Jack’s Buzz


The Pitch: Writing a Proposal
March 26, 2009, 9:22 pm
Filed under: Networking

A short while back, my friend Joe Kennedy asked several church planters–via our Facebooks–for pointers on writing a proposal. I do not think Joe is writing a textbook. His request had a serious tone in that it was direct and to the point; something many proposals lack. 

I answered immediately that I have seen very few (none?) I really like. I was about to send Joe an answer, but realized it might be better for me to do the work I’d already promised out. Now, I have a moment–3 days later, 10:00PM, which tells you something of my lack of time management lately.

First, watch this brief talk on fund raising from a self-titled “serial investor” David Rose: Ted.com

(http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/david_s_rose_on_pitching_to_vcs.html)

Now integrate what Mr. Rose taught into what you are trying to do, which is raise money to support your new church, business, club, whatever. The main reason I have rarely seen a proposal I liked is that I have rarely seen one that made me want to reach for my wallet. Even if I have no money, your proposal should make me want to give you something of value. Money comes to mind first because it’s easily accessible–I’m usually sitting on some. I could also give advice, connections, or ongoing coaching–each is valuable and few are ever requested.

Here are the elements I crave. 

  1. Purpose statement–what are you trying to do?
  2. Vision–what is the end that you have in mind?
  3. Leadership–what makes me think you can pull this off?
  4. Market conditions–what’s it like where you’re going? Who is your audience? Why will they buy what you’re selling? Why is it in that package (church model)? 
  5. Strategy and tactics–how will you do it?
  6. WIFM (an investor’s favorite radio station): What’s in it for me? In business, investors expect a return. I expect to know that you will build something about which I care.
  7. Partnerships and alliances–who else is in on this? Include coaching and assessment for the future–no coach, no money.
  8. Expected outcomes and potential barriers–what’s likely to happen and what will get in the way?
  9. Values–what will you measure? How is status granted at your place?
  10. Funding request–how much will it cost, and when do you need it?
  11. Self-sufficiency–when will you be off the dole?
  12. Timeline–what happens when?

All this is nice package. No typos. Photos, charts and graphs in color. I know about graphics, and yours better be good. I also know about fluff and your proposal better have none. Say it all in less than 15 pages including the nice cover. Package it in PDF format so I can open it, and put it online because I will probably lose my copy. I do not need a hard copy, but many people do–make friends at Kinko’s.

Hope that helps.

6 Comments

6 Comments

I’m using this outline to put together a proposal for a new church start. I am presenting this to our church leadership team on Sunday evening. I’ll let you know how it works out.
“The main reason I have rarely seen a proposal I liked is that I have rarely seen one that made me want to reach for my wallet.” This comment motivates me. I rarely ask people for money, it is a bit difficult for me. I heard at the conference that I should believe in God’s call enough to ask people to invest in it. For me, this is the litmus test to my seriousness.

Comment by Jim Parker April 30, 2009 @ 6:53 pm

Thanks Jack,

I’m the kind of person who leans toward the clear cut definitions and statements and values that you can put in an attractive proposal. I’ve done that and saw some success with church planting but since I was good at that stuff I neglected the interpersonal interdependent relationships of the body. I thought a lot about my theology, my ecclesiology, and my administration. I knew the leadership principles and the team approach, etc.

I’m now convinced that those things are putting the cart before the horse (sometimes). I’ve experimented with church planting for four years in Boston. Now I’m back in seminary and I hope to get back on the field soon. If I start another church in the future I hope to begin by making disciples because that’s all church planting is about. There’s no launch date for making a disciple. There’s no preview gathering for investing your life in someone else’s. And it doesn’t take a budget to build relationships.

Having said all of that, you mentioned that this post was in response to a question from a student. I don’t want to disparage the need for this sort of church planting. In fact, the church in Boston that I mentioned that grew from 8 to hundreds has now started another church. That new church began with 75 people, a full-time staff, and a large budget. What a blessing!

