Writing a Proposal: New Organization vs. Old Organization

Writing a Proposal: New Organization vs. Old Organization

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Writing a Proposal: New Organization v. Old Organization

Generally, all organizations bear a certain common dimension due to the role that they assume within their respective communities or societies. In most situations, organizations tend to focus on the need to establish a profit. This may take place through the common sale of products and services to customers or via the indirect results from participation in social responsibility initiatives. As such, exploring the similarities and disparities between new and old organizations tends to be exhaustive due to the likelihood of organizational frameworks taking part in the same functions. However, it is possible to assess such comparative aspects when focusing on specific dimensions. In this respect, business proposals offer a formidable element for comparative analysis. Accordingly, the business proposals established for old as well as those structured for new organizations tend to possess certain similar and different qualities. This will be based specifically on the constituents of proposals, especially among non-profits.

Comparative Analysis

The approach for writing the respective proposals will be in contrast to each other. This is because of the dependence imposed on the newness of a venture. Simply, the proposals that are written for new and old organizations will be considerably different from each other depending on the effects imposed on the general proposal components. Foremost, it is imperative to understand that an old organization already possesses a clear competitive edge. This is based on its development of a thriving financing track record, instituted schemes, and faculty. On the other hand, a new organization lacks the competitive advantage that an established organization possesses. Because of this, the venture must overcome its insufficient history as well as outcomes.

Informing the Financier

Proposals comprise communication measures that allow the applicant to fully express their needs to a financier. In most cases, the applicant may focus on the local community, the worth or disposition of the hypothesized services, and the capability as well as professionalism of the respective applicant agency (Coley & Scheinberg, 2008). Hence, for most grant proposals, certain dimensions may be common in most of them regardless of their newness or experience. Foremost, the cover letter is present since it functions as an introduction of the organization or the proposed project to the financier. Without the cover letter, it would be difficult to clearly assert the intentions of the respective proposal on first glance. Other variations may constitute the abstract or the title page which may briefly inform the financier of the proposal’s aims and objectives.

In comparison, the cover letter for the new organization and the old organization will be considerably similar. Accordingly, both organizations may be applying for the financing of their respective projects. Based on this fact, each organization will focus on establishing a clear cover letter or abstract that informs the guarantor of the proposed project. In contrast, the new organization will have to provide information on its lack of history or experience. This part may be risky to the organization. On the other hand, the illustration of transparency by indicating the organization’s insufficient experience may cast it in a positive light among the financiers of the proposed scheme. For the established organization, the cover letter may be written from an experiential point of view due to the firm’s involvement in numerous proposals and schemes over the course of its years.

Describing the Problem for the Project

The consequent aspect comprises the problem statement or the needs statement. The needs statement is responsible for providing a detailed description of the community or context in need of funds. Aside from this, the needs statement covers the demands or problems that the proposal seeks to address. In other proposals, case studies tend to be common. Accordingly, a case study provides an intimate and highly informative portrayal of the problem, its affective components, the immediate implications it poses on the encompassing community, the failures of past proposals if any, and the benefits that the need may offer once the funds are provided for purpose of rectification (Freed, Freed, & Romano, 2011). In essence, this particular section acts as an extension of the cover statement or the abstract by providing a fully detailed and comprehensive version of the proposed project and its respective components.

For the new organization and the established organization, the description of the need for the project will be similar. Since both firms are focusing on gratifying a particular demand, each will concentrate on informing the financier of the problem as well as the benefits that can be accrued potentially if the finances are availed. Additionally, both organizations may possess a case study that provides a comprehensive coverage of the problem within the operative context or setting such as the community (Coley & Scheinberg, 2008). The only contrast that exists between the descriptions of the problem for the respective parties involve the level of experience evidenced in writing. An established organization may retrieve information from its existing track record and use it to buttress its case study unlike the new organization which does not have much to offer in terms of experience.

Description of the Project

Aside from the cover letter and the needs statement, another important aspect of proposals involves the description of the project. With the proposal mostly focusing on a possible scheme, this segment is imperative in ensuring that the financier understands every aspect of the proposed scheme. Declaration of certain identifiers within the project description section is strategic in reinforcing the financier’s comprehension of the project. In particular, the description of the project offers a comprehensive outlook on the proposed scheme. Furthermore, the project description section provides information concerning the scheme’s aims and goals. Details concerning the plan for implementation, such as the implementation schedule and the time allocated for the completion of project activities are also covered in the respective section (Coley & Scheinberg, 2008). More importantly, the description of the project provides the scope of work required for the proposed project’s delivery plan.

In terms of comparison, both organizations will focus on outlining the aims and objectives of the project. These tend to be important aspects for all organizations since they assist in the establishment of a strategic direction. Moreover, with both organizations concentrating on the placement of a competitive edge, similarities will be evident in the goals and the objectives that each firm posits in respect to the proposed project. On the other hand, the new organization may risk underselling the proposed project in contrast to the established organization and its outlined goals and objectives. Aside from this, the new organization will have to compromise its goals especially if it possesses an insufficient track record in respect to its written proposal. The same may not necessarily apply to the established organization due to its existing track record.

