When you are getting ready to write a proposal, there are some things that you should do to make the process go more smoothly and to give your proposal the best chance to succeed.

Make sure that you provide all the information that is requested by the agency that will be reviewing your proposal.  In addition, make sure that when you provide that information that has been requested that you provide it in the required format.

When preparing your proposal make sure that you do not fill it full of fluff or unnecessary information.  You want to be as direct as possible when detailing your proposal.

When describing what you want to do with your proposal make sure that you use language that gets the reviewer of your proposal excited about what you are proposing.  By using active words, it will help to show that you are eager to get your proposal approved and to get started on your project and the reviewer will feel the excitement as well.

Another tip when preparing your project proposal is to make sure that the language you use is not filled with tech-speak.  You want to describe what you want to do in plain terms that makes it easier to read and understand.

Be realistic when it comes to describing and detailing how long you think that your project will last.  You do not want to go back and ask for more money because you were promising a deadline that was not realistic.  Reviewers of your proposal will be able to tell by how involved your project is if the deadline date is realistic so do not try to pull the wool over their eyes.

Make sure that you mention all your team members and what they specifically bring to the project.  Describe their background and how they are important to the overall success of the project.

Ensure that you show that you are on top of your project be showing that you are performing routine checks and evaluations on an ongoing basis.  Your proposal is more likely to be successful if you can show that you are taking your project seriously and that you are staying in front of mishaps that might occur along the way.

When talking about the budget, make sure that all items are accounted for and what they mean to the project.  By paying close attention to the budget you are showing the reviewer of your proposal that you are on top of things and that you are not going to be wasteful with any money that you are granted.  Make sure that your budget makes sense, asking for what appears to be not enough or too much funding will send a red flag.

When you have completed your proposal, have someone read it through that is familiar with your project so they can see if you missed anything, offer constructive criticism, and suggest changes.  By having a fresh set of eyes go through your proposal will ensure that you have not missed any crucial information that should have been included.