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SALES, MARKETING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Proposal Writing
Write compliant, persuasive proposals that reviewers want to fund
Why It Matters
Grant and contract decisions often hinge on details: a missed page limit, an unanswered evaluation criterion, or a narrative that describes activities without showing results. Organizations invest heavily in proposals and lose many for avoidable reasons. Proposal writing skills help staff respond faster and with more confidence. For nonprofits, small businesses, and agencies, a stronger proposal process means more funded programs, better partnerships, and fewer frantic nights before a deadline.
Course Description
Participants work from a real or sample solicitation, such as a grant notice or request for proposals. They break it down, identifying requirements, evaluation criteria, and formatting rules, then build a compliance checklist. Next, they outline a response that mirrors how reviewers will score it. Writing exercises focus on clear problem statements, specific approaches, measurable outcomes, and benefits tied to the funder's or buyer's priorities. Peer review simulates scoring, showing where sections are vague or unsupported. Discussion covers matching budgets to narratives, presenting past performance, and managing a proposal team against a deadline. Each participant leaves with an outline and a revised section, plus a plan to apply the checklist on their next submission.
Key Focus Areas
Participants explore and practice:
Analyzing a solicitation for requirements and evaluation criteria
Building a compliance checklist and response outline
Writing problem statements and measurable outcomes
Persuasive structure tied to reviewer priorities
Aligning budgets with the narrative
Managing reviews and deadlines on a proposal team
Learning Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
Extract requirements and evaluation criteria from a solicitation
Build a compliance checklist for a proposal
Write a section that answers a specific evaluation criterion
Revise a draft based on simulated reviewer scoring
Who Should Attend
Grant writers and development staff
Business development professionals
Program managers who contribute to proposals
Small business owners pursuing contracts
Delivery and Customization
Examples, scenarios, and activities are adapted to your audience and goals. Delivery is available in person, virtually, or in a hybrid format, as a standalone session or as part of a series. Format and length are agreed during scoping.
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Bring Proposal Writing to your team
Tell us about your audience and goals. We will follow up to scope objectives, format, and timing.