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Project proposal: What is it and how to write one?
Build a successful proposal step by step with Adobe tools.
A project proposal is a document that:
- Explains the project process
- Identifies key stakeholders and audience members
- Covers crucial project details from timelines to budgets
Think of it as a project plan that showcases the path to success that any approver needs to see.
What is a project proposal?
A project proposal is a document that outlines the plan for the project and persuades stakeholders that the project deserves their support. Project proposals appear in a wide variety of contexts. Whether you’re in academia, marketing, hospitality, education, construction, finance, manufacturing, health services, or another industry, you will likely encounter or help create a project proposal.
A well-written proposal can turn into a contract once it has been accepted because it provides the particulars of financing, deliverables, or other relevant terms of work to be completed or services to be rendered within an expected timeframe.
Reasons to write a proposal for a project.
Many project proposals are written to obtain financing or other resources, but you might also write one to propose a joint venture, demonstrate leadership, build excitement, get more people involved, or show your audience that you’re prepared to begin work.
Here are a few different instances when you might want to send a project proposal:
- You’re writing a research proposal, and you need to show advisors, colleagues, or funding organizations that your research is worthwhile.
- You’re a fashion designer, and you need to demonstrate to a retailer that your products will fit with their brand and benefit their bottom line.
- You’re the director of the marketing department, and you need a marketing proposal for your company’s executives to outline the plan for the year.
In any context, a proposal is a persuasive document designed to convince your audience to take some kind of action. Even if you’re the one who will carry out the project, you’ll be more successful when the proposal is focused more on your audience than on yourself. Provide a solution to their problem, not to yours. Focus on their long-term goals, not yours.
A written proposal shows that you’re serious and prepared, and it forces you to plan ahead by thinking about all the particulars of a project from start to finish. You’ll need to make sure that it’s written and designed nicely, but you won’t be ready to do that until you’ve put in the work to plan and research the content.
Types of project proposals.
Although project proposals can take different forms depending on the industry, they usually fall into two main categories — they can be either solicited or unsolicited.
1. Solicited project proposal.
A solicited proposal just means that it is written in response to a request for proposal (RFP). Many businesses and organizations send out RFPs to solicit services from other professionals. They have a problem to solve or work to get done, and they want to find out who can do it best. Writing a solicited proposal is convenient because you can find most of the information you need in the request, which should specify any requirements for tools, products, and deadlines.
2. Unsolicited project proposal.
An unsolicited proposal, on the other hand, can be written even when the organization is not actively seeking proposals for a specified problem or service. That means you have to take the initiative to create a relationship with someone from the organization, to get your proposal in the right hands, and to do a little extra research to understand how your proposal can benefit your audience.
One advantage to writing unsolicited proposals is that you’ll have less competition, or no competition. However, if they’re not actively seeking proposals, they might not be immediately ready to provide funding or to approve a new project. That means you’ll need to be especially persuasive and carefully outline the problem you want to solve. An unsolicited proposal needs to be carefully developed, but it doesn’t need to be formal. It can even be an email.
Beyond those two major categories, you might be writing to propose continued work, to renew a project, to acquire more resources, to offer consulting, or carry out research. Additionally, you may write a nonprofit grant proposal to obtain funding or a sponsorship. Other types of project proposals are written to obtain educational funds, or business proposals for freelance work, or contract work — such as building a website or a marketing campaign.
You might need to write a proposal to provide services in property management, product distribution, or legal services. Each type can include different sections or use different terminology, but any proposal will usually include a few core components. After writing your proposal, easily proofread, review, or edit a PDF version of your work with Adobe Acrobat before sending it to stakeholders.
How to write a proposal for a project step by step.
Whether it’s a printed report or a slide deck, the proposal should include a table of contents to make it easy to navigate and to give your audience an advanced look at the direction it’s headed. Even a less formal email can include a sentence summarizing the contents. The elements should include the following:
1. Start with an executive summary or an abstract.
However it’s labeled, it’s important to know how to write an executive summary to outline your plan and its purpose as briefly as possible — in no more than a sentence or paragraph, depending on the size and complexity of the proposal.
An executive summary or abstract for a project proposal should be a concise yet comprehensive overview of the project. It should include the project’s purpose, objectives, key deliverables, expected outcomes, and significance. Additionally, it should briefly outline the problem being addressed, the proposed solution, and any critical financial or resource requirements. The language should be clear and persuasive, highlighting the project’s value and potential impact. Ideally, it should ensure that stakeholders quickly grasp the essential aspects of the proposal.
2. Write a problem statement.
A problem statement in a project proposal should clearly define the issue the project aims to address. It should be specific, concise, and supported by relevant data or evidence to highlight the problem’s significance. The statement should explain who is affected by the issue, why it is important to solve it, and the consequences of inaction. Additionally, it should provide context while avoiding proposed solutions, as the focus should be on defining the problem itself. A well-written problem statement sets the foundation for the project’s objectives and justifies the need for the proposed solution.
3. Present your proposed solution.
You can also call this section project objectives. Before jumping into the particulars, state exactly what your project is and explain its purpose in response to the problem.
The proposed solution should clearly outline how the project will address the identified problem. It should provide a detailed yet concise explanation of the approach, methods, and strategies to be used. The solution should be practical, feasible, and backed by evidence or examples of success if available. Additionally, it should highlight the benefits and expected impact of implementing the solution, demonstrating why it is the best course of action. A strong proposed solution section builds confidence in the project’s viability and effectiveness.
