In Chapter 9, I touched on customizing your proposal to match a funder’s interests. In this chapter, I provide in-depth examples, and I show you how to move beyond parroting back the funder’s language to make a more convincing case.

Having taken you through the different parts of a proposal in the preceding chapter, here I show you how to use one of two different methods to give a focus to the proposal while incorporating all those parts. One method concentrates on the process used to carry out a program, and the other stresses the results. I also help you decide which method is right for your proposal.

The preceding chapter and most of this chapter’s material help you write program proposals, but what about proposals for general operating support (GOS)? GOS proposals need a different approach, so I’ve included a special section on them in this chapter. The other special case I present for your consideration is the use of jargon, which can take the life right out of an otherwise excellent proposal.