Writing Proposals

1
Writing Proposals
2
First Steps Before the Proposal

• Write a concept paper
• Usually 2-4 pages
• What is going to be done?
• Why is it important to do it?
• How will it be done and by whom?
• How much money is required and for what general
  purposes?
• Share the paper with colleagues
• Identify funding resources

3
Some Potential Sources for Funding
4
Government Agencies

• Research Fellowships Post-Graduate Research
• Conferences and Events
• Study Grants
• Research Grants
• Solicited Proposals

5
Corporations

• Corporations sometimes provide funding to
  institutions and individuals.
• Funding is usually tied to public relations,
  though some research is contracted out to
  universities.
• Funding is usually obtained through personal
  contacts rather than solicitations

6
Some Guides to Corporate Funding

• Corporate 500 The Directory of Corporate
  Philanthropy, San Francisco, CA Public
  Management Institute
• Corporate Giving Directory. Detroit, MI Taft
  Group
• National Directory of Corporate Giving, NY
  Foundation Center and
• Corporate Giving Yellow Pages. Detroit, MI Taft
  Group.

7
Private Foundations (1)

• There are thousands of private foundations in
  Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East.

8
Private Foundations (2)

• To identify private foundations
• Research such books as the Foundation Directory
  or the International Handbook of Associations
• Talk with your colleagues
• Search the Internet and,
• Read scholarly journals and pay attention to who
  sponsored the research.

9
Proposals to Private Foundations (3)

• Proposals to foundations have a better chance of
  succeeding if they are preceded by an informal
  contact.
• This contact is usually a brief letter outlining
  the proposed project, and could lead to a meeting
  to discuss the project further.
• This letter of inquiry is crucially important.

10
Proposals to Private Foundations (4)

• Most foundations have specific areas of interest
  for which they award funds.
• It is essential that the grant seeker identify
  those foundations whose interests match the
  proposed project.

11
Proposals to Private Foundations (5)

• The initial letter of inquiry should demonstrate
  that the investigator is acquainted with the work
  and purposes of the foundation being approached.

12
Proposals to Private Foundations (6)

• The letter should point out the significance of
  the project and include
• Who will benefit?
• Who cares about the results?
• What difference will it make if the project is
  not funded?
• An indication that the project has been thought
  through.
• A demonstration of the writer's grasp of the
  subject and credentials to undertake the project.
• It will emphasize that this is a preliminary
  inquiry and that the investigator will send
  further details if the foundation wishes, or, if
  possible visit the foundation to discuss the
  project in depth.

13
Proposals to Private Foundations (7)

• Directories and other general sources of
  information usually indicate a foundations areas
  of interests
• More detailed guidance can be gleaned from the
  foundation's annual reports and from the list of
  projects that the foundation has actually
  supported.

14
Proposals to Private Foundations (8)

• In general, foundations are interested in
  innovative projects that are
• (1) relevant to pressing national or regional
  problems
• (2) relevant to new methods in education
• (3) capable of serving as a model or stimulus for
  further or related work in its general area
• (4) capable of being continued after the end of
  the funding period without further assistance
  from the foundation and,
• (5) not eligible for funding by governmental
  agencies or the investigator's own institution.

15
International Organizations and NGOs

• The United Nations and International
  Organizations do provide grants, though not
  usually for research.
• The local offices of these organizations often
  solicit assistance. Increasing emphasis on
  monitoring and evaluation, especially impact
  evaluation provides a major role for the
  universities in the West Bank and Gaza.

16
The Proposal
17
What is a Proposal?

• A confidence builder, a persuasive tool
• It convinces people with funds (who dont know
  you) that you are worth funding
• A contract
• After the award, the proposal often becomes part
  of the contract so be careful of what you
  promise.
• A plan of action
• The proposal spells out what you are going to do
  and when you are going to do it.

18
Common Types of Proposals (1)

• Solicited proposals
• Proposals submitted in response to a specific
  solicitation issued by a sponsor.
• Typically called Request for Proposals (RFP), or
  Request for Quotations (RFQ)
• Usually specific in their requirements regarding
  format and technical content, and may stipulate
  certain award terms and conditions.

19
Common Types of Proposals (2)

• Unsolicited proposals
• Submitted to a sponsor that has not issued a
  specific solicitation
• The sponsor is believed by the investigator to
  have an interest in the subject.

