This overview provides a quick start for those persons who need to write a proposal (solicited or unsolicited) of some kind, whether it is technical, commercial, or charitable in nature.
The main topics are planning, assembling, and writing the proposal; characteristics of successful proposals; and safeguarding against rejection. Appended items are a brief glossary and a series of checklists to help with document scrutiny.
After reading this, the would-be proposal writer (a professional or a volunteer) should be encouraged to make a confident start.