Writing Reports: Proposals
Includes information from Guffey text, Ch 11-13
Discussion:
Communication Matters
A Winning Proposition
How do the “7 deadly sins of
proposal writing” reflect basic
business writing concepts?
 How can you develop an
understanding of the client’s
needs and desired results?


Why is a written proposal
important?
Planning Business Reports
Begin with a challenge statement
Statement of purpose using
SMART goals to limit your scope
Outline issues to investigate by
identifying key research questions
Develop a work schedule timeline
and assignments
Use this information to
prepare Client Proposal
Challenge Statements

Problem Statements:
Defines the situation and the need for a
response to achieve a desired outcome
 Starts (–) assumes and does not state (+)

Challenge Statements

Challenge statement:
Defines the desired outcome from a
response to a situation
 Starts (+) assumes and does not state (–)
 Infinitive phrase or declarative statement
 Need for response in Background section
 Situation facts in Research/ Analysis section

Challenge Statement

Problem statement:
The agency has experienced a 50%
turnover in volunteers, causing manpower
shortages.

Challenge statement:
The agency wants to increase volunteer
retention by developing an understanding of
causes of volunteer turnover.
Challenge Statement

Problem statement:
The agency’s fundraising totals have fallen
25% since 9/11. The agency wants to
identify how to increase donations.

Challenge statement:
The agency wants to increase donations by
identifying successful post-9/11 fundraising
strategies.
Significance

Proposals must reflect the importance of
solving the challenge to the client
Increase revenue/profits
 Serve more clients
 Fulfill the organization’s mission

Goals and Objectives
How to be SMART
GOALS
S pecific (targeted)
M easurable (quantitative)
A ttainable (possible)
R ealistic (probable/resourced)
T ime appropriate (deadline)
Activity
Individually identify a SMART goal to be
accomplished within the next 3-5 years.
 Share with your team and pick one of the
goals to share with the class.

SMART Goal vs.
Challenge Statement

Challenge statement 
client focused


Answers: Why client wants you
to pursue SMART goal
SMART Goal  team focused

Answers: What team plans to
deliver/accomplish
Goal Examples
To develop a plan to improve attendance
at staff meetings by 20% over the next 3
months.
 To develop a plan to increase average
attendance at the next 3 agencysponsored events by 25%.
 To develop a plan to improve volunteer
satisfaction as measured by volunteer
retention by 10% over the next year.

Research Planning
Challenge statement
 SMART goal(s)
 Key questions to drive research

Questions of fact (quantifiable data)
 Questions of value (worth, benefit, good, bad)
 Questions of policy (opportunities/ boundaries)
 Questions of procedure (process guidelines)
 Questions of strategy (interactions - always
include a benchmark question)

WRITING PROPOSALS
Includes material from Guffey: Chapter 14
Introduction
Explain why the proposal is being made.
 Identify a challenge or name a key issue
or benefit.

Background, Problem
Discuss the significance of the proposal
and its goals or purposes.
 For solicited proposals, show that you
fully understand the problem and its
ramifications.
 For unsolicited proposals, convince the
reader that a problem exists.

Proposal, Plan
Clearly state the SMART goal(s) of the
project. “Goals”
 State what the client can expect you to do
(research questions you will investigate).
“Objectives”
 State what you expect/need from the
client. “Procedures”
 Provide a timeline for completion
(presentation and final report). “Timeline”

Research Plan: “Objectives”

To develop a plan to improve
attendance at staff meetings by 20%
over the next 3 months.
By researching the strengths and
weaknesses of the current notification
systems
 By researching why staff members attend
or do not attend the meetings

Summary & Authorization

Summarize potential reader benefits
from project.

Ask for approval. Make it easy to
reply.
Staffing/Budget

State your understanding about
staff/budget availability to call on in your
recommendations
Money available in addition to
what is spent now
 Additional person-hours available
 Increased productivity possible
 Expanded skill sets possible

Project Budget
(for the real world, not client project)
Itemize costs carefully. Proposals are
contracts.
 Present a deadline for the bid figures.

Client Proposal Example

Example