Define your goals and objectives -

Ask yourself:

Why are we doing this?

What do we expect to gain?

When do we expect to see results?

Use the answers to these questions to write a clear "Statement of Purpose" that will, over the course of the project, help keep everybody aligned towards the same concrete goals.

Pay close attention to Proposal Evaluation Criteria

These criteria are often explicitly stated in the call for proposals. Reviewers evaluate proposals based on this criteria. Pay careful attention to these criteria when you are creating your proposal.

Seek Clarification if Necessary

The call for proposals may be wordy and confusing.  If you have questions, write them down, then talk to the contact person at the funding agency. (The contact information is usually listed in the call for proposals.)

Generate a list of tasks to be accomplished

This will help you monitor the progress of your grant proposal.

Writing the Proposal:

The Introduction

Introduce your organization, key players, and organizational goals. Be specific to your projects funding and keep it simple. Grant funding entities are looking at a lot of proposals and you want them to actually read yours.

Needs Statement

This is the key component to your proposal. Tell them specifically what your project will accomplish. Have you completed surveys? How about statistical or quantitative studies? How is the technology going to impact people? Focus on the outcome of the solution rather than the solution itself.

Objectives

Answer these questions:

What are the goals we are planning to reach with this project?

What approach are we going to take to reach those goals?

Implementation

How exactly are you going to solve the problem you addressed in your needs statement?  Include enough detail to show that you know what you're talking about and, at the same time, keep it simple.

Evaluation

Once you get funding, how are you going to measure outcomes? Use specific data if you can. If you have multiple possible outcomes, choose only the top one or two outcomes that will have the most impact. Once you set your measurement criteria, how will you make adjustments if you don't meet your selected criteria?

If the grantor has evaluation criteria which they want incorporated, most often they will, then how do you plan to incorporate the criteria? Spell out how you will perform the evaluation to include a timeline.

The Future

This section is important. Address your project's future funding needs. Many projects span more than one year. Don't neglect future funding because you're focused on your current project needs. Evaluators will appreciate your honesty.