PROJECT PROPOSAL SAMPLE FORMAT‐CUM‐GUIDELINE

SAMPLE FORMAT‐CUM‐GUIDELINE

For writing NGO proposals on RETs/SETs related programmes

for submitting to appropriate Funding Agencies

 

1. Title: - The Title of the project must be attractive and self- explanatory in itself, 

that means, it must mention What is going to be done, for Whom and Where. 

For example, Renewable Energy based Community Oriented Eco-village 

Development Project will be implemented in 20 selected villages in two blocks of 

the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan State. 

2. Executive Summary: - An executive summary of the entire proposal should 

be presented along with the detailed proposal. The summary would give an 

overview of the proposal in brief and is a one page summary. 

3. Project Holder (PH) and Project Implementing Organizations

(PIOS):‐ Give brief information about the main organization acting as the 

project holder or the lead organization and also the various project partners. The 

detail information about the Lead Organization is to be attached as Annexure. 

Also attach Annual Report of past three years, Statement of Income and 

Expenditure for the past three years, list of Governing Board or Executive Body 

or  Management  Committee  Members,  list/  profile  of  the  core  members,  Chief 

Functionary (CF) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Project/Programme 

Director/Manager for this particular project, copy of the brochures and other 

supporting documents, List of other project and funding agencies and other 

source s of funding etc. 

4. Existing Infrastructure and staff:- What are the physical infrastructure 

available with the NGO and the professional and field staff with experience as 

well as volunteers and advisors and consultants to implement developmental 

project for poverty reduction and empowerment of marginalized group of people 

incorporating RET activities. 

5. Rationale/Conceptual Framework: -  After the title, would come the 

rationale of the project, stating the purpose of the project, the need for 

beginning the programme. The rationale could be broad based talking about the 

general status to a specific area of the problem OR start with an incident to more 

1 general focus about the issue (could be supplemented with facts and figures). 

Information based on objective research, not subjective impressions, should be 

provided to justify the need or problem. The rationale should be written in a way 

that would lead to objectives. 

6. Objectives: -  Objectives of the project should be minimum of 3 (three) in 

number or a maximum of 5 (five) in number. Preferably, not to separate them 

into long and short term objectives and the objectives must be clear and there 

should be a central focus/ common link in all the objectives. The objectives 

should be such that it would lead to the action/ activities. 

7. Activities:- To clearly state tasks or action the NGO would take to achieve the 

objectives. The activities must be specific, clear and in point form and must flow 

naturally from problems and objectives. 

8. Target Group/ Beneficiaries:-  The project proposal must mention the 

criteria for selecting a particular target group and the number, eligibility of the 

beneficiaries. 

9. Location of the Project:-  Give relevant information  about the precise 

geographical location of the project 

10. RRA, PRA and Baseline Survey the target area: -If the NGOs has 

been working in a number of villages in particular area for a long time and 

wishes to taken RET/SET based comprehensive development activities in a few 

selected villages, as a first step they could use RRA or/and PRA to collect initial 

information from several villages in a short time, to enable them to analyze and 

short list appropriate village to plan and undertake such programme with a long 

term goal of 10 years or so, which could be implemented in phase with 3 years 

project. Because, normally the funding agency only fund a 2-3 year projects, but 

would like to know the long-term goal of the NGO programme, and how to 

realize that goal. Later on, if the proposed project requires, then as the first step 

the NGO will have to do the village level and detail household survey, as a prerequest for planning and formulating practical oriented proposal. For this purpose 

two proforma could be used (a) first for the collection of general and common 

village level data and information and (b) the second for the detailed household 

data (preferably all or at least good number of households) of the families. The 

collection of these data will also enable to understand the present situation as 

well as for situational/problem analysis of the project area and the people and 

identification of target group to be addressed by the propose 

project/programme. For example, for the planning and project formulation for 

taking up long-term programme of RET/SET based community oriented 

integrated village development project.  Later on these base line data could be 

used making second and third project proposal for the same or/and other 

interest funding agencies. NGO will also use this for bench marking and 

comparing the results after a gap of 5 year or so when the second survey would 

2 be done to measure the impact (positive and negative) of the 

project/programme. 

11. Project Duration:-  The proposed project could be a part of the bigger 

programme to achieve the overall goal set. The entire programme could be 

divided in to several phase. For example, phase I, II, III and IV. Phases could be 

divided into preparatory-cum-pilot, followed by two main phases. The last phase 

which will be consolidation and preparation of the target community and handing 

the programme to them, and then withdrawal of NGO from main activities. 

