About project proposal
Project proposal is a blue print that guides you along the way from the beginning to the end of a project in community development. It is believed that if practitioners follow the signs and symbols stated in project proposal, they would reach to a goal whatever it may be. In community development project, different activities at different times occur in a logical sequence, and results of each are supposed to be put together completing a beautiful picture in the end.
Due to the complex and dynamic aspect of having to manage a project, it involves individuals or groups with different qualities to take part in. And in this respect, what project proposal tries to express must be clearly and precisely stated so that all stakeholders can have the same understanding in every aspect. Therefore, project proposal must be a reflection of various insights and perspectives while it is better to be prepared by one responsible person like a project manager.
The role of project manager is significant in the sense that he or she should strive for incorporating ideas and interests of those who are directly or indirectly engaged with its implementation. Questions or requests with a valid reasoning will arguably come against what project proposal promotes and amendments accordingly may be needed to proceed for approval. It may feel painful to the person in charge, but necessary and may be the fastest way to complete the process for it reduces risk and increases the possibility of efficiency and effectiveness.
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Submission of project proposal to an approving government like the Charity and Society Agency, in case of Ethiopia, is not only, of course an approval as an outcome is essential, for clearing administrative procedures, but it should be also able to elevate to a point where communication for the sake of collaboration based on respect occurs.
For example, the ways for a project to comply better with the government’s expectations and policies should be discussed. Any confusion in definition of the purpose or outcome of the project must be avoided through mutual understanding. For instance, if the government asks for a tangible benefit of a particular community as a final outcome, then the term, the tangible benefit, will be a key element that assesses the successful completion of your project from the government point of view. For this reason, you will have to have a clear definition of the term through constant interaction with them.
Internal communication also matters! Project manager has to prepare a mechanism for proper communication within the administration and finance department, so to speak, in order to avoid any deviation or delay that prevents the project from making progress. For example, if the activity is related to farming and delayed for miscommunication, it will even lose a chance for planting. If it fails to keep what is stated in project proposal, it would cause distrust among the participants. A carefully designed work scheme among different actors is necessary for the assurance of arrangement required for a specific activity to be initiated in time based on the schedule promised in project proposal.
Project proposal is a written promise and it is responsibility of all who are in it. No one person or single factor can manage it, but effective collaboration does.
