A good proposal answers exactly what the call asks: re-read the eligibility and evaluation criteria, then build your text in the same order.
Expected sections
- Context and needs analysis: recent, sourced figures (humanitarian response plan, multi-sector assessments, cluster data), needs of the most vulnerable groups, what other actors already do.
- Objectives and theory of change: one overall objective, two or three specific objectives, and the logical link between activities, outputs and expected change.
- Logframe: SMART indicators with baseline, target and means of verification. Reuse cluster indicators where they exist.
- Activities and timeline: who does what, where, when; target areas and people, disaggregated by sex, age and disability.
- Monitoring, evaluation, accountability: see the MEAL guide.
- Risks, access and security: main risks and mitigation, access strategy (see the Access guide).
- Budget: consistent with activities, justified support costs, co-funding if required.
- Cross-cutting themes: protection, gender, environment, localization, humanitarian-development-peace nexus.
Common mistakes
- Needs described in general terms, without data from the area.
- Indicators that count activities rather than changes.
- A budget that does not match the narrative.
- A proposal sent in the last hour, on a portal that is overloaded.
Checklist
Eligibility checked; format and page limit respected; logframe and budget attached; signed annexes; review by someone outside the project; submission at least 48 hours before the deadline.