Concept Papers: What They Are and How to Write Them?
What Concept Papers Are
Concept papers are summaries of projects or issues that
reflect the interests, experience and expertise of the writer or organization.
Concept papers generally serve the purpose of providing in-depth discussion of
a topic that the writer has a strong position on, usually with the intent of
obtaining funding for that project from donors. The terms "concept
paper" and "proposal" are often used interchangeably as they can
be used for the same function. The concept paper may also be used as an
instructional tool that may have developed as a result of extensive research,
committee input and/or as a result of the outcome of a current project. In
addition to providing guidance for implementation of a program, a concept paper
could also discuss best practices, philosophies and other related issues that
the writer believes action should be taken on in the near future.
How to Write Concept Papers
In the cases where the concept paper is written with the
intent of receiving funding, most grantors publish guidelines that instruct the
writer(s) on how to write the concept paper that they will consider funding.
Despite the individual guidelines that may be published, the format and many of
the key elements are consistent between organizations. Therefore, it is
suggested that writers develop "boilerplates" or standard templates
of concept papers that they can personalize and submit based on specific guidelines.
This practice eliminates the extra time added to the process by completely
starting a new concept paper from the beginning each time. For concept papers
that are used more as an instructional or educational tool, the format may be
similar with the exception of the exclusion of charts, graphs or budgets that
may be geared toward the solicitation of funding.
Concept Papers - Writing Steps
There are steps to concept paper writing that are
universal and can be applied in most situations in order to develop the
boilerplate. First and probably most important, the writer must ensure that the
mission, requirements, funding patterns and other specific information about
the target grantor or audience match with those of the organization or
individual project in need of funding or assistance. Grantors are very specific
about what types of organizations and projects they do and do not fund so, it
is important to understand that thoroughly in advance to avoid wasting time.
The second step would be to summarize the project by stating the problem to be
discussed/solved, the goal of the project, the objectives, the anticipated
outcomes, procedures for determining whether the goals and objectives have been
achieved, the population served and the theoretical model upon which the
project is based. Third, the writer must develop a list of references that
discuss the model to which the project will be directed. Fourth, there should
be a budget developed for the project, if applicable. This would include all
billable costs associated with planning and executing the project. Whether the
concept paper is for the purpose of obtaining funding or merely for the purpose
of conveying information, a budget may be necessary if there are costs and
resources associated with the project, such as hours devoted to research and
information gathering. The fifth step could entail obtaining the necessary
approvals by individuals authorized to do so prior to submission. In the case
of a purely informational concept paper, this may be committee input. This step
may occur much earlier in the process. In addition, one must consider the
timing and deadlines that submission of the concept paper must adhere to.
Expect deadlines to be strict whether funding is being sought or not. There may
be a bit more flexibility in due dates for those concept papers that are
designed solely for disseminating information.
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