How to Write a Convincing Proposal
Strengthening Project Development, Donor Relations, and Resource Mobilization in Agricultural Research

October 13–18, 2003
Pretoria, South Africa

Promoted by:
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA)
International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR)
Post Graduate School of Agriculture and Rural Development, University of Pretoria

Why Learning How to Write a Convincing Proposal?
Every scientist, everywhere, needs to know how to write convincing proposals. In times of increasing competition for scarce research funding, it is vital for the staff of agricultural research organizations to design projects that can attract external project funding for specific agricultural research efforts.
Agricultural research organizations and systems need to strengthen their overall capacity to mobilize resources by developing the skills of their staff and establishing practices and procedures that can improve and coordinate fund-raising, create good donor relations, and develop strong and fundable research programs.
The skills and knowledge needed to achieve these aims are not difficult to acquire. But to date, information and exercises on what to do have not been brought together in a single publication or training module. “How to Write a Convincing Proposal: Strengthening Project Development, Donor Relations, and Resource Mobilization in Agricultural Research” aims to provide participants with a single source for acquiring these new and useful skills and knowledge.

What are the objectives of the workshop?
The overall purpose of this training workshop strengthen project development, donor relations, and resource mobilization in agricultural research. The specific objectives are to build skills and knowledge in the following areas so that the participants are in a position to apply these skills in their day-to-day work:
· design projects and write them up in a way that will convince donors to fund them.
· establish and maintain good relations with funding agencies.
· help strengthen the project design and donor relations efforts in their organization.

A number of related topics will also be covered during the workshop. The training program responds directly to the needs identified during the various stakeholder consultation workshops in the region.

When and where will the workshop be held?
The workshop will be held October 13–18, 2003, at the Villa Via Hotel in Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.

Who can participate?
The participants should be active Research Program Leaders, Fund-raisers, and Senior Managers.
The organizers strive for diversity in gender, discipline, and nationality. Women are particularly encouraged to apply.
In order to ensure participants benefit fully from the training, the number of participants is limited to 25.

What is the fee for the workshop?
The cost of the training is US$ 2,500 per participant. Fees cover accommodation, all meals, incidentals, training materials, and local transportation. Travel costs from and to country of origin as well as travel and health insurance are not included. Participants or their sponsors will have to cover all travel-related costs. If the same organization sponsors two or more candidates, a reduction in the fee is applicable for each candidate. Workshop fee must be paid by September 8, 2003.

How do you apply?
The application form in this brochure must be completed by candidates and approved by their head of department. Forms must be sent to ISNAR by mail or by fax. You can also apply by e-mail to the following address: [email protected].
The closing date for applications for this workshop is August 31, 2003.
Participants are expected to arrive one day before the start of the workshop and depart not before the workshop is concluded. Participants who are unable to comply with this will not be accepted.

What will the training approach be?
This workshop uses the experiential learning approach, which involves procedures to encourage participation and provide hands-on, problem-solving experiences and abilities.
The participant action plan approach (PAPA) is used to facilitate follow-up with participants in order to assess the outcomes and impact of the training in the participants’ institutions.

What will be the main topics?
· How is agricultural research funded?
· Trends in funding
· Donor relations in your institute
· Building and managing partnerships
· Project design
· Writing to inform/Writing to persuade
· Preparing a full proposal
· Follow-up and reporting to investors
· Maintaining good donor relations

Contacts

Zenete Peixoto França, Senior Research Officer and Leader of Learning for Institutional Innovation Thematic Area, ISNAR
P.O. Box 93375, 2509 AJ, The Hague
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-70-3496100
Fax: +31-70-3819677
E-mail: [email protected]

P. Anandajayasekeram, Senior Research Fellow, ISNAR’s Regional Representative for Southern Africa, and responsible for the ISNAR’s office in Pretoria, South Africa.
Private Bag X813
141 Creswell Street, 0184 Pretoria
South Africa
Tel: +27-12-8459139
Fax: +27-12-8459110
Mobile: +27-82-3712337
E-mail: [email protected]

Rodger Obubo
ICM Skills and Systems Programme
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural
Co-operation ACP-EC (CTA)
Postbus 380
NL 6700 AJ Wageningen
THE NETHERLANDS
Phone: +31-317-467146
Fax: +31- 317-460067
E-mail: [email protected]

Prof. Charles Machethe, Acting Director
Post Graduate School of Agriculture and Rural Development
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
tel: +27 12 420 3601
fax: +27 12 420 3206
e-mail: [email protected]

Please fill in the Application Form - Convincing Proposal October Workshop
Part A: To be completed by applicant (please type or print in block letters)
Personal
1. Name
2. Male/Female Date of Birthday Nationality
3. Passport number and date of expiry
4. Do you require a visa for South Africa?
5. Address for correspondence
6. Telephone Fax
Email
Work experience
7. Present employer
Job title
Date appointed
Please indicate the language(s) in which you are fluent
8. Who will finance your training? (name organization and contact person)

Part B: To be completed by the applicant’s head of department
9. Name of head of department
Title
Address
Telephone Fax Email
10. State the specific skills/knowledge you expect the applicant to acquire from the proposed training

Part C: To be completed by the applicant and head of department
Signature of applicant
Date
Signature of head of department
Date

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