Evaluating the Goals and Objectives

Following the description of the project, the next significant component in the proposal involves the evaluation plan. Evaluation plans are imperative in all proposals in all organization proposals since they assess whether certain markers or indicators have been fulfilled or not. For instance, since every organization establishes a specific set of goals and objectives that it may gratify over a period, assessments of the sets are needed in order to understand whether the organization is moving in a strategic direction (Coley, 2010). Furthermore, the assessment of the goals and objectives offers imperative information that may be used by the organization in identifying the problem hence increasing the competitive advantage. Interestingly, the same aspects apply for the proposal. In particular, the evaluation section elucidates the measurement processes that are utilized in the determination of aims and objectives that have been gratified.

The proposal for the new organization in respect to the proposed scheme may compare similarly to the established organization’s projected scheme. As asserted, all organizations require goals and objectives for their own survival. Hence, an assessment of these dimensions is imperative even in the request for the financing of a proposed project. For both organizations, assessing the aims and intentions of the projected scheme will be important in the provision of information pertinent in informing the decision of the financier. However, differences may lie in the measurement processes that each organization applies in order to evaluate its goals and objectives. This contrast only depicts the variation between the new and the established organization in terms of the evaluation procedure. As such, each organization may use a procedure that appeals to the financier by showing progress in the project’s goals and objectives (Coley, 2010).

The Budget Request

After the evaluation of goals and intentions outlined for the project and their level of gratification, the proposal deviates towards the budget request needed for the scheme at hand. The budget request is possibly the most significant aspect of the proposal. This is because most proposals focus on the need for financial assistance. In cases such as this, these proposals tend to be purposefully written for the objective of grants that are needed in order to accomplish certain tasks or satisfy specific needs or demands (Gitlin & Lyons, 2014). In this respect, the budget request enumerates the expenditure or costs that are eminent in the project. Providing such information to the financier will be imperative in guiding his or her decision to either finance or reject the project. In addition to this, the budget request provides a justification or budget rationale for the costs that will be incurred in the project.

The budget request may be the area that displays a considerable contrast between the proposal for a new organization and the one written by an established organization. For the objective of comparison, both organizations will incorporate the budget request for the sole aim of informing the financier about the amount of funds required for the proposed project. In addition to this, the inclusion of the expenses expected if the project is implemented is a process that the respective proposals cannot afford to ignore. In contrast, the new organization may require the intervention of an established agency in respect to the consultation and acquisition of budget information (Gitlin & Lyons, 2014). Even though such data may seem proprietary, the organization may gain beneficial assistance. For the established organization, the budget request may be imbalanced due to the disconnection or gap imposed by the proposal writer and the group responsible for implementing the funding scheme.

The Applicant’s Capability

Another imperative aspect of the proposal irrespective of the organization comprises the applicant’s capability. Apart from the information on the expenditure required for the project, the financier also needs information that reveals the financial performance of the applicant in question. At least, such information will assist in the financier in making an informed decision that takes into consideration the benefits as well as the risks of funding the proposed project. The same tends to apply for new as well as old organizations even though the former may lack the necessary data to expound on this section. Nonetheless, the provision of such information and the accompanying data notifies the financier of the capabilities of the applicant particularly in the utilization of the requested financial resources. By demonstrating the past financial performance of the applicant as well as the capability to complete a proposed project, the respective section assists the financier in gaining a comprehensive insight on the applicant. Additionally, information on the applicant’s capability possesses organizational charts.

The provision of information and accompanying data on the capability of the applicant is incomplete without the focus on prospective financing plans. An imperative aspect of the applicant’s performance involves the organization’s ability to establish the going concern of the project (Gitlin & Lyons, 2014). Simply, such information will be imperative in outlining the ability of the applicant to continue with the project even after financing has ceased. Usually, different factors tend to affect the provision of finances such as grants and funds to possible applicants. In most cases, external aspects such as regulations imposed by government on incorporated entities may affect the flow of funding over a certain period. In this respect, the project proposal may consider adding this section for purposes of reinforcing trust on the part of the financier. Consequently, the prospective funding plans indicate the plans that will assist in the project’s continuation prior to and after financing.

Acknowledgment of Project’s Possible Benefits Externally and Conclusion

The inclusion of support letters within the proposal constitutes part of the proposal writing process. Accordingly, letters of support further reinforce the financier’s trust on the applicant as well as the proposed project. Such letters reflect backing directed towards the project from community leaders, program recipients, agencies, educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities, and religious organizations (Coley, 2010). The level of support for the proposed projects depicted within the letters aids the financier in making an informed decision that may benefit the applicant and impose a positive image on the organization. Additionally, the support asserted by external parties within the respective section shows the implications that the project will impose on members of the community. In such instances, members of the community who are affected by the project may express a positive attitude towards the project by asserting the direct and indirect effects that the proposed scheme will impose on their livelihoods if supported.

To this end, the implementation of support letters may be similar in the proposals for both new and old organizations. Both proposals may contain letters that exhibit the level of support asserted by members of the community in respect to the effects that the proposed project if applied. On the other hand, the establishment of support letters may vary in degree depending on the experience of the organizations involved. For established organizations, gaining support may be easier due to the familiarity that they possess among members of the respective community. Despite this, it should be noted that the request for grants by organizations irrespective of the existence varies considerably.

References

Coley, S. M. (2010). Proposal writing. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Coley, S. M., & Scheinberg, C. A. (2008). Proposal writing: Effective grantsmanship. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.

Freed, R. C., Freed, S., & Romano, J. D. (2011). Writing winning business proposals. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Gitlin, L. N., & Lyons, K. J. (2014). Successful grant writing: Strategies for health and human service professionals. New York, NY: Springer.