What are the best practices for developing a proposal for community service funding from local businesses?

1 Identify your goals and objectives

Before you start writing your proposal, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your community service project and how you will measure your success. Your goals and objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, instead of saying "we want to improve the quality of life of low-income seniors", you could say "we want to provide 100 low-income seniors with weekly home-delivered meals and social support for six months". Having SMART goals and objectives will help you demonstrate your value proposition and your accountability to potential donors.

2 Research your potential donors

Another important step in developing your proposal is to research the local businesses that you want to approach for funding. You need to understand their mission, vision, values, interests, and priorities, as well as their previous and current giving patterns and criteria. This will help you tailor your proposal to their specific needs and expectations, and show how your community service project aligns with their goals and values. For example, if you are seeking funding from a local grocery store that has a sustainability focus, you could emphasize how your project reduces food waste and supports local farmers.

3 Follow a clear and compelling structure

A good proposal for community service funding should have a clear and compelling structure that guides the reader through your story and your ask. Generally, this structure consists of an executive summary, an introduction, a need statement, a project description, an evaluation plan, a budget, and a conclusion. The executive summary should provide a brief overview of your organization, your project, your goals and objectives, your budget, and your request. The introduction should be more detailed and include information about your mission, history, achievements, and credibility. The need statement should describe the problem or gap that your project addresses, the evidence that supports it, and the urgency of action. The project description should include details on activities, methods, timeline, staff, partners, and beneficiaries. An evaluation plan should explain how you will monitor and evaluate the project using indicators, tools, data sources, and reporting methods. Finally, the budget should break down costs and revenues of the project as well as the amount and type of funding you are requesting. The conclusion should summarize the proposal with a restatement of your request and a call to action.

4 Use clear and persuasive language

The language you use in your proposal should be clear, concise, and persuasive. You should avoid jargon, acronyms, and technical terms that may confuse or alienate your reader. You should also use active voice, positive tone, and concrete examples to convey your message and your passion. For example, instead of saying "the project will be implemented by the staff", you could say "our dedicated staff will implement the project". You should also use stories, testimonials, and data to illustrate your impact and your potential. For example, you could include a quote from a beneficiary, a statistic from a reputable source, or a success story from a previous project.

5 Proofread and edit your proposal

Finally, you should proofread and edit your proposal before you submit it to your potential donors. You should check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors, as well as for clarity, consistency, and coherence. You should also ask someone else to review your proposal and give you feedback. This will help you identify any gaps, errors, or weaknesses in your proposal, and improve its quality and effectiveness.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?