Beyond this period, the NGO taking up role of advisor-cum-mentor and providing 

on[going support and trouble-shooting as well as capacity building and 

facilitation and linkages to governmental programmes to ensure that the project 

reaches the logical end and achieve the overall goal. Each phase could be 

treated as separate project of three years duration. 

12. Organizational Manpower:- Manpower required from within or outside 

the NGO to carry out the project, hierarchy, committee or any either way of 

functioning and qualifications of the personnel. 

13. Implementation Plan/Project Management & Implementation:

- A detailed process, step-by-step or stage wise execution plan to be 

incorporated in the project proposal. 

14. Infrastructure Requirements:- What are the infrastructure needed for the 

project, for example, space, vehicle or equipment. 

15. Monitoring Mechanism:-  Mechanism by which an NGO would check or 

periodically review the project. This portion must contain information as to who 

would monitor– internal or external monitoring, which area would be monitored 

or focus/ thrust area of monitoring. Monitoring of the programme and of financial 

aspect in the project proposal in order to undertake mid-course correction to 

rectify the project at a specific stage and improvise on the same at a given 

moment, so that the desired results are achieved and project goals are realized. 

16. Evaluation:- Mention the objectives of evaluation and how it will be carried 

out. This will help to understand whether data of records is kept or there is 

documentation on the project. Evaluation aids in improvising the future projects 

so that the errors are not repeated  and more precaution and foresight is 

integrated in the project proposal. Evaluation is conducted periodically or 

concurrently as the project is being implemented or at the end of the project. For 

a project of 5-6 years duration it is desirable to have two evaluations, via, (a) 

first one as the mid-term evaluation after 2.5 or 3 years of project 

implementation, and (b) the second evaluation at the end of the project. 

17. Sustainability & Follow‐up/ Direction for the Future:- This aspect 

is very important to ensure the running of the project or to decide viability of the 

3 project in the long run once funding stops. For example, in an income generation 

project for the senior citizens, the latter would take over the project by forming 

an association. 

18. Feasibility and Viability of the Project: Some of the large size 

programmes/ projects (especially an  integrated/ comprehensive development 

project) would require sound feasibility of the project. Either one, some or all of 

the following feasibility (viability) aspects may have to be elaborated in the 

proposal for the consideration of the funding agency(ies) to support the project: 

a) Technical Feasibility:-  Whether the RET/SET oriented project 

(especially from the point of engineering and structural design) is 

technically sound, simplicity but sturdiness, fairly reasonable average 

useful working life under rigorous field conditions etc., have to be 

mentioned (if required with supporting documents attached). If the RET 

has been designed and developed recently, also mention if it has already 

been field tested and field evaluates to ascertain its applicability, 

response of the end users for wider replication and dissemination, also 

attaching any report which could support the claim. 

b) Affordability & Financial Feasibility:-  If the technological 

oriented project, like biogas plants, solar gadgets, SPV system, wind mills 

and Micro hydro etc., then it is important to mention the capital cost and 

how the beneficiaries/end users will  be able to afford to buy the 

gadgets/unit/system. If the initial cost of the system is beyond the means 

of the target groups/communities of the NGO, what financial mechanism 

has been worked out to make SET available to the target groups and how 

they will be able motivated to accept the technology for their benefit. For 

example if the micro-credit/micro-financing has to be used as a means to 

provide the RETs then capabilities of the NGO has to be elaborated in the 

proposal as well as the credit delivery and foolproof loan recovery system 

has to be worked out separately and attached as annexure. 

c) Economic Viability:-  It  is  not  just  enough  to  give  the  cost  of 

buying/installing any RET (especially if the unit is big and the capital cost 

involved is high) but also the operational cost of the unit and pay-back 

period  has  to  be  worked  out.  Any  standard  method  be  used  for  working 

out the economical viability of the unit and attached as Annexure to the 

main project proposal. 

d) Socio‐cultural Feasibility:- If the technological oriented project are 

implemented in a rural areas without proper socio-cultural feasibility, it 

tends to empower only the haves, and further exploits the already 

marginalized have-nots. Therefore, in a bigger project with several 

technological and hardware components, it is important to do the sociocultural feasibility to understand the problems and social dynamics. For 

example, the rural, remote and far-fling areas of India with many cast 

and sub-cast systems prevailing over the centuries as well as the tribal 

belts, it is important to understand and analyze the existing socio-cultural 

4 situation. This will enable the NGO to formulate socio-technical oriented 

proposal which will have human orientation, so that the technology (in 

this case RET) only becomes a means for empowering the target group 

rather than becoming an end in itself, leading to their exploitation and 

further marginalization. The proper socio-cultural feasibility of 

technological oriented project is a must to ensure that the target 

community controls it rather than some one with resources use the 

technology to control them. 

