How to Write a Project Proposal in 6 Steps (+ Template)

A great idea for a project has just popped up in your mind. You are sure it is exactly what your company needs and that it will be well worth the investment.

Still, that’s not enough for your project to see the light of day. The problem is: how do you convince the decision-makers to give your project the green light?

Here’s the answer — a well-written and convincing project proposal! 

A masterfully crafted proposal can make any project noticed and approved. And, with a few tricks, you’ll become an expert at writing impeccable project proposals!

Also, if you’re in a time crunch and need an instant solution, we’ve prepared a project proposal template that should save you lots of time.

So, let’s dive in!

What is a project proposal?

A project proposal is a document that defines your project ideas. It outlines critical details about the project, including its: 

• Objectives, 
• Goals, 
• Timeline, and
• Budget. 

The main idea of a project proposal is to serve as a kind of advertisement for a potential project, aiming to capture the attention of stakeholders and investors. It should assure them that the project will solve a particular business problem, making it worth the investment.

To put it simply — without a project proposal, there is no project.

Project proposals vs project charters vs business cases

As people sometimes confuse these 3 terms, let’s clarify the differences between them.

Although both the project proposal and the project charter define a project’s various details, they occur in different phases of project management. 

To be more precise, a project proposal is a part of the initiation phase of a project, whereas a project charter comes about in the planning phase. So, a project charter comes after a project proposal, i.e., after the project has been accepted. 

Another term people confuse project proposals with is a business case — a document that explains why a proposed project should be executed. So, a business case is used only after the project is approved through a proposal.   

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6 types of project proposals

There are 6 types of project proposals. Choosing the right one depends on:

• The type of project you are proposing, and
• The audience it is intended for.

Let’s describe them briefly.

Type #1: Solicited project proposals

Solicited project proposals are sent as a response to a request for proposal (RFP). 

It usually goes like this — a sponsor needs a project to solve a certain problem, so they write an RFP. 

In it, they describe the type of work needed to be done, give some instructions, and include the deadline. Then, they send it to several organizations, and each of them writes a project proposal according to the guidelines from the RFP.

Solicited project proposals should be even more persuasive and detailed than other types of proposals since you are competing against others.

Type #2: Unsolicited project proposals

An unsolicited project proposal is a document in which you present a new idea or an innovation to a sponsor. 

In other words, you have an idea for the solution to a problem, but you need a sponsor to fund your project. So, you write an unsolicited project proposal and send it to prospective investors, clients, or sponsors. 

In this case, there is no RFP — no one has asked for your proposal. Therefore, there will be no other companies that you are competing against. 

Nevertheless, your proposal has to be persuasive as you don’t know whether the potential investors really need what you are offering them.

Type #3: Informal project proposals

Informal project proposals are proposals written as a response to a client’s informal request. This means there is no RFP. 

Since there isn’t an official request, there are no strict rules to adhere to. You will have to do a lot of research since there are no guidelines as to what the project should look like.

Type #4: Renewal project proposals

Renewal project proposals are usually sent to existing clients in order to persuade them to continue working with you even after the project finishes. 

In this type of proposal, the aim is to highlight the good results from the past that you have produced for that client. What’s more, you should make them believe that future results will be even better. 

Renewal project proposals can also be sent to former clients. This way, you can remind them of your successful cooperation and try to convince them to work with you again.

Type #5: Continuation project proposal

Continuation project proposals are proposals written to update the client on the project status. Since they are written after the project has been approved — so you don’t have to persuade anyone — they are the easiest to write. 

In this type of proposal, the project or a new phase of it is about to begin, and you want to inform the stakeholders of that. 

You don’t have to invest much work into writing this proposal. Its purpose is not to win over a new client, but to provide some information about the project status.

Type #6: Supplemental project proposals

Supplemental project proposals are written when you want additional resources from the stakeholders. 

Just like a continuation proposal, a supplemental project proposal is also sent to stakeholders with whom you are already working on a project. 

Still, you need to be persuasive because you’re asking for more resources when the budget you’ve originally requested for a project is not enough.

6 steps for writing a compelling project proposal (+ examples)

In order for your project to be approved and receive the budget it needs, you need to write a detailed project proposal. 

It should contain all the information necessary to give a clear picture of every aspect of the project. 

To make this process easier for you, we have prepared the 6 steps you should follow when writing a proposal:

1. Write the executive summary.
2. Describe the project background.
3. Present a solution.
4. State the project deliverables.
5. Request the necessary resources.
6. Write the conclusion.

