Full Description
Written for college students or professionals seeking a reference, Writing Proposals offers a comprehensive, strategic approach to proposal development for the technical professions. The author takes readers step-by-step through the development process, helping them invent ideas, organize materials, write in plain and persuasive styles, and create an effective visual design. Writing Proposals provides students with additional material frequently not found in other texts on writing proposals, including a full chapter on creating budgets and thorough coverage of using the Internet.
Contents
Preface
Chapter One: Introduction to Proposals and Grants
Why Do We Write Proposals?
Rhetoric
The Proposal Genre
The Proposal Writing Process
Writing Grant Proposals
Case Study: The Cool Campus Project
Chapter Two: Identifying Problems and Opportunities
Two Basic Reasons for Writing Proposals
Unsolicited and Solicited Proposals
Reading RFPs
Determining the Status, or Stasis, of an Opportunity
A Description of the RFP Interpretation Process
Defining the Problem or Opportunity
Applying Stasis Questions
Case Study: What Is The Problem?
Chapter Three: Strategic Planning for Proposals and Grants
Elements of Strategic Planning
Setting Objectives
The Rhetorical Situation
The Situation at Overture Designs
Focusing a Writing Team
Case Study: Defining the Rhetorical Situation
Chapter Four: Describing the Current Situation
Why Describe the Current Situation?
Guidelines for Drafting the Current Situation Section
Researching the Current Situation
Mapping in Teams
Writing the Current Situation Section
Lisa Miller's Current Situation Section
Special Case: Research Grants and Literature Reviews
Case Study: Describing the Current Situation at Durango University
Chapter Five: Developing a Project Plan
The Importance of the Project Plan Section
Setting Objectives for the Project
Setting Goals for the Overture Designs Project
Answering the How Question
Mapping a Project Plan for the Overture Proposal
Organizing the Project Plan Section
Answering the Why Questions
Writing the Project Plan Section
Developing a Project Timeline
A Comment on Research Methodologies
Case Study: Planning the Charrette
Chapter Six: Describing Qualifications
The Importance of Trust
Types of Qualifications Sections
What Makes You Different Makes You Attractive
Developing the Content of the Qualifications Section
Writing the Qualifications Section
Creating a Persona
To Boilerplate or Not to Boilerplate
Case Study: Who Is Qualified for the Work?
Chapter Seven: Introductions, Costs, and Benefits
Framing the Body of the Proposal
Setting the Stage: The Purpose of an Introduction
Developing the Introduction
Writing the Introduction
The Introduction to the Overture Designs Proposal
Costs and Benefits: Concluding the Proposal
Writing the Conclusion
Concluding the Overture Designs Proposal
Case Study: Beginnings and Endings
Chapter Eight: Developing Budgets
Budgets: The Bottom Line
Budget Basics
Budgeting in Teams
Developing a Budget
Writing the Budget Rationale or Budget Section
The Budget for the Overture Designs Proposal
Case Study: Money Issues
Chapter Nine: Writing With Style
Good Style Is a Choice, Not an Accident
What Is Style?
Writing Plain Sentences
Writing Plain Paragraphs
Persuasive Style
Case Study: Revising for Clarity and Power
Chapter Ten: Designing Proposals
"How You Say Something..."
How Readers Look at Proposals
Four Principles of Design
The Process of Designing a Proposal
Case Study: Creating a Look
Chapter Eleven: Using Graphics
The Need for Graphics
Guidelines for Using Graphics
Using Graphics to Display Information and Data
Case Study: Inventing Visuals
Chapter Twelve: The Final Touches
Seeing the Proposal as a Whole Document
Inventing Front Matter
Inventing Back Matter
Revising the Proposal or Grant
Case Study: Revising and Polishing
Example Proposal: "The Cool Campus Project at Durango University: A Grant to the Tempest Foundation"
Example Proposal: "Managing Office Growth: A Proposal to Earl Grey Design from Insight Systems"
References
Index
