. Here are some key reasons why proposals are important:

• Communication and Clarity: Proposals serve as a formal means of communication, allowing you to clearly articulate your plan, idea, or project to others. By presenting your proposal in a structured format, you ensure that your message is conveyed effectively, minimizing misunderstandings and confusion.
• Decision-Making Tool: Proposals provide decision-makers with the necessary information and analysis to make informed choices. They offer a comprehensive overview of the proposal, including objectives, strategies, timelines, budgets, and anticipated outcomes. This enables stakeholders to evaluate the proposal’s feasibility, alignment with goals, and potential return on investment.
• Accountability and Documentation: Proposals serve as a written record of commitments, responsibilities, and expectations. Once a proposal is approved, it becomes a reference point for all parties involved, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and accountable for their roles and obligations.
• Planning and Organization: Writing a proposal requires thorough planning and organization. It compels you to define objectives, outline strategies, consider potential risks, and create a timeline. This process helps you think critically about the proposal, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas that require further refinement.
• Persuasion and Influence: Proposals are persuasive documents that aim to convince others to support or approve your plan. By presenting a well-constructed proposal, supported by evidence, logical reasoning, and benefits, you enhance your ability to influence decision-makers and stakeholders.
• Resource Allocation and Funding: Many proposals are written to secure resources, whether financial, human, or technical. A compelling proposal can increase the likelihood of obtaining funding, grants, or other resources needed to execute a project or initiative successfully.
• Partnership and Collaboration Opportunities: Proposals enable you to seek partnerships, collaborations, or joint ventures with other organizations or individuals. By presenting a clear proposal that outlines the benefits, shared goals, responsibilities, and terms, you increase the likelihood of forming mutually beneficial relationships.
• Professionalism and Credibility: A well-written proposal demonstrates professionalism, expertise, and credibility. It showcases your ability to analyze complex issues, develop effective strategies, and present ideas in a concise and persuasive manner. This can enhance your reputation and increase trust among stakeholders.
• Continual Improvement: The process of writing proposals encourages you to refine your ideas, explore alternatives, and seek feedback. It provides an opportunity for reflection and refinement, ultimately leading to continuous improvement in your plans and approaches.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Key Solutions Blog

The complete newbie’s guide to a career in proposal writing.

Aug 13, 2019

So, you’re about to start proposal writing for the first time. Maybe you’re transitioning careers, or maybe you’re a recent college graduate, stepping into government contracting culture for the very first time. 

Either way, congratulations are in order. Way to go! You’re about to start a new career in an exciting and challenging field.

A proposal writer, whether in the public or private sector, is many things: a salesman, a technical writer, a copy editor, a consultant, and a coffee addict. Well, maybe that last one is just me, but my point is that it’s a complicated job. It’s certainly a lot to keep in mind all at once, especially if everything is brand new to you, and if you’re anything like myself, a lot of questions will come crashing through your head like a tidal wave.

What’s the difference between compliance and responsiveness? What happens during Color Team reviews ? Where do I fit into the proposal process? And what’s with all the acronyms?

Answering those kind of questions is not the purpose of this article. I’m very new myself, with much to still learn and do. But I do have a few tips from my own experience on how to best learn and acclimate that might prove helpful to other newbies, especially those fresh out of college or unfamiliar with proposals in general.

1. Post-hire, but before you start, ask for resources to study:

So, you’ve got the job and are going to be a proposal writer. That’s great! But soon you’ll have to actually do it. After accepting, ask your point of contact in the company for any study guides or resource recommendations they could provide.

Don’t feel like you’re being judged for asking. Your new boss knows you’re green, and more than likely will be happy to help. They’ll probably be impressed by your initiative and feel reassured in their hiring of you. You might receive some of their company’s standard new-hire materials, or they may direct you to some outside sources. Either way, take what they give you and study up!

2. Once you’ve started, ask if you can get a “tour” of each department:

This was something I didn’t think to ask for, but am grateful my company had me go through. I got to spend a week shadowing our different departments and learning about what goes on in each one. One day it was Production, then it was Business Development, Marketing, and even Human Resources. It was insightful to learn how exactly all the moving parts mesh together, and I gained a deeper understanding of the proposal process beyond my own purview as a writer.

Plus, it really helps to know who’s who. Establishing trusting and cordial relationships is an important first step. A proposal team is a team, first and foremost. You’re going to need these people, so make sure you know who they are and what they do.

3. Learn about the APMP, and get an early start on the road towards certification:

The Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) is, according to their website, “the worldwide authority for professionals dedicated to the process of winning business through proposals, bids, tenders, and presentations.” They establish best practices, are the global standard in our industry, and the only provider of professional certifications for those working in proposals.

APMP certifications have three levels, but new folks should concern themselves with the Foundation Level . Certification at the Foundation Level indicates you understand best practices, and necessitates passing a 75-question online test that covers all aspects of the proposal process. APMP certifications are becoming more common among proposal professionals and clients really value them. Invest in the APMP study guide , hit the books, and get started!