All the steps mentioned above will be illustrated with examples so that you don’t have any problems crafting your own project proposal. Let’s dive in!

Step #1: Write an executive summary

An executive summary is a relatively short part of the proposal in which you give potential investors and stakeholders the most important information about the project. 

The aim of this section is to persuade the reader to continue reading. It should announce what’s coming and try to capture the reader’s attention. 

This summary should do the following:

• Introduce the problem the project should solve,
• Explain the impact it will have,
• Mention the resources that the project will require,
• State the timeline for project completion (estimated start and end date),
• Announce the team members who will work on it, etc.

Mind you, you don’t have to talk about these points in detail since you will expand on them later in the proposal. To gain a clearer picture of what it should look like, here’s an example of an executive summary: 

Scent Lab is a distinguishable niche perfume store in New York, looking to expand its national and international reach by introducing online shopping on its website. After adding a shopping cart with international currency to the website, we predict that its current sales will double by the end of next year. The redesign will be over by the end of the first quarter of next year. The estimated cost of the whole project is $6,400. The best of the best will be working on this project, including our distinguished UX designers Julia Lockwood, Christina Donaldson, and Mark Ronson, and Katie Spark, marketing manager. 

Step #2: Describe the project background

In this section, you should describe the background of your project and convince the reader you’re the right choice for solving their problem.

More precisely, you’re supposed to:

• Explain the problem the project is based on,
• Briefly show your expertise,
• Reference some of your past projects related to the same problem, and
• Mention some research related to the problem.

Moreover, you can use statistics and important metrics to make your point clear. Keep in mind that this section should be pretty short — usually, it’s 1 to 3 paragraphs long. 

So, let’s see how this section should look: 

Step #3: Present a solution

Next, you should expand on the problem and present a solution to it. We’ve come to the part of the proposal where you should go into detail. 

Some of the points you should cover in this section are:

• The vision statement you have for the project,
• The schedule for your project and important project milestones,
• Roles and responsibilities of each project team member, etc.

So, let’s see how that would look in practice: 

Step #4: State the project deliverables

This is the most important part of the project proposal, at least for stakeholders. 

Here, you should present the project deliverables — the final products of the project. You’re supposed to describe these deliverables thoroughly. This way, stakeholders will be able to visualize them and get a clear picture of the final results. 

In this part of the proposal, apart from the deliverables, cover the following points:

• The final objective of the project,
• The project timeline,
• Potential risks (lack of clarity, time crunch…) and risk management strategies,
• S.M.A.R.T. goals and how they relate to the deliverables, etc.

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Let’s take a look at an example of this step of the proposal process:

Step #5: Request the necessary resources

We’ve come to the (not so) fun part — the part where you talk about the budget. 

In this section, you should state the resources you need and describe how you are planning to use them. 

First, mention the overall sum you need for the entire life cycle of the project. Then, list the amounts that you would allocate to the following:

• Tools,
• Materials,
• Marketing,
• Salaries, etc.

In practice, here’s how this section should look: 

Step #6: Write the conclusion

This is the part where you should give a final summary of everything mentioned above. 

Here, you have a chance to highlight the importance of your project for resolving the problem in question.

Bear in mind that you should sound confident because this is your last chance to win over your reader. 

If possible, include some visual elements, such as reports, charts, tables, etc. This will make your proposal seem more realistic and your project sound more important. 

Be persuasive and leave an impression! 

Remember — your success doesn’t depend on the number but on the choice of words you use.

By introducing online shopping features to its website, Scent Lab should be able to widen its national and international reach. As a seasoned marketing agency, Spark It Up will do the whole redesign and organize a marketing campaign. We have a long list of satisfied clients who can testify that we have helped their businesses thrive online. To be precise, our experience and extensive research tell us that the proposed changes will help you double your sales by the end of the next year. Let us do our magic and help you boost your sales! 

5 tips for crafting an effective project proposal

The aim of your project proposal is to get the project approved. Of course, decision-makers are the ones who have the final word here. However, you can nudge them in the right direction. 

If you write an effective project proposal and present the project in a good light, you can improve your chances of success. 

Here is some advice on how to write a project proposal that could be a game-changer.

Tip # 1: Write for a particular audience

Always bear in mind who the readers of your proposal will be. 