20
Common Types of Proposals (3)

• Preproposals
• Requested when a sponsor wishes to minimize an
  applicant's effort in preparing a full proposal.
• Preproposals are usually in the form of a letter
  of intent, brief abstract, or concept paper.
• After the preproposal is reviewed, the sponsor
  notifies the investigator if a full proposal is
  warranted.

21
Common Types of Proposals (4)

• Continuation or Non-Competing proposals
• Confirm an original proposal and funding
  requirements of a multi-year project for which
  the sponsor has already provided funding for an
  initial period (normally one year). Continued
  support is usually contingent on satisfactory
  work progress and the availability of funds.

22
Common Types of Proposals (5)

• Renewal or competing proposals
• Requests for continued support for an existing
  project that is about to terminate, and, from the
  sponsor's viewpoint, generally have the same
  status as an unsolicited proposal.

23
Research vs. Project Proposals

• A research proposal emphasizes the contribution
  that the research will make to the field.

• A project proposal emphasizes the impact the
  activity will have.
• Evaluation is more usually more important in
  project proposals.

24
Elements of the Proposal

• What do you want to do, how much will it cost,
  and how much time will it take?
• How does it relate to sponsors interest?
• What difference will the project make?
• What has already been done in the area of your
  project?
• How do you plan to do it?
• How will the results be evaluated?
• Why should you, rather than someone else, do this
  project?

25
Research Proposals
26
Parts of a Research Proposal

• Title (or Cover) Page
• Abstract
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Background
• Description of Proposed Research
• Description of Relevant Institutional Resources
• List of References
• Personnel
• Budget
• Adapted from Proposal Writer's Guide By Don
  Thackrey, University of Michigan.
• http//www.research.umich.edu/proposals/PWG/pwgcon
  tents.html

27
Title Page

• The format is often specified by the funding
  agency
• The principal investigator, department head, and
  university official usually sign
• Name of organization being submitted to
• Title of the proposal
• Starting date and budget period
• Total funds requested
• Name and address of institution
• The title page should be professional looking,
  but do not use fancy covers, bindings, etc.

28
A good title

• The title is important. It should reflect the
  focus of your project.
• The most important words should come first.
• Avoid words that add nothing to a readers
  understanding such as Studies on,
  Investigations.., or Research on Some Problems
  in

29
Hints for Title Page

• A good title is brief
• For example, this title -
• Title 1 - The Systematic Development of a Local
  Initiative to Create a Learning Center for
  Community Education can be shortened to -
• Title 2 - A Local Learning Center for Community
  Education
• GUIDE FOR WRITING A FUNDING PROPOSAL. S. Joseph
  Levine, Ph.D. Michigan State University East
  Lansing, Michigan, USA.

30
Table of Contents

• Very brief proposals with few sections ordinarily
  do not need a table of contents
• Long and detailed proposals may require, in
  addition to a table of contents, a list of
  illustrations (or figures) and a list of tables.
• The table of contents should list all major parts
  and divisions (including the abstract, even
  though it precedes the table of contents).

31
The Abstract

• Every proposal should have one
• In project proposals this is called the Executive
  Summary
• It should be written last
• The abstract should summarize the project
• It is the most important part of the proposal

32
Introduction (1)

• Start with a capsule statement of what is being
  proposed.

33
Introduction (2)

• You should not assume that your reader is
  familiar with your subject. It should be
  comprehensible to an informed layman. It should
  give enough background to enable him to place
  your research problem in a context of common
  knowledge and should show how its solution will
  advance the field or be important for some other
  work.

34
Introduction (3)

• Do not to overstate, but do state very
  specifically what the importance of your research
  is.

35
Introduction (4)

• If the detailed exposition of the proposed
  research will be long or complex, the
  introduction may well end by specifying the order
  and arrangement of the sections.

36
Introduction (5)

• The general tone of the introduction should be
  self-confident, but not exuberant. Enthusiasm is
  not out of place, but extravagant promises are
  anathema to most reviewers.

37
Background (1)

• This section may not be necessary if the proposal
  is relatively simple and if the introduction can
  present the relevant background in a few
  sentences.

38
Background (2)

• If previous or related work must be discussed in
  some detail, however, or if the literature of the
  subject must be reviewed, a background or
  literature review section is desirable.

