{"id":127,"date":"2019-02-01T21:17:04","date_gmt":"2019-02-01T21:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-communicationforprofessionals\/?post_type=chapter&p=127"},"modified":"2019-08-09T00:07:32","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T00:07:32","slug":"gathering-proposal-information","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-communicationforprofessionals\/chapter\/gathering-proposal-information\/","title":{"raw":"Developing & Organizing a Proposal","rendered":"Developing & Organizing a Proposal"},"content":{"raw":"

Developing the Proposal<\/h2>\r\n

Provide Complete Information<\/h3>\r\nThe body of the proposal - the statement of problem, possible and proposed solutions, and all other relevant sections - needs to be clear, comprehensive, detailed, and succinct.\u00a0 Your goal in proposal writing is to make your proposed action \"real\" to your reader. Provide enough specific information so that your reader can actually envision the results and see the logic and benefits in them. Make a proposed action real by providing sufficient, concrete information in all relevant proposal sections.\r\n
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Try It: what additional information is needed?<\/h3>\r\nRead the following sample, which is a first draft of possible and proposed solutions.\u00a0 As you read, think of questions that you have, as a reader and potential decision-maker, that could be addressed with fuller and more concrete, detailed information.\u00a0 How can the information be made more specific, and thus more persuasive?\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\nProposal for Creating a County Fire Investigation Team<\/strong>\r\n\r\nPossible and Proposed Solutions<\/strong>\r\n\r\nFire investigations could continue to be completed by Sheriff\u2019s Department investigators as is the present practice when the local fire chief does not feel comfortable about labeling a cause for a fire. This option requires at least two Sheriff\u2019s investigators to be involved as an effective fire investigation requires at least two people (as taught in the OFPC Fire Investigation 80-hour course). These two or more Sheriff\u2019s Department personnel must be paid and often times paid overtime. While the effectiveness of investigations by the Sheriff\u2019s Department is not questioned, it is very costly both in the amount of time personnel are taken away from other police work and the cost of paying personnel conducting investigations. With the formation of a county fire investigation team, the investigation of fires determined to be accidental in nature could be completed by volunteer members of the team who at the most would be reimbursed mileage expenses. Operation costs of the fire investigation team would be minimal and equipment is expected to be gathered through donations to a large extent. At such time in an investigation that it becomes likely that a crime may have been committed, the team would, by procedure, secure the scene, contact the police agency, and turn the investigation over to them. Assistance would be provided by the team as requested by the police agency handling the investigation.\r\n\r\nA county team can:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Provide a well-trained fire investigative team as a tool for county fire chiefs to use to determine the cause of fires.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Relieve an unnecessary workload from the investigators of the County Sheriff\u2019s Department.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Complete preliminary fire investigations up to the point where the evidence points to the possibility of a crime having been committed. Assist police agencies in an investigation after criminal activity has been determined as a possibility.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Provide a workable link between police agencies and the fire service, improving communication and dissemination of information and evidence between the two.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Provide a more cost-effective manner for investigating fires in the county.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAs you read, what questions came to mind?\u00a0 What additional concrete, detailed information would address those questions?\r\n\r\nSee the questions one reader asked: download Possible Questions (doc).<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    Provide Specific, Detailed Information<\/h3>\r\nFrom the Try It exercise above, you can see the need for detailed information in all parts of a proposal.\u00a0 A good strategy for developing information is to put yourself into your audience's place, anticipate any questions they might have, and then make sure to address those questions as you draft and revise your proposal.\r\n\r\nView the following video for a review of proposal types and a discussion of how to develop proposal sections in terms of writing process stages.\u00a0 Applying writing process stages can help you develop details.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oA2VUdsSGNc\r\n\r\nThe following video, which provides tips for grant proposals, offers a good example of how to specify proposed activities which are part of the proposed solution in tip #2.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h7iqljFqbAc\r\n\r\nThe following video offers a different approach to the concept of specificity in the implementation section of a proposal.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=adrh1VXAFTg\r\n\r\nLink to the page on Concrete Language<\/a> in this text for additional examples and a fuller discussion of concrete language.\r\n\r\nThe main thing to remember about proposal writing is that you need to be as specific and concrete as possible in most sections of the proposal because the more specific you are, the better the reader will understand the reasons behind, and the implementation of, the proposed change.\r\n

    Consider Types of Evidence<\/h3>\r\nEvidence to back up your proposed action is also key.\u00a0 You may ask how you can provide evidence if your proposal has not yet been implemented.\u00a0 Logical evidence (as opposed to emotional appeals) can help your audience see the feasibility and benefits of what you're proposing, and thus start to agree, so that you work toward persuading them to act.\r\n\r\nThe following video discusses persuasion in terms of the aspects of logical argument: claim, grounds, warrant (unstated assumption).\u00a0 Even though the video does not directly apply its information to proposals, it's very useful to consider as you write a proposal, as you'll need to anticipate possible objections and provide evidence for your claims.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-2xGlup9eeU\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAnother way to organize and explain types of evidence is to consider the logical argument elements of ethos, pathos, and logos:\r\n

    Ethos refers to credibility, pathos to passion and enthusiasm, and logos to logic or reason. All three elements are integral parts of a proposal that require your attention. Who are you and why should we do business with you? Your credibility may be unknown to the potential client and it is your job to reference previous clients, demonstrate order fulfillment, and clearly show that your product or service is offered by a credible organization. By association, if your organization is credible the product or service is often thought to be more credible.<\/p>\r\n

    In the same way, if you are not enthusiastic about the product or service, why should the potential client get excited? How does your solution stand out in the marketplace? Why should they consider you? Why should they continue reading? Passion and enthusiasm are not necessarily communicated through \u201c!\u201d exclamation points. Your thorough understanding, and your demonstration of that understanding, communicates dedication and interest.<\/p>\r\n

    Each assertion requires substantiation, each point clear support. It is not enough to make baseless claims about your product or service\u2014you have to show why the claims you make are true, relevant, and support your central assertion that your product or service is right for this client. Make sure you cite sources and indicate \u201caccording to\u201d when you support your points. Be detailed and specific.<\/p>\r\nThe following is yet another way to consider and include different types of evidence appropriate to your proposal:\r\n