12/22/23, 6:19 PM UN Enable - Sample Project Proposal
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Guidelines for Preparing
and Submitting Project Proposals
Sample Project Proposal
PART I. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
This section should provide a brief introduction to the current social and economic situation of the
social group which will benefit from the proposal. The background should also describe: (1) the
problem or critical issue which the proposal seeks to resolve, (2) how the proposal relates to other
relevant national development strategies and policies, and (3) whether there are other programmes
and activities which will complement the proposal.
The statement of background and justification should describe how the need for the project was
determined, and how intended beneficiaries were involved in project identification and planning.
If a non-governmental organisation has prepared the proposal, it is important to describe how
concerned governmental officials were made aware of and/or were involved in project formulation.
Sample Cover Page of a Project Document
PROJECT DOCUMENT
Fund:
Project number:
Project title:
Executing agent:
Project Location:
Implementing agent(s):
Proposed starting date: Duration:
Government inputs: Fund inputs:
In kind
(local currency) (US$)
In cash:
(currency)
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Other / third party cost-sharing:
(source; currency)
Summary description of the project proposal:
Signed:
___________________________ Name:
(On behalf of Government) Title:
Date:
____________________________ Name:
(On behalf of Executing Agent) Title:
Date:
____________________________ Name:
(On behalf of United Nations) Title:
Date:
The discussion of background and justification should indicate what kind of assistance the concerned
governmental offices will provide the proposal - if approved - as well as what resources the non-
governmental community could provide.
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Finally, the section should describe the relevant experience and capabilities of the project Executing
Agent, and the type and level of resources that the Executing Agent will provide for project planning,
implementation management and follow up.
PART II. OBJECTIVES
A. Development objective
The section should describe the way in which the situation of the concerned social group is treated in
national development strategies and policies, in terms of specific programmes and how the proposed
project will relate to this.
The discussion should indicate the specific national social and economic objectives to which the
proposal - if successful - is expected to contribute, and how this is expected to contribute to
improved well-being and livelihood among the concerned social group.
B. Immediate objectives
The immediate objectives section describes what the project is expected to achieve in terms of
effects among intended beneficiaries.
Specifically, the section discusses what changes are expected to occur among intended beneficiaries
if project operations are successful. Changes can include new and improved technical skills and
knowledge, increased income-generating capacities, improved health status, and greater public
awareness of the social group perspective in national development.
The section should also discuss whether project operations - if successful - will be extended to other
locations as well as and whether the project experience can be applied to other sectors.
PART III. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
A. Expected project results
The section should describe the overall results that the project is expected to produce - on
successful completion - among its intended beneficiary group. The discussion should also discuss
whether there may be unintended effects of the project.
The discussion should indicate in quantitative terms, to the extent possible, what the project will
produce through its planned activities and budget.
B. Project activities and work plan
The section should describe how each immediate (project) objective will be carried out in terms of
planned activities, their timing and duration, and who will be responsible for each activity. This can be
summarized in a simple table, as described on the following page.
Preliminary Work Plan
Objectives / Outputs /
Activities Responsible party Start Finish
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Immediate Objective 1: (State briefly)
Output 1. (State briefly)
Activities to produce output (List in logical order)
1.1
....
Immediate Objective n:
C. Project Beneficiaries
This section describes who and how many people are expected to benefit from the project -- directly
and indirectly. It should also discuss how intended beneficiaries have been involved in project
design, and their expected role in project implementation and evaluation.
D. Institutional Setting
This section should describe:
(1) Where project operations will take place?
(2) Who will be responsible for planning and management of project
operations as well as the roles that other bodies and organizations associated
with the project - on a direct or indirect basis - will play.
(3) What arrangements are to be established to ensure that there will be
effective coordination with other relevant programmes and activities.
The section should also discuss whether project operations are expected to continue, or expand to
other areas or sectors, once the current phase of assistance is completed. This could include plans
for introducing self-financing provisions to ensure continued viability of operations on project
completion.
PART IV. PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION
This section should discuss briefly proposed mechanisms and procedures for periodic monitoring of
project operations to ensure that activities occur as planned, that they remain directed towards
stated objectives, and that appropriate corrective action is taken if required?
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Specifically the discussion should indicate who will be responsible for preparing periodic project
progress and final technical reports and for the accounting of expenditures made from the grant of
the respective Fund.
All Fund-assisted projects need to be evaluated on completion. This section should also identify the
party who will responsible for this task as well as how intended beneficiaries will be involved?
PART V. BUDGET
The project budget should indicate: (1) total cost of the project, (2) components which will be
financed by the project executing agent and (3) components for which external assistance is sought.
A project budget has five main sections, as described below. A sample budget pro forma is presented
on the following page.
