Basics of Proposal Development

This free online course is aimed at civil society organisation staff seeking to strengthen their proposal development skills in response to international donors, including United States and United Kingdom government agencies and the European Commission.

The course introduces the fundamentals of proposal development, including understanding solicitation requirements, structuring compliant proposals, building effective proposal teams and partnerships, and developing strong technical and cost narratives. Participants will also explore key elements of writing, monitoring and evaluation design within proposals, and post-submission processes such as clarification, negotiation, and donor feedback.

A more advanced course – Intermediate Proposal Development, is also available.

The course is available in English and was produced as part of the Aga Khan Foundation’s Civil Society Programme. The course duration is 2.5 hours.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

LO1 Explain the purpose of proposals and identify whether to respond to a solicitation

LO2 Describe the key components of solicitations and proposal documents, including concept notes and full proposals

LO3 Explain how to establish a proposal team and identify appropriate partners for proposal development

LO4 Describe the proposal development lifecycle, including planning, compliance, submission, and award processes

LO5 Explain key writing principles used in proposal development, including structure, clarity, and compliance with donor requirements

LO6 Describe how monitoring and evaluation components are integrated into proposal design

LO7 Explain post-submission processes, including clarification, negotiation, and donor feedback

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

Assess solicitation documents and determine whether an organisation should respond
Interpret donor requirements and structure compliant proposal submissions
Contribute to the formation of effective proposal development teams and partnerships
Support the development of proposal outlines, technical narratives, and supporting documentation
Apply basic proposal writing principles to improve clarity, compliance, and persuasiveness
Contribute to the design of monitoring and evaluation frameworks within proposals
Support coordination during submission, negotiation, and post-award transition processes
Engage constructively with donor feedback to improve future proposal quality

The course can be completed as an online-only course or in a blended format where learners first watch the videos and then engage in a synchronous in-person session. A Facilitator Guide is available for download for the synchronous in-person session.

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