4. Take a Training Workshop:

This is one to talk to your employer about, because outside training workshops can be expensive. That said, they are priceless, and there’s nothing like some low-stakes practice to get you ready for the real game. Proposal consulting agencies often offer these to the public. Ask your employer for recommendations, and try to find one that covers both proposal writing and proposal management. That way, you’re learning the nitty gritty details of the process while also gaining a bird’s eye view of the whole proposal lifecycle.

5. Know your programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Reader, etc.):

You need to know more than just how to type, paste in a photo, or save a document. Your clients will be looking to you as the subject matter expert on writing, formatting, and editing within these programs, so you’ll need to be fluent in them. There are plenty of articles and blogs on the internet devoted to this kind of knowledge. Find a few favorites and save them as references. Knowing keyboard shortcuts will save you lots of time and frustration. Make the effort to learn them. Most of these programs have useful features that may not be common knowledge. Know these too!

If you don’t know where to look or are seeking some cool tricks, ask your coworkers! Most of the links I just provided came from Emily Arnold, one of my mentors and teammates here at Key Solutions. She wrote the resource below. 

This is imperative. This will save your life. This will make you the smartest, hippest, coolest person in the room. Once again, you’re the subject matter expert here. It’s your job to make sure the proposal language is working effectively. There are blogs , textbooks, style guides , and YouTube videos. Know punctuation . Know spelling . Know active voice . Know grammar! It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyways) that good grammar is the first step in becoming a better writer and an invaluable editor for your team.

7. Be Adaptable & Ask for Feedback:

Once you’re getting put on jobs, don’t be picky. Take the assignments given and do your best with them. Even if it’s just something small and you’re copy editing or building a matrix, do it and do your best. Any practice is good practice when you’re new, and if you’re doing a task for the first time, it’s a good idea to ask for feedback once you submit your deliverable, just to make sure you’re on the right track. Asking for feedback shows you’re committed to doing good work. If the feedback is positive, it’s a confidence booster! Pat yourself on the back. If it’s negative, don’t be too hard on yourself. Use it as a roadmap for improvement going forward.

8. Be Willing to Make Sacrifices:

The proposal life is rewarding, but not meant for the faint of heart. There will be sudden deadlines that will require strenuous mental effort and long, late hours. There will be days when you must work through lunch or well into the night, when the coffee machine is your best friend, and when you’re replying to emails almost as quickly as you’re receiving them. Pressure will come, but don’t let it break your spirit.

Remember when you find yourself in these situations that it’s only temporary, and make sure to keep perspective. Sure, things might be rough now, but it’s all so you can put food on the table, win business for your company, help out your clients, and contribute to your team. When things are unpleasant, it’s therapeutic to look at the situation as it exists outside you and your emotions. Observe how your efforts are making a positive difference for someone else, and feel good about the sacrifices you’re making.

9. Be Friendly & Be Helpful:

This is one I really take to heart, and applies no matter what the job. Make sure to always smile and never hold back on the “good morning’s” and “how are you’s”. Ask thoughtful questions and get to know your teammates and clients. Make sure your enthusiasm to learn and eagerness to do good work are apparent. Offer to help others when it’s appropriate, but don’t be a pest. Let folks get on with their own days and to-do lists. But especially when you’re first starting out, make it clear you’re happy to be there and ready to pitch in at a moment’s notice.

That’s how you learn. Attitude makes all the difference.

10. Invest in a Solid Capture & Proposal Guide:

Finally, one last tip just for those of you working in federal contracting. Federal proposals come with their own rules and specifications, and there are lots of resources out there for folks trying to learn more about the nuances of proposal writing in the public sector. There are t elevision series , blogs , and Podcasts . All great, and I recommend you study them. But what you really need is something you can carry with you, that you can take notes in, and that you can reference on site when you’re with your clients or team. Our KSI Advantage© Capture & Proposal Guide is easy to understand, comprehensive, and perfect for both beginners and veterans of the federal proposal process. Get one today!

In Conclusion:

With proposals, there’s certainly a lot to learn. A proposal writer must be flexible and multifaceted, able to write Theme Statements, résumés, Past Performance, and technical content with equal style and skill. You need to know how to take technical details and turn them into a compelling story. You need to know how translate the experiences of SMEs into proposal language. Perhaps most importantly, you need to know how sell your products and services while making your customer, and not your company, the star.

But with patience, hard work, and having the right attitude, you’ll be great at it before you know it!

Topics: Proposal Writing Proposal Career Development Proposal Newbies

Written by Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC

Jake Lamarche is a Proposal Development and Technical Writing Professional. He is certified at the Foundation Level by APMP and is also a Certified Professional Technical Communicator. In his free time, he enjoys writing fiction and is a volunteer editor for an online literary magazine.

