Proposals ASKING FOR STUFF, (HOPEFULLY) GETTING STUFF.
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Transcript of Proposals ASKING FOR STUFF, (HOPEFULLY) GETTING STUFF.
ProposalsASKING FOR STUFF, (HOPEFULLY) GETTING STUFF
Proposals are Everywhere (even academia)
Two New Courses New Computers for English Lab A Tech Literacy Workshop for Department Faculty New Video Cameras and Editing Software for
Department Internship Field Trip for English Majors Keeping T-Shirt Money in the Budget for Department
Conference Even my own Tenure Binder
Business Proposal Scenarios
A nonprofit organization focused on a particular issue wants an expert consultant to write a handbook or guide for its membership.
A company has some sort of problem or wants to make some sort of improvement. It sends out a request for proposals. You offer to come in, investigate, interview, make recommendations—and present it all in the form of a report.
Some organization wants a seminar in your expertise. You write a proposal to give the seminar—included in the package deal is a guide or handbook that the people attending the seminar will receive.
You want to write a business prospectus for the kind of business you intend to start up.
Some agency has just started using a fancy desktop-publishing system, but the documentation is giving people fits. You receive a request for proposals from this agency to write some sort of simplified guide or startup guide.
Two Kinds
UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL
Not requested by readers but pitched to an audience with the ability to take action.
SOLICITED PROPOSAL
Requested by readers and given to you as an initial task to complete of a larger project.
Modified Outline From BookFront Matter
Introduction (sometimes called “executive brief”)
Current Situation
Project Plan
Qualifications (think of as YOUR ethos building)
Costs and Benefits (think feasibility and result)
Conclusion
Back Matter
Feel free to use these as major headings (ala our response letter & tech description) or write the proposal as an un-sectioned letter as long as I can tell these sections exist. Up to you.
More Intros with Sub-Outlines
Define what the proposal is about State the purpose of the proposal State proposal’s main point Stress the importance of the subject Forecast the organization of the proposal
Do tell them the class or person you’re considering in the intro. This isn’t information to be saved as a surprise in the plan section.
Current Situation
Describe the problem or situation currently facing UVU and how it effects the involved parties
Backing this up with research shows you did your homework and helps with persuasiveness
Create sympathy and emotion in this section to make solution more appealing UVU does not have enough healthy
eating options.
Project Plan
Explain the plan Who you want to invite
What class should be created
Give details What should the class include
Relevant background on the guest speaker
Again, show researched knowledge whenever possible
Jamie Oliver. Professional chef, nutrition expert, Food Network star, healthy school lunch advocate.
Qualifications
Explain why you are making this suggestion and what qualifies you to be believed that it’s a good one
Explain your personal connection to new class, the speaker, or the issue the speaker will address
Letter Writer. Life-long healthy eater. Diagnosed with Celiac disease. On campus for 8-10 hours a day.
Costs & Benefits
Focus mostly on benefits of this action, as you probably won’t know costs. What will change/be made better and how?
Instead of cost, think of feasibility. How is this proposal realistic? Who could teach the class
(name names)
How could this speaker be convinced UVU is worth his/her time?
Promotion of health and well-being on campus. Students will have more positive feels about UVU. Jamie Oliver already does similar speaking events.
Contexts to Consider & Address For Your Project
Ethical & Political Contexts
“Controversial” Figures Inter-Department Turf
Contexts to Consider & Address For Your Project
Primary Readers Department Chair
President Holland
Secondary Readers Entire Department Faculty/People Who Teach That Kind of Class
Vice President/Student Body President
Tertiary Readers Other Departments/Parents of Students
Journalists/Local Organizations
Visual DesignProposals come in many designs and formats. For our project (mainly due to time) we will focus on a simple business letter format (similar to your response letter to me earlier in the semester), though Word styles can still be used to provide a little flair.
Final Tips
Specific people are involved– use “I” and “You”
Try to see the whole situation from the readers’ points of view and accommodate for that
Communication over impressiveness
Maximum PC-ness, even if you don’t believe in that
Find the sweet spot between too short and too long
Realize that in the real world, the “project plan” and “costs and benefits” sections might be the only ones that get read or focused on