I appreciate that you see the value of both approaches and I’m not reacting against your description of a good proposal (like I said, I know how to do that). I’m just sharing a portion of my journey where I discovered how to keep the main thing the main thing (recognizing that your post isn’t rejecting the need for personal disciple-making and is simply a technical aspect of the church planting initiative).

So, thanks for letting me share my thoughts. I appreciate the work that you do and I’ll be praying for the work in Austin.

Comment by Nathan Creitz April 15, 2009 @ 8:00 am

Hi Nathan! It’s obvious to me that you are both smarter than the average church planter, and better tuned to the Holy Spirit! The post you read was a response to a request from a former student (he comments below). Most church planters find themselves asked to write a proposal to secure partnership funding for their plant. Additionally, a written proposal helps one clarify what, exactly, God is telling him or her to do. I’ve seen proposals from two to forty (!) pages long, and one recently that was ten pages of beautiful graphics with little content. Reading it was like going to a fine restaurant, ordering a beautiful meal, only to find that the portions resembled a couple pieces of sushi (I left wanting more). Some tell me too much, some too little, but none tell me what I want to know, which is why I should support your work.

You bring up a great point. What if God tells you to go out and start something Abraham style? Do I believe in those? Of course! In fact, I wish I saw more of them, and I think that I will see more if I (maybe we?) do a couple things differently. First, I like to assess men and women for examples of faith instead of ability to put together a big event. Second, I like to train people to take steps according to what God has told them instead of according to a marketing plan. I am sure you will agree that wisdom comes from many counselors–that’s why I ask about coaching and I think it’s a great idea to have several experienced planters look over a written proposal.

To your questions more specifically:
NC: What do you think about the churches that are getting started in people’s living rooms with no proposals, no budgets, just people living life together?
JA: Great! I love them. May they increase dramatically–the kingdom of heaven is built of such as these you mention. I just do not see many of them that last for more than 18 months. Sure, there are a few, but not many. I wonder, and I may be wrong, if the leader of that small group received good, loving coaching the group might last longer and multiply more. We are all in this together, and we need each other. You mention one in Boston–there is one like that in Ohio too, and Neil Cole has seen wonders in California. For what it’s worth, I am trying to position people in Austin to see the same thing this summer. But they are not the norm.

Thanks for your comment. Keep thinking, keep wondering, keep pressing. -JA

Comment by jacksbuzz April 15, 2009 @ 7:37 am

Hey Jack,

What do you think about the churches that are getting started in people’s living rooms with no proposals, no budgets, just people living life together? I can think of one in Boston that started from 8 people and now has hundreds in attendance (I think it’s now about 10 years old). Certainly for every church plant that has started that way and has been successful there are probably 273 others that have been meeting together in a home for 3 years with the same people and no growth. Having said that, do you value that sort of model?

I understand that for the large majority of church plants writing a grant is a no-brainer, but I also believe there are times when there is no formula, there is no vision statement. There is just a deep desire to make disciples and love God and people together. From there God might move people to adopt a more formal gathering.

Just thinking out loud and wondering what you think.

Comment by Nathan Creitz April 14, 2009 @ 5:05 pm

Good stuff. Thanks Jack!

Comment by Lane Corley March 27, 2009 @ 7:13 am

And that is the answer I was looking for.

I watched the TED the other day. For a pitch guy, he sure does seem rushed. I already knew the PPT tips, but I appreciated his point about having both a visual presentation and a hard-copy proposal. (You just give the paper out after you finish the oral presentation, otherwise they’ll be reading while you talk.) Got it.

It will take me a good bit of time to personally sort through the methodology (the HOW) and sum it up, because right now I think I could take 15 pages just for that- and I don’t want to.

Would you rather see appendices or have the whole thing flow straight through? I’m leaning toward flow.

Comment by Joe Kennedy March 26, 2009 @ 9:32 pm


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