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Open Access

Ten simple rules for a successful EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral (MSCA) fellowship application

* E-mail: [email protected]

Affiliation Exercise Biology Group, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

Affiliation Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

Affiliation Unit of Health Research and Biotechnology, Bavarian Research Alliance GmbH, Munich & Nuremberg, Germany

• Philipp Baumert, 
• Francesco Cenni, 
• Mikhail L. Antonkine

Published: August 18, 2022

• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010371
• Reader Comments

Citation: Baumert P, Cenni F, Antonkine ML (2022) Ten simple rules for a successful EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral (MSCA) fellowship application. PLoS Comput Biol 18(8): e1010371. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010371

Copyright: © 2022 Baumert et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Funding: P.B, as part of the EuroTech Postdoc Programme, is co-funded by the European Commission under its framework programme Horizon 2020. Grant Agreement number 754462. F.C. is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101028724. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing interests: We have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: P.B. and F.C were (partly) funded by the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship. However, this paper was not part of their MSCA Postdoctoral fellowship projects. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. M.L.A. has declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

The success of an academic career is dependent upon research accomplishments. The single most important factor for the success of a researcher on the academic job market is the scientific output, i.e., published papers [ 1 ], accompanied by other factors such as networking and participating in science communication. Academic mobility helps to create international collaborations and is seen very positively in job applications. Only 4% of researchers move to a new country, but mobile scholars have about 40% higher citation rates compared to non-mobile colleagues [ 2 ]. Further, researchers need to raise funding to successfully execute their own projects and to gain scientific independence. For this, postdocs and principal investigators need to know how to win grants independently [ 3 , 4 ].

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) specifically support the aforementioned factors and help researchers to develop their skillsets. The MSCA is part of the ninth European research and innovation framework programme Horizon Europe and is the European Union’s (EU) flagship career development support programme with a budget totalling €6.6 billion from 2021 to 2027. The programme comprises a set of major research funding schemes including the renowned MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, Doctoral Networks, Staff Exchanges, Co-funding of regional, national, and international programmes (COFUND), and MSCA Citizens schemes.

The aim of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are to enhance the creative and innovative potential of postdoctoral researchers with new skillsets acquired through advanced training as well as international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral mobility. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships support researchers with a doctoral degree and a maximum of 8 years of post-graduate experience. The mobility of researchers is a key requirement in all MSCA schemes. There is a general rule that researchers cannot have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the host institution for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the call deadline. This requirement is intended to direct researchers holding a PhD to move abroad to work on cutting-edge research projects. In the new Horizon Europe framework programme, there are 2 types of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships. The European Postdoctoral Fellowships support a stay of up to 24 months in any European host institution. The Global Postdoctoral Fellowships include an “outgoing phase” of 12 to 24 months to a host institution in a non-European country, followed by a mandatory “return phase” of 12 months at a host institution based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. In the MSCA programme, a host institution can be a public (university or research institute) or a private (company, university, or research institute) entity. Further opportunities to review include MSCA COFUND actions. These are schemes of doctoral and post-doctoral research training programmes, which are partly funded by the EU/MSCA. These schemes have more tailored eligibility criteria and sometimes have smaller budgets. However, the application success rate of these MSCA COFUND actions is usually higher.

A successful application for the prestigious MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship is associated with multiple positive long-term career developments, such as an improved likelihood of developing international collaborations, as well as producing more and better-cited publications in high impact journals. These are important stepping-stones for achieving principal investigator and professor positions, thus MSCA fellows are more successful at advanced career stages [ 5 , 6 ]. The positive effects on the career progress of the successful MSCA applicants can be partly attributed to the training aspects that go along with the MSCA Fellowship. Furthermore, reviewers of MSCA Fellowship applications are able to make a rough assessment of the most promising leading scientists in the next generation, who then predictably have successful scientific careers [ 5 , 7 ].

Despite the impressive total of 1,156 supported applicants in the year 2021 alone, the success rate of the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship programme is between 10% to 16% depending on the year and scientific area [ 8 ], highlighting its competitiveness. This paper shares 10 simple rules for preparation of a successful Postdoctoral Fellowship and COFUND application in the MSCA scheme. However, the application process for the other EU funding schemes is similar and much of our advice can be more broadly applied. Focusing on the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship application sets this paper apart from 2 other valuable contributions previously published in the “Ten simple rules…” series, as these publications shared more general guidance for (Postdoc fellowship) applications [ 9 , 10 ]. The team of authors is composed of recent MSCA postdoctoral fellows and reviewers who have evaluated MSCA applications for several years.

Rule 1: Familiarise yourself with the MSCA funding programme and do not hesitate to ask for help

Make sure that you understand the overall logic as well as specific requirements of the MSCA programme. This helps you to develop your idea in the proper context and to successfully address both the call text as well as specific questions and points in the project template. Review the most up-to-date MSCA Guide for Applicants , which you can find on the European Commission website. There you can also find relevant guides for more specific issues (e.g., ethics). For MSCA, as well as for other programmes, the EU publishes the evaluation form well before the submission deadline. It can help you to better understand what is expected from your proposal and allow you to look at it from the reviewers’ perspective. If you have questions after reading these documents, do not hesitate to ask the persons in your institution responsible for EU funding or your national contact point (free of charge) for help and explanations. Further, free seminars and webinars that explain the current EU framework programme and the MSCA funding scheme are offered frequently from the regional to the EU level. Note that attending such an event in person presents you with an excellent networking opportunity. The better you understand the aim and the structure of the MSCA fellowship, the better you can design your application.

