How to write knockout proposals
By Joseph Barbato; 128 pages; published by Emerson
& Church
When most people hear the term 'proposal writing' their primary interest
is usually the proposal aspect. What is the organization doing? What are they
asking for? The actual act of writing is more of an afterthought. Joseph Barbato
puts the writing aspect at centre stage. After all, without good writing a
proposal will most likely be rejected. It might sound elementary, and yet
as Barbato points out, organizations and even proposal writers themselves
can get caught up in the excitement of a new program or initiative and simply
loose focus. Offering straightforward advice and common sense tips, this book
will help even the first-time proposal writer understand the key concepts
necessary to pen a winning proposal.
In concise, two-page chapters, Barbato walks the reader through the proposal
writing process, from research and first draft, to revisions and send out.
Along the way, he provides insight into the process and shares lots of helpful
tips gathered from his 30 years of experience as a proposal writer. He advises
writers to focus on the needs of the funder - not the needs of the organization,
to never gloss over shortcomings, to use plain English, and to know where
the strengths of an organization lie. While his suggestions might seem self-evident,
these fundamentals can sometimes be forgotten. This guide serves as a great
refresher for experienced proposal writers, and an essential primer for those
new to the field. Reading this book is as close as it gets to sitting down
with a veteran proposal writer and learning all his insider secrets and tricks
of the trade. It's an opportunity not to be missed.
Buy the book:
Canada: buy through Amazon.ca: CDN$23.01
International: buy through Amazon.com: US$16.97
