Chapter 12, The Final Touches

• Importance of revising


• Write front matter


• Write back matter


• Revision process to finish and polish

Seeing the proposal as a whole - does it achieve the purpose and address the needs of the reader?

Front matter -

• letter of transmittal - introduce the readers to the proposal, steers the proposal to the right people (intro, body, conclusion)


• cover page - identify the subject and set the tone - Title, client's name, name & logo of submitting organization, date submitted


• executive summary - synopsis that can be read in minutes - includes current situation, plan, qualifications, costs - follow structure of the proposal


• table of contents - needed in any document of more than 10 pages - mental framework - most efficient way to read text

Back matter - appendices - labeled with # or letter for reference in body of proposal - opening paragraph should introduce the contents (importance of the material and how it reinforces the argument

• Itemized budget and narrative
• resume key personnel - employment history, education, publications, special training or skills, awards, memberships in professional organizations
• analytical reports
• news or magazine articles - if discussed in the proposal, small paragraph that discusses the background of the document
• prior proposals - if discussed in the proposal, small paragraph that discusses the background of the document
• formulas and calculations - properly labeled to explain how it is used
• glossary - name of the item, class to which it belongs, features that distinguish it
• bibliography - list of printed sources, interviews, and other outside materials that were cited or consulted (APA scientific & technical, MLA nontechnical)
• personal or corporate references

Revising the proposal - rework sections so that they tell a consistent story

• Is the subject still the same?
• Does it achieve the stated purpose?
• Does it address the motives, values, attitudes, and emotions of the primary readers? gatekeepers? tertiary?
• Is it appropriate for the physical, economic, political, an ethical situations where it might be used?

Rethinking the problem or opportunity

• look at beginning notes - did you address the issue?
• reconsider - what changed? elements?
• is this the correct type of proposal? research, planning, implementation, estimate or combination?
• give clients what they asked for an NO more

Rethinking the rhetorical elements

• content - complete? missing info?
• organization - logical order? funder specific format?
• style - appropriate tone or persona?
• design - balanced with appropriate, consistent page design?

It should be a story which is

• complete,
• organized,
• easy to read,
• well designed