Rule 2: Be sure to develop a competitive CV

The overall aim of your MSCA (or any other fellowship) application is to convince reviewers that you, along with your project idea, are worthy of being funded. Ideally, you have published one or more first author papers, showing a publication track record that is above average for your career stage and research field. However, the widespread belief that a successful MSCA applicant needs to have published a CNS (cell, nature, and science) paper is not correct [ 6 ]. There is also a vicious cycle of not getting grants unless you demonstrate that you are capable of winning funding [ 11 ]. To break the vicious cycle, it is helpful to apply for smaller grants first (e.g., travel grants, internal university grants, national fellowships). A proven grant history will help you to convince EU reviewers that you will be able to complete your project and you, together with your proposed project, are worthy of being funded.

Rule 3: Develop your idea properly

Your idea is the heart of the entire process. It should be clear that you know the relevant literature comprehensively and which knowledge gap you plan to address. New ideas do not come fully formed, but are often developed and refined through a long process of reading, writing, and discussing with your peers. You can develop your research field by addressing a research question with a new state-of-the-art methodology. Conversely, you might be an expert on a particular methodology and you can use this tool for investigating a new research field. In both cases, an international expert in this methodology or research field could be your new host (see Rule 4 ). Choose a topic that you are passionate about, since in the best-case scenario, you will be successful and you will stay with it for several years. Take your time to develop your idea thoroughly, to make it clear and understandable, so that you feel comfortable to discuss it with colleagues and your future host. If the concept is not yet clear in your mind, how will you then be able to convince reviewers? Also, keep in mind the feasibility of realising your idea: The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship will support you for up to 2 years and the Global Fellowship for 3 years, so you need to have the required expertise (from you, from the host, and, if useful, also from external partners) and a reasonable time plan.

Try to put your research idea into a broader perspective. When thinking about your project, consider how it can contribute to tackling the challenges identified in Horizon Europe and the EU missions, as well as to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Do not be overwhelmed by this: Nobody expects you to solve these big problems, but rather to consider how your work could fit into the overall strategy of addressing them. This will greatly help you in writing the “Impact” section of your MSCA application later (see Rule 7 ). The amount of time required for preparing your application is clearly subjective, but according to our experiences, you should expect to spend at least 2 full months doing so, including the reviewing process of others.

Rule 4: Find a good match with the host institution

Start early with finding your host lab and host organisation. Of course, you should look carefully at the track record of your future supervisor, especially with regard to scientific publications, experience in training PhD students and postdocs, success with funding acquisition, and overall academic reputation. Also, choosing international universities that are rated as excellent will increase your chance of receiving funding [ 12 ]. It is crucial to find an academically strong host that has expertise complementary to yours, with people, resources, and facilities suitable for implementing your project idea. Note that these points are not only important for achieving the aims of your project, but are also important questions during evaluation of your application (see also Rule 5 ). Make sure your future host is truly interested in supporting you towards your objectives. You should expect them to be actively supporting you during the application process as well as during your fellowship. The perfect scenario is to spend some time at the host institution beforehand (e.g., supported by a small visiting fellowship) and get to know the people and the environment, thus showing that the research bond is already established. A red flag is a potential host who does not respond regularly. This is not only painful during the application process, but they will probably continue to behave in a similar way during the project. Your most important goal is to find a host who will support you well beyond your time as MSCA fellow, i.e., in your academic future, especially when you apply for more advanced positions later.

Rule 5: Highlight the 2-way transfer of knowledge

Part of evaluation criteria “Excellence” (see Rule 7 ) in MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships is ensuring 2-way (3-way in case of Global Fellowships) knowledge transfer. While choosing your host, keep this criterion in mind. On the one hand, discuss with your potential host which crucial skills you are currently missing and could gain if you join their team with the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship. On the other hand, it is also necessary to discuss the research skills that are currently missing in their team but you could contribute. It is actually important to identify and clearly describe such knowledge gaps, thus making the 2-way knowledge transfer in your application more convincing.

In addition, if you identify a knowledge gap in your CV or proposal and the host cannot fill it, you have the option to plan a secondment or placement in a nonacademic sector. MSCA researchers may be seconded to other institutions for up to one-third of the fellowship duration (one-third of the outgoing phase in case of Global Fellowships). Such a secondment allows you to improve your training by learning new skills and gaining new knowledge. Note that knowledge and skills you learn during a secondment could also be part of your contribution to the knowledge transfer to your host. At the end of the fellowship, an MSCA researcher may also apply for a placement (up to 6 months) in a nonacademic sector in Europe (EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country) to complement their academic training. When choosing a host for secondment and placement in the nonacademic sector, use the same rules as when choosing your future host institution (see Rule 4 ). In your application, do not forget to provide convincing arguments for the necessity of the secondment and the placement in a nonacademic sector. The logic of your choice should be sound and clearly explained.