39
Background (3)

• Literature reviews should be selective and
  critical.
• Reviewers only want to know pertinent works and
  your evaluation of them.
• A list of works with no clear evidence that you
  have studied them and have opinions about them
  contributes almost nothing to the proposal.

40
Description of Proposed Research (1)

• This section of the proposal is the comprehensive
  explanation of the proposed research
• It is addressed to other specialists in your
  field.
• It is the heart of the proposal and the primary
  concern of technical reviewers.

41
Description of Proposed Research (2)

• The description may need several subsections.
  The description should include
• Aims or Objectives
• Methodology
• Results
• Conclusion

42
Description of Proposed Research (3)

• Be realistic in designing the program of work.
• Research plans should be scaled down to a
  specific and manageable project.

43
Description of Proposed Research (4)

• The proposal should distinguish clearly between
  long-range research goals and the short-range
  objectives for which funding is being sought.
• Often it is best to begin this section with a
  short series of explicit statements listing each
  objective, in quantitative terms if possible.

44
Description of Proposed Research (5)

• If your first year must be spent developing an
  analytical method or laying groundwork, spell
  that out as Phase 1. Then at the end of the year
  you will be able to report that you have
  accomplished something and are ready to undertake
  Phase 2.

45
Description of Proposed Research (6)

• Be explicit about any assumptions or hypotheses
  the research method rests upon.
• Be clear about the focus of the research. In
  defining the limits of the project, especially in
  exploratory or experimental work, it is helpful
  to pose the specific question or questions the
  project is intended to answer.

46
Description of Proposed Research (7)

• Be as detailed as possible about the schedule of
  the proposed work.
• Include a schedule and calendar of events.

47
Description of Proposed Research (8)

• Be specific about the means of evaluating the
  data or the conclusions. Try to imagine the
  questions or objections of a hostile critic and
  show that the research plan anticipates them.

48
Description of Proposed Research (9)

• Be certain that the connection between the
  research objectives and the research method is
  evident.
• If a reviewer fails to see this connection, he
  will probably not give your proposal any further
  consideration.

49
Description of Relevant Institutional Resources

• This section details the resources available to
  the proposed project.
• Include the institution's demonstrated competence
  in the pertinent research area, its abundance of
  experts in related areas, its supportive services
  that will benefit the project, and its unique or
  unusual research facilities or instruments
  available to the project.

50
List of References

• If a list of references is to be included, it is
  placed at the end of the text proper and before
  the sections on personnel and budget.
• The style of the bibliographical item itself
  depends on the disciplinary field.
• Be consistent! Whatever style is chosen should
  be followed throughout.

51
Personnel (1)

• The personnel section usually consists of two
  parts
• an explanation of the proposed personnel
  arrangements and,
• biographical data sheets for each of the main
  contributors to the project.

52
Personnel (2)

• Specify how many persons at what percentage of
  time and in what academic categories will be
  participating in the project.
• If the program is complex and involves people
  from other departments or colleges, the
  organization of the staff and the lines of
  responsibility should be made clear.

53
Personnel (3)

• Any student participation, paid or unpaid, should
  be mentioned, and the nature of the proposed
  contribution detailed.
• If any persons must be hired for the project, say
  so, and explain why, unless the need for persons
  not already available within the University is
  self-evident.

54
Personnel (4)

• The biographical data sheets should follow
  immediately after the explanatory text of the "
  personnel" section, unless the agency guidelines
  specify a different format.
• For extremely large program proposals with eight
  or more participants, the data sheets may be
  given separately in an appendix.

55
Personnel (5)

• All biographical data sheets within the proposal
  should be in a common format.
• These sheets should be confined to relevant
  information. Data on marital status, children,
  hobbies, civic activities, etc., should not be
  included unless the sponsor's instructions call
  for them.

56
Personnel (6)

• The list of publications can be selected either
  for their pertinence to the proposed work or for
  their intrinsic worth. All books written and a
  selection of recent or important journal articles
  written may be listed, but there is no need to
  fill several pages with a bibliography.

57
Budget (1)

• Budgets are developed according to sponsors and
  university guidelines. This section is an
  overview of common features.
• Depending on complexity, the budget section may
  require not only a tabular budget with line
  items, but may also require a budget summary and
  explanation or (budget justification or budget
  notes).

