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Tips for Writing a Successful Proposal for MET Grants and Scholarships

    1. Match the proposal to the specifications of the grant sought.     

      Make certain that your idea fits the grant, building on standards and Principles to Actions. State your goals and objectives clearly. A goal is a broad statement about what you hope to accomplish and is usually not measurable, whereas an objective is a measurable statement about what you will do. It is important to aim high, yet be realistic.  

    2. Delineate your plan with the utmost care.     

      Be specific about what will be done and when it will happen. A timeline gives life to a proposal. Write your plan clearly and succinctly, demonstrating alignment of the activities with the goals, objectives, and grant requirements.

    3. Observe technical guidelines.   

      Read all instructions on the Request for Proposals carefully and include everything mentioned, in the order in which it is stated. Develop a budget that gives cost estimates. Also indicate the time needed to complete the project. Stay within the page limit, font size, or budget limits. Be realistic and specific about the budget or resources required.  

    4. Emphasize the benefits.     

      Show how participants will benefit. If student participation is required, focus on student learning of mathematics.  Show a direct need for the work.

    5. Describe possible long-term implications.  

      Develop an evaluation plan that will measure all objectives. Describe how assessment information will be collected, analyzed, used, and reported. State what can be delivered.

    6. Enlist the support of your principal, supervisor, and colleagues.  

      Secure recommending letters that indicate strong support and commitment to the project. Provide the writers with a copy of the proposal to help them understand the details and requirements of the project.

      Ask someone not connected with the project to read the proposal and requirements to check whether it follows the guidelines, is sensible, demonstrates clear thinking, and contains no editorial or grammatical errors.