In that sense, you should choose the right language so as to get your message across. 

This means that you have to adjust the tone and the terms you use to your target readers. Refrain from using slang and language that is too informal. Instead, pick out the words you’re sure your readers would understand. Otherwise, they may misunderstand you and miss the entire point of the proposal.

Tip #2: Be persuasive

Don’t forget that you are trying to sell your idea. In order to do that, you have to present it as best as you can.

You should make your reader believe that the project you are presenting is exactly what they need at that moment. 

Try to let the reader know about your work experience. Also, inform them about your qualifications and those of your team members. That way, you can build their trust in the project and get their approval.

Tip #3: Use facts

As harsh as it may sound, decision-makers are not interested in your opinion. They want concrete evidence of the potential effectiveness of the project. 

Therefore, you should include various charts, graphs, statistics, and use cases. This way, your project will look less abstract and will be easy to visualize.

Tip #4: Keep it simple

You must make your proposal easy to read and understand. 

To achieve this, pay attention to the proposal’s sentence structure. Namely, sentences should be short, but to the point. The terms you use should also be easy to understand. It’s best if you refrain from ambiguous words.

Also, pay attention to the format of your proposal. Your reader should be able to follow the text with ease. In line with that, you don’t need to include the tiniest details of the project. Don’t make the text too complex or else the reader will lose track of the context. 

Be aware of the fact that decision-makers usually don’t have much time to spend reading each and every detail of your proposal. So, use your words smartly, and don’t waste a single one.

Tip #5: Proofread your proposal

Before you submit your proposal, make sure that all the spelling and grammar errors are removed. A proposal full of such mistakes may give you and your project ideas a bad reputation.

If you are not sure how to revise your proposal yourself, you can always hire a professional editor. Don’t forget that sometimes, the form is as important as the content.

—

Let’s briefly recap the dos and don’ts of writing a compelling project proposal.

Do	Don’t
Write for a particular audience	Use slang or too informal language
Be persuasive	Overwhelm your readers with unnecessary details
Use facts	Express your opinions or feelings
Keep it simple	Use ambiguous words
Proofread your proposal	Send your proposal with grammatical mistakes

Project proposal template

Remember — a project proposal should leave a great impression. To achieve that, it should both look and sound good. 

Therefore, if you are not sure how to visually present your proposal, the safest way is to use ready-made templates. This way, you will ensure your proposal looks attractive and modern. 

That’s why we’ve prepared a simple project proposal template for you — if you want to keep all the information short, concise, and to the point. 

The first page of your project proposal — the informative part — should contain some basic information, such as:

• Project name,
• Job location,
• Start date,
• End date,
• Project leader,
• Company,
• Contact name,
• Address,
• Phone number, etc.

Here’s how it should look: 

This section should be presented clearly and concisely, providing only the information required. It should be no longer than one page.

The second section of the proposal — the descriptive part — should look like this:

This is the section where you should put the art of persuasion into practice. 

Here, you’re supposed to be detailed. So, describe the project thoroughly, answering these questions:

• What is the project about?
• What should be the desired outcome?
• What action does the project require?
• What benefits should it bring?
• What is the project schedule?
• What should the project budget be?

You can use the examples above as an inspiration to fill in your project proposal template step by step.

Bear in mind that the content and the tone you use should differ depending on the type of proposal you’re writing and the target audience.

Get our project proposal template

Present your project proposals in the best light with Plaky

Still worried about writing your project proposal? Don’t be — not when there’s project management software like Plaky!

Plaky is free to use and offers many possibilities for project managers — both for planning and managing ongoing projects.

You can easily present your project in Plaky in a detailed project board that offers a glimpse into key project information, including: 

• The project timeline, 
• Description of the project, 
• The start/end dates, 
• The priority of tasks,
• Team members assigned to each task, etc.

A graphic representation will help decision-makers better understand every aspect of the project. And yes, once your project is approved, you can start working on it — without switching to another app! 

Try Plaky for free

Plaky also enables you to take care of the various aspects of managing your project, such as:

• Effective communication and collaboration,
• Keeping all your information in one place, and
• Easy project monitoring.

What’s more, the Gantt view provides a great overview of specific tasks within your project and lets you see how they fit into your plan. So, with a robust project management tool like Plaky, you can take care of every project phase — from initiation to closure!

You’re just a click away from a perfect project life cycle! What are you waiting for? Sign up for Plaky now!

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