PROPOSAL FORMAT

All proposals submitted for funding consideration must follow the prescribed format. Any proposals not conforming to this format will not be considered for funding.

Cover sheet - a completed cover letter detailing the amount of money requested and the grant period, signed by the person responsible for signing grant contracts on behalf of the applicant. The blank cover sheet can be found under Application Forms.

Proposal Summary (1 page) - briefly explain your organization's proposed overall strategy, the outcomes you hope to achieve, the timeline for this project, how funds will be spent, and the total dollar amount requested.

Narrative (no longer than 10 pages, not including financial information) - should address the following:

• A brief introduction to your organization including its history, total budget, and demographics of Veteran population served (geographic location, socio-economic status, and Service-Disabled status)
• Project description including unique elements of the project, the project's feasibility and sustainability, and the methodology and implementation strategies for the project
• Organizational relationships, both informal and formal, with other groups working to meet the same needs or providing similar services, collaborative partners, and other working partners for this project
• Proposed staffing pattern for this project, including names and titles of individuals playing key roles
• A timeline providing the anticipated length of project along with tasks and schedule for the entire project (note: proposed projects may not exceed 12 months in length or seek funding for multiple years)
• An evaluation plan explaining how the effectiveness and impact of project will be measured, the criteria for a successful program, and the results you expect to have achieved by the end of the funding period

Financial information - provide a detailed line-item budget for the program showing all projected/confirmed sources and amounts of funding toward the program for the proposed grant period. Up to 10% budget allocation can be included for indirect expenses. If the request does not cover the complete cost of the budget, provide a strategy to secure full funding for the project and/or other confirmed fund sources.

Required financial documentation - include the most recent organizational budget based on fiscal year as well as your organization's most recently audited financial statements and 990 form.

Additional required documentation - the following documents must be included as attachments (does not count against 10 page narrative limit):

• List of Board of Directors and their affiliations
• Copy of federal tax-exempt determination letter
• Resumes of key staff members on project
• Most recent annual report