Rule 6: Study and strictly follow EU proposal template

The European Research Executive Agency made an effort to create specific proposal templates for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship and as well as for other EU funding programmes. Each template contains several points that the applicant is expected to address. Make sure that you understand everything on the proposal template—otherwise look for help (see Rule 1 ). As EU proposal templates are updated on a regular basis, be sure you have downloaded the most up-to-date version of the proposal template and use it to prepare your application before you start writing. Use both the structure as well as the numbering of the EU template to develop your application. Of course, you are free to change the numbering and choose an entirely different structure for your application. However, reviewers receive a document from the Research Executive Agency, where it is indicated in which parts of application certain points can be expected to be addressed. Why make their life more difficult?

We recommend seeking out successful MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship applications from previous years. This will give you additional insights into the overall structure, necessary quality of presentation and depth of details, as well as the balance between the different parts of proposal. However, successful grant proposals are sometimes difficult to get. Ask colleagues who were successful with an MSCA application if they can share their proposal. If you do not know any successful MSCA applicants personally, look up past successful applicants in your research field or from your current or future host university, and ask them for help. You will not believe how many researchers will come back to you and share their knowledge together with their former proposals. Successful candidates have often been supported by previous successful candidates, and they are willing to repay the kindness to the next generation (“pay it forward” principle).

Rule 7: Take care with all sections

There are 3 funding award criteria in EU’s research and innovation framework programme Horizon Europe : “Excellence,” “Impact,” and “Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation.” The “Excellence” section is the core of your project, where you explain the state of the art in your domain of science, your vision, the specific objectives of your project, and the methodology you will employ to achieve them. In “Impact,” you need to show what benefits your project can bring to the scientific and not-scientific communities, as well as how it will decisively advance your scientific career. In “Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation,” you should provide a convincing work plan for your project and explain how you can mitigate risks arising during the project implementation.

“Excellence” is the most exciting section and, quite naturally, researchers tend to focus on this section. Often it is truly outstanding—at the expense of other 2 sections of the application. However, you will not be successful if you have not spent enough time and effort on the other 2 sections. This can make the difference between great project idea and a funded project. Many researchers tend to forget this. Plan to invest a significant proportion of your time into the development of the dissemination part of “Impact” and how your research might influence other stakeholders, as well as working out details of the implementation strategy of your proposal.

The applicant is free to choose the allocation of the maximum of 10 pages between these 3 sections. However, it makes sense to approximately align the section lengths to the weighting of evaluation criteria of MSCA applications. The section “Excellence” is weighted 50%, “Impact” is 30%, and “Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation” is 20%. The rule of thumb is not to exceed 6 pages with the “Excellence” section. You need to get the maximal or near the maximal score for each of the 3 evaluation criteria in order to be successful.

Rule 8: Proposal: Structure, structure, structure

Reviewers are busy people and reviewing is something that they do in addition to their everyday work. Therefore, you want to make their life as easy as possible. In additional to Rule 6, you have to structure your proposal as best as you can. Having a clear and comprehensive structure makes your proposal appealing, easy to read, and clearly understandable. Nobody will fund a project that they do not fully understand. Your application should be well written. It does not have to be perfect, but it is painful to have simple grammar mistakes and gives reviewer an impression that you did not care about the proposal.

How can you best convince reviewer that your project is well thought through? Each project has to have a comprehensive work plan. Divide your work into logical parts; these would be your work packages. For each work package formulate goals, tasks, and deliverables. Make sure that you understand the difference between a milestone, which is a decision-making point, and a deliverable, which is a tangible result of your work. A milestone is a control point for the entire project and could be connected to one or several work packages. A deliverable belongs to specific work package and usually corresponds to a specific task. Make sure that all your milestones and deliverables are formulated according to the above principles. Do not forget that administrative, i.e., project management, dissemination, and teaching tasks should also be reflected in one or several work packages and should have their own milestones and deliverables. A well-developed Gantt chart, which displays the proposed timeline of all work packages and tasks as well as the timing of milestones and deliverables, is absolutely essential. Think about how your work packages interact with and depend upon each other. For this, you can include a small diagram (PERT chart) illustrating these interactions. Make sure that you have identified real risks of implementation for your project, evaluated their likelihood and potential impact, as well as described convincing mitigation measures. Have in mind: If the proposed MSCA project has no risks, it is not a front-line research project and it will not be funded.

In contrast to some other funding schemes, ethical approval is not necessary for the actual submission of the MSCA application. However, the proposal should be “ethics ready.” In Part A, you need to fill out the Ethics Table. If you have answered “YES” to any of the questions there, then potential ethical concerns need to be addressed in the “ethics self-assessment” form as well as by providing additional documents if necessary. The guide EU Grant How to complete your ethics self-assessment leads you nicely through the “ethics self-assessment.” Be aware that specific research directions will not be funded by the MSCA programme, such as human cloning for reproductive purposes. Positively evaluated projects will undergo an ethical review process. In the past years, about 42% of proposals received ethics clearance [ 13 ]. Other positively evaluated proposals received conditional ethics clearance. Most of the identified issues were related to protection of personal data and environment/health and safety. Only in rare cases were proposals were rejected on ethics grounds [ 14 ].

