Key Questions
Prospective foundation funders will seek key pieces of information about your proposed project. Answering the following questions will help our office in identifying prospective funders, and will form the basis of a compelling proposal. These questions assume that you are doing a research project, but can be adjusted for other kinds of projects.
The problem:
- Define the problem you are seeking to solve
- Why is this problem significant to society?
- What are the central research questions that will guide your project?
Potential contributions:
- What will we know or be able to do (differently) when your project is completed?
- What literature(s) does your study draw from and contribute to?
Approach:
- What conceptual framework and research design will guide your work?
- What is the scope of the data and data collection needed to conduct your research?
- What kinds of analyses will you be proposing to answer your research questions?
Team:
- Name the principal investigator, and the experience and expertise they bring
- Who else is on the project team, and what makes them qualified to conduct the work?
Funding:
- Total amount needed for the project, and the total amount requested of the funder
Geographic focus:
- Will your project focus on a particular city/region/state, national, international?
Timeline:
- When are you seeking to start the project, and what is the timeline for completion?