58
Budget (2)

• Typical divisions of a budget are
• Personnel
• Equipment
• Supplies
• Travel and,
• Indirect costs.
• Other categories can be added as needed.

59
Budget (3)

• The budget should make clear how the totals for
  each category of expenses are reached.
• Salary information is particularly sensitive. It
  should be specified in detail principal
  investigator (1/2 time for 3 months at 24,000
  9-month appointment) 4,000.

60
Budget (4)

• The category of personnel includes not only the
  base salary or wage for each person to be
  employed by the project but also (listed
  separately) the percentage added for staff
  benefits.

61
Budget (5)

• Any costs absorbed by the University should be
  shown as cost sharing.

62
Budget (6)

• Indirect costs are shown as a separate category,
  usually as the last item before the grand total.
  Indirect costs are usually figured as a fixed
  percentage of total direct costs but this is a
  subject that bedevils investigators and sponsors
  alike.

63
Budget (7)

• Cost sharing is required by many sponsors.
• It can be shown as a separate column.
• Frequently a portion of the salary of the
  principal investigator, paid from University
  funds, can be used to satisfy cost-sharing
  requirements.

64
Budget (8)

• Following is a budget checklist. It is
  illustrative only, to call attention to the
  variety of expenses that might arise in the
  conduct of a research project
• Different sponsors have different budget
  requirements. Pay careful attention to their
  guidelines.

65
Checklist for Proposal Budget Items (1)

• A. Salaries and Wages
• 1. Academic personnel2. Research assistants3.
  Stipends (training grants only)4. Consultants5.
  Interviews6. Computer programmer7.
  Tabulators8. Secretaries9. Clerk-typists10.
  Editorial assistants11. Technicians12.
  Subjects13. Hourly personnel14. Staff
  benefits15. Salary increases in proposals that
  extend into a new year16. Vacation accrual
  and/or use

66
Checklist for Proposal Budget Items (2)

• B. Equipment
• 1. Fixed equipment2. Movable equipment3. Office
  equipment4. Equipment installation

67
Checklist for Proposal Budget Items (3)

• C. Materials and Supplies
• 1. Office supplies2. Communications3. Test
  materials4. Questionnaire forms5. Duplication
  materials6. Animals7. Animal care8. Laboratory
  supplies9. Glassware10. Chemicals11.
  Electronic supplies12. Report materials and
  supplies

68
Checklist for Proposal Budget Items (4)

• D. Travel
• 1. Administrative2. Field work3. Professional
  meetings4. Travel for consultation5.
  Consultants' travel6. Subsistence7. Automobile
  rental8. Aircraft rental9. Ship rental

69
Checklist for Proposal Budget Items (5)

• E. Services
• 1. Computer use2. Duplication services (reports,
  etc.)3. Publication costs4. Photographic
  services5. Service contracts6. ISR services
  (surveys)

70
Checklist for Proposal Budget Items (6)

• F. Other
• 1. Space rental2. Alterations and renovations3.
  Purchase of periodicals and books4. Patient
  reimbursement5. Tuition and fees (training
  grants)6. Hospitalization7. Page charges8.
  Subcontracts
• G. Indirect Costs

71
Appendices (1)

• Reviewers almost never read appendices - and they
  may resent the padding. The best rule of thumb
  is
• When in doubt, leave it out.

72
Appendices (2)

• Appendices to proposals are occasionally used for
  letters of endorsement or promises of
  participation, biographical data sheets and
  reprints of relevant articles.
• If two or more appendices are included in a
  proposal, they should be designated Appendix A,
  Appendix B, etc.

73
Non-Research Grants(1)

• You might not be applying for a research grant,
  but for outside sponsorship of an academic
  program involving a new curriculum, a conference,
  a summer seminar, or a training activity. As in
  a research proposal, your best guide is to
  consult any guidelines that the sponsoring agency
  provides. In the event that none is available,
  however, the following outline may be followed.

74
Non-Research Grants (2)

• As in the Research Proposal, begin the proposal
  with an Executive Summary.
• This should be followed by an Introduction, which
  includes a clear statement of need.