Rule 9: Get as much feedbacks as possible

Have you written your first draft? Great! Your first and most important goal is that the reviewers understand and appreciate your application. The best way to achieve this is to get other people to read your proposal and to creatively process their feedback. When it is ready, get advice from supervisors and colleagues on different parts as well as on the whole of your application. The “Excellence” section can be adequately reviewed by your research colleagues. However, not all of your “test readers” should be familiar with your research. We recommend that someone who is specialised in another field of science should also read the “Excellence” section of your application. If your idea is well described, they will be able to understand key points and the overall concept, and they will be excited about it. If not, then you should rewrite this section. Note that among the reviewers, there will almost certainly be a person who is not specialised in your research field.

There are usually experts for the sections “Impact” and “Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation” within your university or research institute who can help you improve their quality. Although not always applicable, an efficient solution is to prepare different parts of your proposal at different time points. This way you can send 1 section to your chosen person and, in the meantime, you can carry on with preparation of the other sections. Give realistic deadlines to each “test reader” and make sure to plan enough extra time to work on their feedback. Critiques from others are extremely valuable for you during preparation of your application, but you have to learn to be a selective listener. In the end, it is your idea and your application, so you have to make a final call on which suggestions you will implement in the proposal. Do not waste your time on unproductive generic advice. Talk to your mentor and to someone independent who frequently acts as reviewer. Ask them, what they usually look for, like, and dislike in funding applications. What are typical weak spots, which you also can look for in your application?

Rule 10: Do not forget the final check of your application

You have likely already spent a couple of months thinking, reading, planning, and writing your application. Now it is time for reflection and the final check. Take a step back and look critically at important aspects of your application. Try to concentrate on things that often escape the attention of an applicant. For example, are your figures clear enough? Are the management of research data and open science practices addressed adequately? Have you identified and described the regular scientific and soft-skills courses that you want to take during the fellowship? Is the 2-way knowledge transfer between you and the host clearly recognisable in the application? Do you sufficiently address specific science communication, dissemination (especially towards the general public), and exploitation of your project results? Have you described in detail the handling of Intellectual Property Rights in your application? Check your milestones and deliverables. Make sure that they are correctly formulated and that not all of them are timed to the second half of the project. Does your Gantt chart include all the necessary information (see Rule 8 )? Have you carefully considered potential project implementation risks and how you will deal with them?

Conclusions

Each project idea develops according to its own dynamic and specifics of your research field. For example, your research partners might have specific wishes as well as other priorities in the project design. You have to consider these and other, sometimes unforeseen, circumstances, while developing your own research idea. With our 10 simple rules, we aim to give young researchers “food for thought” and a “push in the right direction” in the development of their project idea.

Have you been successful with your MSCA grant application? Congratulation, you are one of the few applicants who have achieved this career milestone. It is celebration time and you should enjoy it! Do you remember the “pay it forward” principle in Rule 6 ? It is now your turn to support future MSCA applicants. Be kind to specific requests, take your time with the response, and share your knowledge and experience generously.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Science in the Break team and guests for sharing insightful experiences during the MSCA writing process. We are also grateful to Martin Reichel and Marcus Kratschke (BayFOR) for the critical reading of the manuscript and their helpful comments. We are indebted to Fiona Rumohr (WKS, BayFOR) for the English corrections and proofreading.

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Home › Career › What Does a Proposal Writer Do? › What is the Average Proposal Writer Salary?

What is the Average Proposal Writer Salary?

Become a Certified Proposal Writer

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Whether you’re just starting out as a  proposal writer  or have experience under your belt, you want to land a job that pays an impressive proposal writer salary. According to popular salary reporting platforms Glassdoor, the proposal writer’s salary lies between the $37,000 and $151,000 range.

Although it’s normal to accept lower-paying jobs earlier in your career path, as you build experience, you’ll seek job opportunities with a higher base salary.

Remember that a good proposal writer is harder to find than regular writers, and employers are ready to pay more for writers whose skills match the company’s requirements. In addition, since a proposal writer writes formal business proposals for potential clients, the proposals need to be perfect if a company wants to get the client.

This article goes over how much a proposal writer makes and how the average salary correlates to your skills. Let’s start.

Average Proposal Writer Salary

Besides the job position, people forget how much the job location impacts the average salary—a proposal writer working in San Francisco has a different average base salary than a writer in New York City.

Although you might not have the option to work in a city with better salary opportunities, it’s good to keep the differences in mind.

Furthermore, since different job websites have different salary resources from which they gather compensation data, you’ll find different results. As such, it’s important to check different sources to get the best overview of salary ranges.

Glassdoor is a popular job and recruiting website where you can find information on almost any job position in the U.S. Besides relying on the user-salary report, Glassdoor also leverages different algorithms when determining average salaries.

