FREE 11+ Basic Proposal Outline Templates in PDF | MS Word | Pages | Google Docs

When you have a plan or suggestion about something, you would want that plan to be discussed and your suggestions taken into consideration to see if it can benefit or help in the creation or success of something. This is basically how businesses are started.

In this article, we will learn about basic proposal templates. Here we will define what it is, determine its uses, identify different types of proposals, and enumerate the parts of a proposal. Sample proposal outline templates are provided below for your reference.

Sample Proposal Outline Template

Sample Proposal Outline

Standard Proposal Outline From the Foundation Center

Printable Grant Proposal Template

Sample Dissertation Proposal Outline Template

Proposal Project Outline Sample

Grant Proposal Outline Template

Thesis Proposal Outline Template

What Is a Proposal?

Aside from research papers and thesis papers, writing a proposal is something that a lot of people fear. It could be because they don’t entirely know and understand what it is, or they may have a different idea on how it is used. A proposal is a way for any individual or entity to formally present their ideas on a particular something so that the appropriate actions can be taken. Proposals are also created to ask permission or make a request about purchasing something, doing something or writing about something.

When writing a proposal, it is important that you consider the people who will read and discuss it. You can learn more about proposals by checking out articles about proposals for different purposes, such as Event Budget Proposal Template, Marketing Campaign Proposal Template, and Training Proposal Template.

Uses of a Proposal

Knowing what a proposal is used on actually helps you easily understand what it really is and how it works. Here are some of the uses of a proposal.

• Whenever you have an idea in mind that you want to present to another individual or entity, you write a proposal to formally show them your ideas. Your ideas could be anywhere from personal stuff or business ventures.
• Businesses use proposals to show their prospective investors or clients about their plans for the business. The proposal could be about a new product, business expansion or a partnership.
• Proposals are also written if you need to request something or ask permission to do something. In business, to request the purchase of new machinery to increase productivity a proposal is needed to explain the details of the request, as well as show the expected benefits it will bring to the business.

Other articles you may find useful are Sales Training Proposal Template and Social Media Marketing Proposal Template.

Types of Proposals

There are six types of proposal that you need to know before you actually start writing your own proposal. They are formally solicited, informally solicited, unsolicited, continuation, renewal, and supplemental proposals.

• Formally solicited – The easiest way to make a proposal for a project is through the use of a formally solicited proposal. When an official request for a proposal is created, a formally solicited proposal is made as response to that request.
• Informally solicited – An informally solicited proposal is pretty much the same as that of a formally solicited proposal. Their difference lies in the details or the level of information that it included in it. Formally solicited proposals tend to have more structured details, while informally solicited proposals may be created based on conversations.
• Unsolicited – This type of proposal is the most difficult type of proposal to make. This is because nobody basically asked for the proposal so you need to be extra persuasive in writing it and you need to be effective in persuading your audience to agree to your proposal.
• Continuation – This type of proposal is about updates and reminders for a project that still ongoing. That is why it is said to be the easiest type of proposal to write.
• Renewal – When a project has already been completed but there is still a need to continue using it, a renewal proposal is made. The proposal shows how valuable it is to continue doing the practices done with the previous proposal.
• Supplemental – A supplemental proposal is created when the project or job needs additional resources to get things done. The proposal will explain or justify the importance of the additional resources and provide estimates to complete the project.

Checking out different proposal template samples will help you become familiar with the different types of proposals. Some related articles you may find useful are Cost Proposal Templates, Project Proposal Templates, and Cleaning Proposal Templates.

One-Page Proposal Outline Template

Outline for Research Proposal

Editable Project Proposal Template

Simple Proposal Outline Template With Instructions

What Is Included in a Basic Proposal Outline?

A basic proposal outline mainly has seven parts and they are the title page, summary, specific aims, background and significance, preliminary data, experimental design and methods, and references. Let us take a closer look at each of these parts below.

Title Page

A title page is necessary when writing a proposal, as well as other types of written documents. In a proposal, the title page must be a separate page (like a cover page) and includes the title of the proposal and the name of the person who made and submitted the proposal.

Summary

The main points of the entire proposal is presented in the summary and includes a rationale of all that has been discussed and explained in the proposal. The summary provides a brief overview on what the proposal is about and the very reason why the author decided to write one. The suggested length of a proposal summary is one-half to one page.

Specific Aims

The specified aims part of the proposal provides a clear and concise detail of what the proposal aims to gain. It must be on point and summarized. Just like the summary, it should also cover one-half to one page.

Background and Significance

This part explains the importance of the proposal and the background information necessary to understand the proposed project.

Preliminary Data

This is where you will find different data figures and legends that demonstrate the effectiveness of the research that has been proposed.

Experimental Design and Methods

The methods and designs used in research are thoroughly explained in this part of the proposal.

References

This is where you list the different references or sources that has been cited in the entire proposal. Proper formatting must be followed.

Other related articles you may be interested in are Capital Investment Proposal Samples & Templates, Small Business Investment Proposal Samples & Templates, and Property Investment Proposal Samples & Templates.