19. Environment Impact of the Project:- If the project is big then it is 

important to work out the intended environment impact of the project, 

to ensure that the project is environmentally sound.

20. Capacity Building:‐ Based on the experience of NGO in promoting 

and implementing technological (including RETs) oriented projects for 

the number of years, it has been realized that most projects are either 

not able to make the desired dent or gets defunct after the withdrawal 

of external implementing and facilitating agencies. There are may 

examples of even simple RETs gadgets, devices and units in India and 

other developing countries; for example implementation of solar 

cooker, improved cook stoves and solar PV lantern etc in 80;s and 90’s 

in India, only backed by subsidies, which could not sustain as the 

programmes were not backed by appropriate capacity building programme. As 

against this, one of the important reasons for the success of the implementation 

of household biogas programme by NGO network (now members of INSED) 

during 80’s and 90’s have been because of systematic capacity building of all the 

key stake-holders (NGOs, rural Artisans and end users etc.). The successful 

implementation of biogas (though at lesser level due to funds constraint) is still 

continuing by NGOs with least failure  rates as compared to many other 

implementing groups in India. In view of this the proposal for large scale 

implementation of any RETs or SET oriented project should incorporate 

appropriate capacity building components as an integrated part of the 

implementation.

21. Budget/Project Cost:-  Budget is a tentative estimate or statement of 

income and expenditure. Thus, it shows where the money is coming from and 

where is it going through. It should relate with aims and objectives as well as the 

activities and expected output proposed to be achieved by the project. 

22.  Share of Project Budget/Project Cost:‐ The budget is the total about 

required to implement the project. However, the funds to implement the project, 

has to come from different sources. Some of them are given below: 

a).  Local Resources:-  It  could be further divided in to four, viz., (i)

beneficiaries/end users own contribution‐ either in kind, labour or

cash, (ii) community contribution,  (iii) NGOs contribution, and 

(iv) Other Local Sources if any. Either individual group contribution or 

total contribution of all the groups can be clubbed and reflected here. 

5 6 

b).  Loan from the Financing Institutions:- If the project proposes 

that the beneficiaries will take loan from the bank then the amount 

should be reflected over here. 

c).  Micro Credit Groups/Micro Finance Groups/Self Help

Groups:-  If the project proposes that  the beneficiaries will take loan 

locally by NGOs under one of these schemes the bank then the amount 

should be reflected over here. 

d).  Grant requested from Funding Agency (ies):- The balance of 

funds of the project has to be  mentioned here to be requested 

from the funding agency as grant. 

23.  Networking, dissemination and Advocacy:- Please describe plans to 

network with other groups for sharing of learning from the project. Also mention 

how the project propose to dissemination the information with other NGOs and 

other agency as well as advocacy with the policy and decision makers for support 

of such project. 

24.  Replicability:-  Write about the possibility of  replication of the project 

elsewhere (in different regions). Also elaborate about the potential for this 

project to be scaled-up or applied on a large scale implementing. 

25.  Innovation:- How is your idea truly innovative or unique? Describe the extent 

to which it uses a novel approach and is different from others in this sector. 

26.  Follow‐up:‐ What are the propose plans for future activities after the project 

is over so that the programme continues to achieve the overall goal of the 

project. 

27. Logical Frame Work Approach (LFA):- There are many ways to design 

a NGO project. Experiences indicate that NGO project proposals often are not 

clear to the donors, in assessing whether the project proposal should be 

supported financially. To achieve a good project, the project idea must be 

prepared thoroughly and adapted to the local condition, together with the 

partners  and  the  target  group.  The  LFA  is  an  useful  tool  to  give  clarity  in 

understanding project goals and objectives etc. LFA is especially useful in bigger 

projects. Refer to Annexure for detail understanding of LFA and how to use it as 

tool for project preparation.