Submitting a Proposal Online. . .
 
According to a recent report I saw online, more than 64% of all submissions to Donors nowadays are submitted online. Further according to this article, 72% of all online submissions are composed as they are submitted. Think about the implications of these 2 statements. . .
 
More and more, funders are requiring proposals be submitted online or electronically. Many reasons for this. They can screen them by word searches, they can compare them easily by various other mechanisms and they can sort down to exactly what their interest is. In the world we live in, it makes sense.
 
If this is the case, wouldn’t you want to submit something after putting thought into it?
If it is true that 72% of the submissions are composed as they are entered, where does that leave time for thought? For proofreading? For getting feedback from a Board Member? From assuring you are using complete sentences and submitting something that looks good and sounds good? 
 
I suggest that you create a proposal that is somewhat structured to include everything a Donor wants to know before they can legally cut you a check. Based on research, we KNOW what they want and need to know. So DRAFT something out in a document and give thought to what you are writing without even thinking about entering it into any online form. Ask for help in making it to say exactly what you want it to say. Iron sharpens iron so get feedback from others around you—Board Members, staff, friends, family. Ask people to read it and tell you if it makes sense and expresses what you want to say to someone that could potentially support you.
 
Once you have a good DRAFT document, start submitting online proposals by cutting and pasting from you already prepared document. Depending on the length they allow you to submit, you may want to add to your DRAFT, subtract form it OR merge categories but you at least have the confidence that you are submitting something that is meaningful and complete and says what you want it to say.