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Cover: Writing Proposals, 1st Edition by Joanna Wolfe; Emily Barrow DeJeu

Writing Proposals

First Edition  ©2025 Joanna Wolfe; Emily Barrow DeJeu Formats: E-book

Authors

  • Headshot of Joanna Wolfe

    Joanna Wolfe

    Joanna Wolfe (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is Director of the Global Communication Center at Carnegie Mellon University, where she develops new methods for improving communication instruction across the university. She is the author of numerous scholarly articles on teamwork, gender studies, collaborative learning technology , technical writing, and rhetoric Her research on collaborative writing in technical communication classes won the 2006 NCTE award for best article reporting qualitative or quantitative research in technical and scientific communication.


  • Headshot of Emily Barrow DeJeu

    Emily Barrow DeJeu

Table of Contents

UNIT I: INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1: Proposal Writing as Social Problem-Solving

Case Study: The painted dog exhibit

What is a proposal? 

Idea level

Social level

Outcome level

  • Exercise 1.1: Identifying proposal factors

Problem-solving power channels

Problem-solving stakeholders

Case Study: The politics of Washington’s wolves

  • Exercise 1.2: Identifying factors and building coalitions

Problem-solving constraints

Case Study: Vondra’s Literacy Education Foundation grant

Summary

  • Exercise 1.3: Identifying factors for your proposal


UNIT II: RESEARCHING YOUR PROPOSAL

Chapter 2: Proposals Are Flexible and Build Coalitions

What goes into a proposal? 

  • Exercise 2.1: Analyzing example proposals

Types of proposal situations

  • Exercise 2.2: Types of proposals

The work behind the proposal: Building coalitions

  • For Discussion: Coalition-building actions

Building coalitions in a community proposal

  • Exercise 2.3: Identifying coalitions and considering perspectives

Summary

  • For Discussion: Exploring choices
  • Exercise 2.4: Introducing James’ scenario: Proposing a fitness requirement


Chapter 3: Getting Started with Unsolicited Proposals

Case Study: James’ fitness proposal

Step 1: Conducting stakeholder analysis

  • Exercise 3.1: Naomi’s proposal for a paperless office

Step 2: Searching for alternatives and unintended consequences

  • Exercise 3.2: Naomi’s search for alternatives and consequences

Step 3: Building coalitions with low-power, high-resistance stakeholders

  • Exercise 3.3: Naomi’s engagement with low-power, high-resistance stakeholders

Step 4: Building coalitions with high power stakeholders

  • Exercise 3.4: Connecting to your organization’s mission

Step 5: Building coalitions with supportive stakeholders

  • For Discussion: Building coalitions with supportive stakeholders

Step 6: Researching costs and opportunity costs

  • Exercise 3.5: Naomi’s search for hidden costs

Using socially driven research to change your plans

Summary

  • Exercise 3.6: Researching your own proposal


Chapter 4: Getting Started with Solicited Proposals

Adopting a “service attitude” with solicited proposals

Finding an RFP

  • Exercise 4.1: Finding an RFP 

Step1: Scrutinizing the RFP and mission statement

  • For Discussion: Vondra’s revised proposal
  • Exercise 4.2: Scrutinizing the RFP

Step 2: Researching other projects that have received funding

  • Exercise 4.3: Looking at previously funded projects

Step 3: Contacting the funding organization

Summary


Chapter 5: Engaging with Stakeholders

Choose the correct medium

  • For Discussion: Picking the right medium

Craft your communication to maximize the likelihood of a response 

  • For Discussion: Vondra’s email

What if my initial request for information is not returned? 

Build relationships in interviews

  • Exercise 5.1: Vondra’s interview questions

Show you are open-minded and respectful during interviews

Survey stakeholders to learn answers to real questions

Summary

  • Exercise 5.4: Engaging your proposal’s stakeholders


UNIT III: DESIGNING YOUR PROPOSAL

Chapter 6: Writing Effectively about Problems

Reframe the problem to address readers’ priorities and values

  • Exercise 6.1: Reframing problems

Target the underlying problem

  • For Discussion: Robert Weiglus’ letter and the underlying problem
  • Exercise 6.2: Targeting the right problem

Turn problems into opportunities

  • For Discussion: What is the right proportion of negative language? 
  • Exercise 6.3: Turning problems into opportunities

Connect and reinforce the links from problem to response

  • Exercise 6.4: Creating solid chains of reasons

Summary

  • Exercise 6.5: Analyzing problem statements
  • Exercise 6.6: Writing the problem statement for your proposal


Chapter 7: Persuading Readers That Your Response Can Succeed

Define (and, if possible, quantify) success

  • For Discussion: Defining success
  • Quantifying success
  • Consider what success looks like for underprivileged stakeholders
  • Exercise 7.1: Defining success

Provide “proof of concept” evidence that the response has worked elsewhere

  • Benchmarking
  • Testimonials and case studies
  • Research studies
  • Exercise 7.2: Establishing proof of concept 

Validate that there is need or demand for your response

Name sponsors or supporters

  • For Discussion: Vondra’s sponsors

Provide your credentials

Bidding on New Projects

Summary

  • Exercise 7.3: Analyzing responses
  • Exercise 7.4: Establishing your proposal’s response


Chapter 8: Filling Out Your Response Details

Figuring out what kinds of details you need

  • James’ plan: How he will make the response happen
  • Vondra’s plan: What the response will look like
  • What happens after the response is in place (both James and Vondra)
  • For Discussion: What kinds of details?

Strategies for writing about details

  • Strategy 1: Divide details into manageable “chunks”
  • Strategy 2: Connect actions to goals
    • For Discussion: Connecting actions to goals in Vondra’s plan
  • Strategy 3: Include an evaluation plan
  • Strategy 4: Use a timeline to help readers visualize the entire project

Summary

  • Exercise 8.1: Writing your own proposal plan


Chapter 9: Writing Effectively about Costs

Estimating the cost of your proposal

  • Estimating the cost of James’ proposal
  • Estimating the cost of Vondra’s proposal
  • Exercise 9.1: Identifying costs

Improving your proposal’s cost/benefit ratio

  • Consider the 80/20 rule and scale down your response
  • Scale up the benefits

Writing about costs in the proposal

  • Address nonmonetary costs in the proposal body
  • Callout: Privilege and power in opportunity costs
  • Callout: Common phrases writers use to respond to opportunity costs

Address in-kind costs in the proposal body and separate budgetary section

Summary

  • Exercise 9.2: Responding to your proposal’s costs


Chapter 10: Front Matter: Writing Cover Letters, Abstracts, and Executive Summaries

Cover letter, abstract, and executive summary: What’s the difference?

Front matter is independent of the proposal: It is NOT the introduction

Cover letters

Abstracts

  • Exercise 10.1: Analyzing James’ abstract
  • For Discussion: Writing abstracts that motivate readers

Executive summaries

  • Exercise 10.2: Analyzing Vondra’s executive summary

Summary

  • Exercise 10.3: Writing your proposal’s front matter


Appendix A:

James’ Proposal to Transform University X Students’ Lifelong Social and Physical Wellness by Creating a Visible Culture of Group Fitness


Appendix B:

Vondra’s Proposal for Teaching Pre-Literate Adult Learners in a Second Language

Product Updates

A problem-solving approach to proposal writing

Employing a problem-solving approach, Writing Proposals guides writers through the challenges and best practices of proposal writing, including navigating constraints, conducting effective research, and applying an audience-driven organization and design.

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ISBN:9781319339753

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