10.00 Project Personnel. Project operations may require as many as three different types of staff.
Normally, the resources of the Funds can finance specialized national professional staff needed to
plan and carry out the project or specialized consultant services required to accomplish a specific
project objective; financing of project support personnel is not a priority for the Funds.
- Professional staff, who will be appointed for more than six months;
- Consultants, who will be appointed for less than six months; and
- Support staff, who will be responsible for project administration, clerical
support and related tasks.
For technical budgeting purposes, the estimated costs of international professional staff should be
listed from budget line 11.01 for the first staff member; additional staff should be numbered
sequentially.
National professional staff should be listed from budget line 17.01 and numbered sequentially for
each additional staff member.
Consultants should be listed from budget line 11.51 and numbered sequentially as well.
Brief terms of reference for project personnel to be financed by the Funds should be included as
annexure to the project document.
The project personnel budget category also includes a line item for official, national travel of project
staff, if required and if this cannot be funded from other sources.
20.00 Subcontracts. This component pertains to specialized services provided the project by an
outside contractor. Each subcontract will require a separate budget line; subcontractor terms of
reference should be attached as an annexure to the project document.
30.00 Training. Three categories of training activities can be undertaken by a project. Priority in
allocating the resources of the Funds is accorded to in-service training activities.
31.00 Individual fellowships, which relate to individual training outside the
country of the project;
32.00 Group training and study tours, which relate to organized training
programmes and study tours conducted outside the country of the project;
group training normally does not exceed two months and study tours normally
are one month or less;
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33.00 In-service training, which relates to the cost of individual and group
training organized and conducted in the country of the project.
40.00 Equipment. Three categories of equipment may be required for project implementation.
N.B. Normally the resources of the Funds will only support acquisition of equipment needed for
training or applied research. Their terms of reference do not allow financing of construction or repair
of premises.
41.00 Expendable equipment, which are items of equipment, supplies or
training materials valued at less than US$400;
42.00 Non-expendable equipment, which are items of equipment valued at
US$400 or more or which have a serviceable life of five years or more; and
43.00 Premises, which includes the purchase, construction or rent of
permanent or prefabricated housing and other facilities required for project
operations.
50.00 Miscellaneous. This component includes provision, under budget line 51, for operation and
maintenance of project equipment that cannot be covered by the host government or the project
executing agent; under budget line 52, for report costs, which can also cover the reproduction of a
reasonable number of copies of project technical and final reports; and under budget line 53, for
sundry expenses, which also can cover official postage, communications and incidental supplies.
The budget covering the requested contribution from the Funds should include both the estimated
total and annual costs of all project components. Project personnel, fellowships and group
training/study tour components should include estimated work months as well as their costs.
A separate budget should be prepared to describe the budget components to be financed - in cash
or in kind - by Government, Project Implementing Agent and other parties participating in the project.
For more information:
Division for Social Policy and Development / DESA
DC2-1320
United Nations New York 10017 - USA
Telefax : +1 212 963-3062
Project Budget Outline (1)
Project Budget Covering Co-financing
Contribution of United Nations
(in US dollars)
Fund title:
Project title:
Project code:
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Budget Component Total Year 1: ______ . Year 2: ______
w/m $ w/m $ w/m $
10 Project Personnel
11.01 International Expert(s)
11.50 Consultant(s)
11.99 Subtotal: Personnel
13.00 Administrative Support
15.00 Official Travel
17.00 National Professional
Project Personnel
19.00 Component Total
20 Subcontract(s)
21.00 Subcontract #1
29.00 Component Total
30 Training
31.00 Fellowships
32.00 Group Training / Study Tours
33.00 In-service Training
39.00 Component Total
40 Equipment
41.00 Expendable Equipment
42.00 Non-Expendable Equipment
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43.00 Premises
49.00 Component Total
50 Miscellaneous
51.00 Operation, Maintenance and
Repair of Equipment
52.00 Publications and Report Costs
53.00 Sundry, and Communications
59.00 Component Total
99.00 Grand Total
Project Budget Outline (2)
Project Budget Covering Contribution of Government /
Project Implementing Agent
[specify currency]
Fund title:
Project title:
Project code:
Budget Component Total Year 1: _____. Year 2: _____
w/m w/m w/m
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10 Project Personnel
11.10 Project Management
11.20 Technical Staff
11.30 General Service Staff
11.99 Subtotal: Personnel
15.00 Official Travel
19.00 Component Total
30 Training
31.00 Local Training
39.00 Component Total
40 Equipment
41.00 Expendable Equipment
42.00 Non-Expendable Equipment
43.00 Premises
49.00 Component Total
50 Miscellaneous
51.00 Operation, Maintenance and
Repair of Equipment
52.00 Publications and Report Costs
53.00 Sundry, and Communications
59.00 Component Total
99.00 Grand Total
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© United Nations, 2003-04
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Division for Social Policy and Development
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