According to  Glassdoor , the average proposal writer’s salary is  $73,105 . However, since the base salary range can differ, Glassdoor lets you get a deeper look by filtering out company size, location, and position seniority.

Indeed is another popular job website. According to  Indeed , the national average total for proposal writers is  $68,265 .

Additionally, salaries range from $12,757 to staggering $340,335. It is a great showcase of how different proposal writer salaries can be. The career journey can be long and cumbersome, but the higher you climb and the better your job title is, the higher your cash compensation gets.

Finally, a third website worth mentioning is  Payscale . According to their data, the average salary for proposal writers in the United States is  $60,641 .

Payscale’s average salary estimate is lower than the previous two websites. Since the way websites report data, the reasons for different national average salaries can be company types, cities, and job positions.

For beginner proposal writers, as starting career advice, it’s better to search for companies that help you grow rather than aiming for ones that pay well. Although total compensation is essential, struggling to land a well-paid job can be discouraging.

Career Outlook for a Proposal Writer

After gaining some necessary professional experience, an individual can progress to a proposal manager position. After handling more crucial responsibilities, they can go forward to a senior proposal manager role. Alternatively, they can become a proposal coordinator or a project manager within the organization.

The average compensations for more senior positions on the technical writer career path ( as per PayScale and reported in March 2022 ) are given below:

Proposal Manager

A proposal manager oversees a team of proposal writers and guides their output. Since it is a more senior role and involves managerial duties, the average pay annual pay for the part is  $79,145 . Additionally, the role can receive extra compensation like bonuses, commissions, and profit-sharing.

Senior Proposal Manager

This role is a much more senior position and involves project management and business development duties too. Therefore, it requires more than eight years of experience in the field. Additionally, it receives a significantly higher average annual pay of  $99,736 , and more experienced senior proposal managers can get up to  $111,000.

You need to have the necessary skills and knowledge to rise through the ranks on the proposal writer career path. If you are interested in becoming a more competent proposal writer and achieving a higher compensation, check out our certification at TechnicalWriterHQ.

Top Paying Cities for Proposal Writers

As per  ZipRecruiter , the cities with the top-paying proposal writing positions, categorized by location in the U.S., are given below.

U.S. West Coast

• Los Angeles: $66,777

U.S. Midwest/Rocky Mountains

• Chicago: $69,098

U.S. East Coast

• Reston: $71,911
• Arlington: $67,499
• Tampa: $62,729
• Dallas: $67,535

Education Level for Proposal Writer Role

The proposal writing position is vital for the organization since communication skills play an essential role in attracting and securing support. Therefore, organizations prefer to hire individuals with the ideal qualifications for a proposal writing role.

A proposal writer should have a Bachelor’s in business or a related field. They can focus on a specialty and gain skills in that area of focus to land a more well-suited role.

Since certifications help proposal writers showcase their writing skills and business aptitude, you should pursue them to get a well-paying position. Some prominent ones are mentioned below:

• TechnicalWriterHQ : It offers a dedicated proposal writing course that goes through all the fundamentals and prepares you for professional opportunities.
• Candid Learning : It offers an entry-level proposal writing certification with hands-on exercises.

Proposal Writer Salary Across Top Companies

As per  Glassdoor , here is what the annual average proposal writer salary looks like in some of the top firms across different industries.

• U.S. Bank:  $59,212
• J.P. Morgan:  $89,130
• PwC:  $86,468
• Deloitte:  $115,290
• IBM:  $65,000

Besides your capabilities, proposal writer salaries depend primarily on your company, industry, and city. To successfully negotiate better pay opportunities, focus on creating a robust portfolio through work and getting the proper certifications.

You won’t become a great proposal writer in a day, but as long as you’re persistent, you can open the doors to a great career.

The industry is constantly evolving, and in reality, growing as a writer never ends. Average salaries change over the years along with the requirements and responsibilities a writer might have. So staying on top of the latest trends is another way to ensure career wins.

If you are new to proposal writing and are looking to break-in, we recommend taking our Proposal Writing Certification Course , where you will learn the fundamentals of being a proposal writer and how to write winning proposals. 

We offer a wide variety of programs and courses built on adaptive curriculum and led by leading industry experts.

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AI Proposal Generator + Better Proposals

Write, format, and send better business proposals in minutes instead of hours

AI generated content has taken the world by storm. Images, product descriptions, and even full articles can now be generated by artificial intelligence. But can you use an AI proposal generator to create proposals that are personalized to your clients and their specific needs?

What's more, can an AI tool really help you cut down the time it takes to create proposals or are you better off just sticking to proposal software? We've already talked about how using Better Proposals can help you save time and write a winning business proposal in just 15 minutes . But can we do it even faster with the help of AI?

To answer these questions, we've decided to put OpenAI's ChatGPT 3.5 to the test. Here's how it went.

Starting with a template

First things first: every business needs a good proposal template to simplify, track, and speed up the proposal creation and review process. When you think about it, only one thing constantly changes across projects - the client.

