A quality proposal will find solutions to problems commonly faced by farmers and ranchers.
Since the 1800s, with the passage of the Morrill Land Grant College Act and the Hatch Experiment Station Act, the government has provided financial support for research in the agricultural industry. Producers and researchers work together to find more profitable, healthier and environmentally-responsible ways of supplying the nation's food and fiber. A research program requires time and money in order to be successful. Most research programs begin as a simple proposal submitted written in response to a call for proposals.
Instructions
1. Find a grant. Grants are offered by government entities at the national and state levels, as well as private organizations and non-profits. Some organizations include the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Grants.gov, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, and the Sustainable agriculture Research and Education (SARE). You will want to find the Call for Proposals, which is sometimes called the Request for Proposals (RFP) or the Notice of Funds Available (NOFA). The SARE recommends reviewing the proposal guidelines to be sure that your project matches the organizations overall focal areas and goals. Otherwise, a very well-designed study could be rejected just based on that criteria alone. Also, look at the deadline to be sure that you have enough time to develop a quality proposal.
2. Write a proposal. According to the Purdue Extension Center, a quality proposal should contain a problem relevant to agricultural producers that your research or project will solve. You should also identify the partnerships that you will form in order to ensure the success of your project. The proposal should also include your qualifications to complete the study, a budget, and letters of support. Review the proposal for specific information that the granting agency may have requested and include that as well.
3. Submit the proposal. Review your call for the proposal, looking for font, spacing and page length requirements. Be sure your proposal matches those requirements. Be sure to submit the proposal in the format required by the organizations. Some may request the proposal is submitted electronically, but the majority will be sent through the mail. Make sure that you allow enough time to ship the documents in time to arrive before the deadline. Consider your packaging also. You want it to arrive as neatly as it looked when you dropped it in the mail. You may even purchase a tracking number or delivery notification for assurance that it did arrive.
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