75
Non-Research Grants (3)

• The Background section, describing the local
  situation and developmental activities to date,
  should begin the request.
• A Program Description should come next. This
  section contains elements common to the research
  proposal. It lists the courses or instructional
  sessions to be offered, the interrelationship of
  parts, and the program leading to certification
  or a degree. It discusses the students or
  participants to be selected and served by the
  program, as well as plans for faculty retreats,
  negotiation with cooperating institutions,
  released time to write instructional materials,
  and so on.

76
Non-Research Grants (4)

• Follow the Program Description with a section on
  Institutional Commitment.
• Clarify here the agreements made by various
  departments and cooperating institutions
• Detail the willingness of your institution to
  carry on the program once it has proven itself is
  certified. (Sustainability)
• This section is crucial to the success of
  curriculum development programs.

77
Non-Research Grants (5)

• Complete the proposal with Institutional
  Resources, Personnel, and Budget sections, as in
  the research proposal.

78
Style Tips (1)

• General approach
• Match the style to the reader.
• Use everyday English.
• Be politically correct.
• Explain new ideas clearly.

79
Style Tips (2)

• Phrasing and sentences
• Avoid jargon
• Keep away from stock phrases
• Avoid clichés
• Keep sentences and paragraphs short

80
Style Tips (3)

• Words
• Use short words
• Avoid legal words and pomposity.
• Avoid neutral words.
• Beware of ambiguous words.
• Avoid tautology and redundant words.
• Use concrete not abstract nouns.
• Use active not passive verbs.

81
Style Tips (4)

• Check
• Your choice of words
• Spelling
• Abbreviations

82
Style Tips (5)

• Punctuation
• capital letters
• Apostrophes
• commas
• colons
• Semicolons

83
Make it look readable (1)

• Check the layout
• Spacing
• Margins
• Headings
• Sections
• Paragraphs
• Lists

84
Make it look readable (2)

• Use appendices
• Charts and graphs
• For component comparison use pie charts.
• For item comparison use bar charts.
• For time series comparison use column charts or
  line charts.
• For frequency distribution use column charts.
• For frequency distribution use column charts.
• For correlation use bar charts or dot charts.

85
Make it look readable (3)

• Flow charts
• Workflows charts to show how people or work
  moves around a location
• Schematic flow charts for an overview of the
  stages of a process or project.
• Detailed flow charts to show how work moves
  around between functions.

86
Beginning and End

• Include in your proposal or report
• title page with title and author
• contents page
• summary
• appendices
• page numbers.
• Consider using the following
• acknowledgment
• conclusion page
• glossary
• bibliography
• references
• further addresses etc.

87
Why Proposals are Rejected (1) From University
of Michigan Proposal Writer's Guide by Don
Thackrey

• The following is based on a list of short-comings
  of 605 proposals rejected by the (US) National
  Institutes of Health.
• The list is derived from an article by Dr. Ernest
  M. Allen (Chief of the Division of Research
  Grants, National Institutes of Health) that
  appeared in Science, Vol. 132 (November 25,
  1960), pp. 1532-34. (The percentages given total
  more than 100 because more than one item may have
  been cited for a particular proposal.)
•  

88
Why Proposals are Rejected (2)

• A. Problem (58 percent)
• The problem is not of sufficient importance or is
  unlikely to produce any new or useful
  information. (33.1)
• The proposed research is based on a hypothesis
  that rests on insufficient evidence, is doubtful,
  or is unsound. (8.9)
• The problem is more complex than the investigator
  appears to realize. (8.1)
• The problem has only local significance, or is
  one of production or control, or otherwise fails
  to fall sufficiently clearly within the general
  field of health-related research. (4.8)

89
Why Proposals are Rejected (3)

• The problem is scientifically premature and
  warrants, at most, only a pilot study. (3.1)
• The research as proposed is overly involved, with
  too many elements under simultaneous
  investigation. (3.0)
• The description of the nature of the research and
  of its significance leaves the proposal nebulous
  and diffuse and without a clear research aim.
  (2.6)

90
Why Proposals are Rejected (4)

• B. Approach (73 percent)
• The proposed tests, or methods, or scientific
  procedures are unsuited to the stated objective.
  (34.7)
• The description of the approach is too nebulous,
  diffuse, and lacking in clarity to permit
  adequate evaluation. (28.8)
• The overall design of the study has not been
  carefully thought out. (14.7)
• The statistical aspects of the approach have not
  been given sufficient consideration. (8.1)

