Sample Funding Proposal

							          Problem Statements

• Key component of a proposal - for research
  or for $$$ funding
• Sample arguments can often be found in the
  “Introduction” of a research article
• Making the case that a particular question is
  (or was) worth spending time and money on
• Helps to answer the “so what?”/the “who
  cares?” questions
    Focus of a Problem Statement

• Some “need” must be addressed
• Some “problem” must be tackled
• Dramatic start is often helpful, for funded
  efforts particularly
          Avoid Circular Reasoning
• Avoid saying that the problem or need is the lack
  of the thing you are suggesting.
• For example:
   – “The problem in this community is that it has no
     library.”
   – Leads to:
      •   The need is for a library
      •   The objective is to create a library
      •   The method is a plan for building a library
      •   Evaluation consists of “is there a library or not?”
 Better to have some evidence of the
                 need
• What proportion of the community has “latchkey
  children” problems?
• What proportion of the community need literacy
  programs?
• What other library programs could help with
  community problems?
• What do “power elite” in the community say?
        Building the Problem Statement
• Sketch the problem that you feel exists
   – Who else says it is a problem?
   – Any statistics/commentary that highlight the problem?
   – What other efforts have been made to work on the problem?
   – Create a general question you would like your study (when
     finished) to answer.
• Given that question, suggest an approach that will provide an answer.
   – What sort of sample would you need to use?
   – What sort of variables could you collect data concerning?
   – What sort of method might be used to create a useful set of data?
   – What sort of inherent biases might exist? (use your imagination, if
     no literature helps)
  Full Proposal Usually Consists of
• Introduction describing your/the organization’s
  “credibility”
• Problem Statement
• Objectives or Research Questions to be addressed
• Methods to be employed to achieve objectives
• Timeline or chart indicating phases
• Evaluation plan for determining the degree of achievement
• Broader Application of Outcome/Looking down the path
• Budget
    Who Evaluates Your Proposal?
• Most funding agencies really want you to be
  successful
• They have criteria by which your proposal is
  scored
• They will share these criteria with you often
• Put yourself in the “shoes” of your evaluator
   – Have you made it easy for them to see your planned
     approach?
   – Is there a clear structure to your proposal?
   – Is there a clear relationship between the monies you
     require and what you will accomplish?
Most Common Reasons for a Failed
          Proposal
• Your “credibility” to successfully carry through is
  unclear
• Your plan seems overly optimistic
• Your method seems inappropriate to the task
• Your “need” has already been addressed in the
  work of others
• It is quite likely that your organization will carry
  through the effort whether you get funded or not
       Some Useful Websites
• The Foundation Center
  http://www.fdncenter.org
• Administration on Aging
  http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov
• Foundations and Philanthropic
  Organizations
  http://www.ncup.org/links/nonprof.htm