Proposal Language & Length

Meeting date: Tuesday 28th October 2025

Meeting focus: Proposal Language & Length

📝 Notes:

Aala walked through a guide created by the residents panel on the language and length for the proposal. 

We discussed these key points which are also in the guide:

• Please use everyday language (imagine you are having a conversation with someone from the general public; avoid acronyms and jargon). The guide has resources detailing best practice to help you do this.

• The residents recommend having someone from your community read through your proposal - even before your review session with Aala - to check that it is clear and easy to understand.

• Use people-first, dignity-affirming language (for example, “people experiencing financial hardship” instead of “poor people”)

• Can you explain what you do, why it matters to you, and how it will affect the lives of people you are working with?

• What keeping your proposal ‘concrete’ means: If you are going to use words like ‘capacity-building’ and ‘intervention’ - please include an example of how you will do this, or the activities that are linked to this.

• Write as if you’re talking to someone you respect and who you want to include in your journey, not someone you want to impress (focus more on what your 10-year project will do from now, rather than your past accomplishments).

• If including anything from the past/present, focus on the strong ties and connections you have with your communities.

• The main focus of the proposal review sessions with Aala is on language and length. Aala will have a highlighter on hand for the proposal review session to flag any words that the residents may not understand.

• You can include a glossary or ‘terms’ sheet with your proposal detailing concepts that are hard. There is information about this in the guide created by the residents.

Other notes

• The ‘Grant Check-In Due’ homework on the calendar has been cancelled - so you don’t need to do anything for this.

• Aala shared a visual with key steps and a timeline of the proposal submission, decision-making and selection process. You can see it below and on the Proposal page on the cohort hub.

✅ Actions:

• RSVP to the Wider Network Intros event on Friday 31st October.

• If you would like a private conversation with Aala for support, please message her on Slack or email her.