What Makes a Successful Proposal?
At National 4-H Council, we are constantly working to provide valuable information to the 4-H community to assist all applicants in applying for program-related funding opportunities. This tip sheet is intended to provide support for submitting acceptable proposals for funding consideration.
When preparing a proposal for a funding opportunity, the following criteria are important:
- Thoroughly read the entire RFP before you begin.
- Start preparing the proposal well before the deadline; waiting until the last minute often results in incomplete application submission
- Review all program objectives and create a plan that you can implement clearly addressing the stated objectives.
- Make sure your budget is suitable for accomplishing your plan and accurately reflects the allowable costs to fulfill grant requirements.
- Note the project implementation dates to ensure you will be able to meet all reporting and deliverable deadlines.
- Pay close attention to the RFP completion and submission directions.
- Many proposals fail because they do not adhere to requirements within the RFP.
- Previous proposals have been denied for the following reasons:
- The proposal was not submitted in Microsoft Word format
- The proposal exceeded the stated maximum page limit
- The proposal was not double-spaced and/or used an improper font size
- The proposal was not emailed by the state level Extension 4-H/Youth Development Program Leader or LGU Administrator
- The proposal was submitted to National 4-H Council after the deadline
- Required support/attachments were not included with the application
- Proofread the proposal and all attachments before applying for the grant to ensure all required information is included and accurate.
- Please note: failure to adhere to ALL requirements may exclude your proposal from consideration for the funding opportunity.
- Indirect costs are never allowed on Council RFPs or RFAs.
- Please contact the appropriate Account Manager listed on the RFP for correspondence related to this policy
- Allow enough time to submit proposal to your LGU Sponsored Programs Office, if required.
Good luck on applying for grants with the National 4-H Council!