4. Describe the plan.
Here is where you map out how it’s all going to happen. List deliverables. Provide a timeline. Explain how you will carry out your proposed solution. Be specific and concrete, with just enough detail to be persuasive.
In this section of the project proposal, you need to provide a clear roadmap detailing how the project will be executed. Start by listing the key deliverables — tangible outcomes or milestones that will be completed throughout the project. These could include reports, prototypes, software features, marketing campaigns, or any other measurable results. Next, outline a realistic timeline, breaking the project into phases with specific deadlines to ensure transparency and accountability.
This is also where you might address potential challenges and how you plan to mitigate risks. Provide enough detail to convince stakeholders that your plan is well thought out, but avoid unnecessary complexity. A well-defined plan strengthens your proposal by demonstrating a structured and results-driven approach to achieving the project’s objectives.
5. List your asks or requirements.
After detailing the problem, your approach, solution, and deliverables, it’s time to describe the resources needed to bring your project to life. This section should cover:
- Budget overview. Clearly list all expenses, from raw materials and advertising costs to team salaries, detailing every line item necessary to complete the project.
- Cost analysis. Explain the rationale behind each expense so that stakeholders understand how their investment is being used. This detailed justification also serves as a safeguard against unexpected costs.
- Resource distribution plan. Provide a clear outline of how you intend to allocate the required funds and materials. For instance, if your project demands $50,000, break down how that sum will be divided among wages, technology, supplies, and other needs.
By this stage in your proposal, you’ve likely secured stakeholder interest, making it strategic to present your resource requirements toward the end to reinforce the overall plan.
3 tips for writing a successful project proposal.
No matter the type of project you’re working on, it’s good to know the process of pulling together the right pieces for writing a proposal that conveys the right information. Knowing the ropes will dramatically improve your chances of getting the project approved, especially when you’re working in a professional or academic environment.
To ensure you properly learn how to write a proposal for a project, consider these tips and guidelines to nail your project proposal.
Understand your audience.
It’s essential to understand who you are writing to for approval when creating a proposal. Knowing your audience will give you a framework for your document. Ask yourself these questions about your audience, team members, and decision-makers:
- How familiar are they with the project or problem?
- What do they already know?
- What do they not know?
- What do they want to hear? How will you get their buy-in?
- What do they think project success looks like?
Considering the knowledge levels, expectations, and backgrounds of the audience you are writing for will go a long way toward success.
For example, if your audience has a lot of technical knowledge on the topic, they might expect technical details. If, however, the people approving have only a basic understanding — perhaps they’re board members with a background in different industry, or they’re looking for contract work in an area outside their expertise — you will need to be especially careful to avoid jargon and to translate industry language into more general terms.
Keep it clean and simple.
Even if your audience doesn’t have a clear problem, it’s a classic marketing tactic to create a problem and sell the solution. That doesn’t mean you need to be devious. It just means thinking carefully about what’s at stake for other people and then framing a project in terms that will benefit them. Make it clear to your audience what they have to gain.
A clear and simple project proposal is essential for ensuring that every stakeholder quickly understands the project’s objectives and the steps needed to achieve them. By focusing on clarity, the proposal clearly outlines the goals, deliverables, timeline, and required resources, reducing the risk of misunderstandings and misaligned expectations. This straightforward approach not only builds trust but also facilitates efficient decision-making and smoother project execution.
Do your research.
A comprehensive project proposal is built on detailed, credible research. It’s essential to substantiate your identified challenge and proposed remedy with reliable evidence — such as academic articles, case studies, statistical data, or visual aids — to eliminate any doubts from your audience. As you craft your proposal, consider the reader’s perspective by asking:
- What makes this issue significant?
- How does your solution effectively address it?
- Has this challenge been met before?
Successfully answering these questions demonstrates that your research is solid enough to back your proposed initiative.
Add as many relevant insights from research, figures, graphs, and charts as you can, as this will provide validation and credibility for your proposal. Compelling arguments and pitches are often all the more convincing with the right numbers to back them up. Make sure to keep it concise, however. This is a proposal, not a full research report.
Adobe tools for project proposals.
No matter the type of project you’re working on, Adobe Acrobat has the tools you need to make a stunning proposal that will get you the approval to work.
When you’re building the proposal itself, you might need to combine disparate elements, like charts, photographs, graphics, and text. With Acrobat features, you’ll be able to manipulate the pages of your proposal in seconds.
- Merge PDFs. Merging documents together is easy with Acrobat. Take spreadsheets, individual graphics, and other documents and convert them to PDF format so you can combine them all together with the Merge tool. Instead of a series of related attachments, you can put together a single, cohesive follow-up to your proposal that provides all the necessary information in one tidy PDF. You can also use the Reorder and Organize Pages tools to ensure all files are in the right order and are properly aligned to ensure the most professional-looking PDF.
- Compress PDFs. Once you’ve collected your combined proposal just the way you like, you can compress a merged PDF so it’s easy to share with any key stakeholders or project approvers.
Once shared, the Edit PDFs with Comment tool helps you collaborate and incorporate feedback from others — a collaborative way to start making your project a reality. Get ready to propose and create a successful project.
If you’re successful, the proposal can be immediately transformed into a contract. In addition to your team members’ signatures, create a proposal signature page to provide a place for your audience to sign to indicate their approval.
If you need inspiration for a proposal, there are many project proposal templates from which you can draw inspiration. You can build an excellent-looking presentation or proposal with professional graphic design as the foundation.
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