91
Why Proposals are Rejected (5)

• The approach lacks scientific imagination. (7.4)
• Controls are either inadequately conceived or
  inadequately described. (6.8)
• The material the investigator proposes to use is
  unsuited to the objective of the study or is
  difficult to obtain. (3.8)
• The number of observations is unsuitable. (2.5)
• The equipment contemplated is outmoded or
  otherwise unsuitable. (1.0)

92
Why Proposals are Rejected (6)

• C. Investigator (55 percent)
• The investigator does not have adequate
  experience or training for this research. (32.6)
• The investigator appears to be unfamiliar with
  recent pertinent literature or methods. (13.7)
• The investigator's previously published work in
  this field does not inspire confidence. (12.6)

93
Why Proposals are Rejected (7)

• The investigator proposes to rely too heavily on
  insufficiently experienced associates. (5.0)
• The investigator is spreading himself too thin
  he will be more productive if he concentrates on
  fewer projects. (3.8)
• The investigator needs more liaison with
  colleagues in this field or in collateral fields.
  (1.7)

94
Why Proposals are Rejected (8)

• The D. Other (16 percent)
• Requirements for equipment or personnel are
  unrealistic. (10.1)
• It appears that other responsibilities would
  prevent devotion of sufficient time and attention
  to this research. (3.0)
• The institutional setting is unfavorable. (2.3)
• Research grants to the investigator, now in
  force, are adequate in scope and amount to cover
  the proposed research. (1.5)

95
Web Sites with Proposal Guides

• AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy http//www.aafrc.org
  
• Council on Foundations http//cof.org
• Foundation Center Online Proposal Writing Short
  Course http//www.fdncenter.org/onlib/prop.html
• The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
  Basic Elements of Grant Writing.
  http//www.cpb.org/grants
• The Frontiers in Bioscience (FBS). Tips for
  Writing Grant Proposals. http//www.bioscience.or
  g/current/grant.html

96
Web Sites with Proposal Guides

• The National Science Foundation. A Guide to
  Proposal Writing. http//www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/ns
  f9891/nsf9891.html
• The Social Science Research Council. Art of
  Writing Proposals. http//www.ssrc.org/artprop.ht
  ml
• James Madison University. Overview of the Grant
  Writing Process. http//www.jmu.edu/sponsprog/tip
  s2.html
• Funding and Proposal Writing for Social Science
  Faculty Research.http//www.unc.edu/depts/irss/wr
  iting.html
• University of Idaho Grant Directory
  http//radon.chem.uidaho.edu/pmits/grants
• University of Michigan Proposal Writer's
  Guidehttp//www.research.umich.edu/research/propo
  sals/proposal_dev/pwg/pwgpage.html

97
GuidebooksThere are many. A few include

• Burns, M. (1993). Proposal writer's guide.
  Hartford, CN Development and Technical
  Assistance Center.
• Hall, M. (1988). Getting funded A complete guide
  to proposal writing. Portland, OR Continuing
  Education Publications. Portland State
  University.
• Geever, J. (1997). The Foundation Center's guide
  to proposal writing. NY Foundation Center.
• Kritiz, N. (1980). Program planning and proposal
  writing. San Francisco, CA

98
Sample Letter to Private Foundations (1)

• A good letter, might begin something like the
  following "Because of the interest the
  __________ Foundation has shown in __________, I
  am writing to solicit its support for a project
  that will __________." This should be followed by
  a sentence describing the program, the
  institution, and another one or two concerning
  the need for and uniqueness of the project.

99
Sample Letter to Private Foundations (2)

• The body of the letter should consist of three or
  four paragraphs giving the context or background
  of the project, its scope and methodology, the
  time required for its completion, the
  institutional commitments, and any special
  capabilities that will ensure the project's
  success. A separate paragraph might be given to
  some of the major categories of the proposed
  budget, including a rounded total direct cost
  estimate, and mention of any matching fund or
  cost-sharing arrangements, either in dollars or
  in-kind contributions.

100
Sample Letter to Private Foundations (3)

• The last paragraph could be patterned along these
  lines "If the __________ Foundation is
  interested in learning more about this program, I
  will be happy to travel to __________ to discuss
  it in detail, or to submit a full proposal
  outlining my plans. My phone number in __________
  is (___) _______ at work, and (___) _______ at
  home. I look forward to hearing from you soon."