So, having a template for your services with your branding and in your style makes a lot more sense than doing it from scratch every time. With that in mind, we started by choosing a service (web design) and finding a template in the Better Proposals Marketplace.

Since all of the templates are already professionally designed and written, we’ll only need to change the project-specific details. And while this is a great time-saver, artificial intelligence can shorten your proposal research and writing time even more by turning your data into content.

Getting your data together

When it comes to AI generated content, the key thing to remember is that the output is only as good as the input. The more detail you can provide, the more chance you have of creating a usable project proposal.

At this stage, it's a matter of giving ChatGPT an outline of the information you already have and some details from the discovery call with your client. In our case, it looked like this:

Name: BestDesigns

Service: Web design

Deliverables: High-end, functional, visually appealing

Industry: Luxury furniture sales

Needs: Website that reflects the quality of the furniture, works on all devices, brings in more traffic and leads

Materials provided: Client's company logo

While you have to give ChatGPT something to go on to help you in proposal writing, don't overdo it. In most cases, generative AI tools store the prompts you give them.

For data security reasons, don't input personal or confidential information. Alternatively, you can opt for modifying it by, for example, not using real personal or company names.

ChatGPT prompts to write your proposal introduction

A proposal introduction or executive summary is the first thing your client will read. Since it sets the stage for the rest of your proposal, getting it wrong isn’t an option. Luckily, ChatGPT can take some of that pressure off your shoulders.

Using a fictional scenario of a web design company and the client, we gave ChatGPT the following prompt:

I want you to write a short introduction paragraph for a business proposal based on the following information:

• — My company (BestDesigns) does web design
• — The client (Mary) sells luxury furniture and needs a website
• — Mary has provided my company with the logo, which will be the basis of the website design
• — My company plans on delivering a functional and beautiful website
• — Include a greeting and the client’s name + thanks for considering us

A few seconds later, we got the following output:

After reading the initial output, we decided it still needed a bit of work to match our writing style and support our template structure. So, we prompted ChatGPT to simplify the language and ended up with a much more suitable solution.

And since the template we chose starts with a headline, we also told ChatGPT to give a few catchy headlines for the proposal based on the information above. As a result, we got 10 headlines to choose from.

ChatGPT proposal introduction writing prompt summary

• 2. Based on the information above, give me a few catchy headline ideas for the proposal

The most popular proposal sections

Thanks to our tracking and analytics, we know that clients spend 67% of their proposal reading time on your introduction and pricing sections. That’s why making the effort to perfect them could mean the difference between a won and lost deal.

ChatGPT prompts to write an overview of the project

Guided by the template we chose, our next step was to write a brief, comprehensive overview of the work we’ll be doing in order to meet the client’s needs. We prompted ChatGPT to:

Take these meeting notes and turn them into a brief overview paragraph:

• — Website goals: works on all devices, more traffic, more leads
• — How we'll do it: custom coding, professional copywriting, luxury design - expand these 3 by adding why it's necessary
• — Reference the last meeting and the discussion and finish up by summarizing the results the new website will bring

The initial response was still a bit wordy for our taste, but a quick “shorten the paragraph above” straightened it out:

ChatGPT prompts to write out project details

Once you’re past the introductory section of your proposal, you want to show your client that you’ve understood their pain points. If you would rather just start working and find it hard to put your expertise into words, it’s ChatGPT to the rescue.

Having identified the pages and resources the client needs on their website, now’s the time to convince them by listing out the benefits. Instead of starting from scratch, we put the following prompt into ChatGPT:

Use the following information to write web design project details for a business proposal:

• — Use simple, relatable language and explain the benefits of having each of the web pages in short, informative and persuasive paragraphs
• — Don't use bullet points and write as if you were speaking directly to the client
• — My client needs a homepage, about us page, products page, testimonials page, and a lifestyle page on their luxury furniture website
• — Their style is minimalistic and they don't want the website to look like a classic e-commerce store

The output we got was detailed, so the editing came down to leaving out unnecessary fluff and reordering a few things. All in all, we managed to get a decent result.

ChatGPT prompts to simplify your pricing

There’s no worse place to confuse your client than the pricing section of your proposal. Even if everything else you wrote was easy to understand, overly complicated pricing can result in distrust. What it ultimately comes down to is refraining from using industry jargon and simplifying your line item descriptions.

Once again, this is where AI comes in handy. Simply input your line items into ChatGPT and ask it to explain what they are. The prompt we used was:

“Describe [line item] in [industry] as a pricing table line item in one sentence. Use plain English”.

The final result

Since we started with a pre-written project proposal template in our chosen industry, the only things we needed AI for were the project-specific details. At Better Proposals, we’re used to our templates cutting down proposal writing time to only 15-20 minutes.

However, a Better Proposals template and ChatGPT proved to be a game changer that slashed this time in half, taking us a bit under 10 minutes to finalize and send the finished proposal. We’ll let you get the full picture by going through the generated proposal below.

Better conversion rates start with Better Proposals

Join 10,000+ happy customers and enjoy a simpler, faster, and more professional way to send proposals.

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