Title: Guidebook to Proposal Writing in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former
Soviet Union ‘99: Highlighting Local Government and Public Administration Projects
Author: LGI: The Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative of the Open
Society Institute, Budapest, Hungary
Second Edition of "Guidebook to Proposal Writing in CEE and the Former Soviet
Union: Highlighting Public Administration and University Administration" 1995 by The
Institute for Local Government and Public Service, (Affiliated with The Open Society
Institute, Budapest, Hungary)
Information about additional copies of the Guidebook can be obtained from: The
Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative, The Open Society Institute, Nador
utca 11, 1051 Budapest, Hungary, tel. (+36-1) 327-3104, e-mail: lgprog@osi.hu, web site:
lgi.osi.hu
Table of Contents
Introduction and Acknowledgments to Edition II:
The Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI) was launched in January
1997 by the Board of the Open Society Institute-Budapest, replacing the Institute for
Local Government and Public Service (ILGPS) and building on its achievements.
LGI focuses on the development of democratic and effective government at sub-national
levels as one of the central tasks of the transition, and, different from the mission of
ILGPS, is not concerned with university administration. LGI strives to support sharing of
expertise between countries and holds as an important overall goal the forging of
sustainable regional networks of institutions and specialists involved in the study and
reform of local government.
The "Guidebook to Proposal Writing in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former
Soviet Union", originally published in 1995 by ILGPS, has been a publication in very
high demand. Therefore LGI decided to republish the booklet, in a revised version, and in
only two languages: English and Russian. Knowledge and skills in preparing good project
proposals still remain a very valuable and scarce asset in the region, and we hope to help
all those who intend to undertake reform projects to be better prepared in having their
ideas funded.
We have to thank Stephanie Barton Farkas and Zoltan Szigethy for having had the
initiative and for writing the original book, and in addition, to Juliet Gole for
embarking in re-editing the text and adding the various suggestions received over time.
Juliet’s enthusiastic work made it possible for you to read this new edition.
Adrian Ionescu
Program Director, LGI
February 1999
Introduction to Edition I:
The Institute for Local Government and Public Service, created in 1993, sustained with
the support of George Soros, and administratively housed within the Open Society
Institute, has two missions: to help reform local governments in Central and Eastern
Europe and the former Soviet Union; and to enhance the administration of universities
within that same region.
We sponsor a number of projects in pursuit of these missions, of which this Guidebook
to Proposal Writing in CEE and the Former Soviet Union for this region and its
companion Directory of Funders in Public Administration and University Administration
is one. It was inspired by the pressing need to match good ideas with those private and
public funders who are in search of ideas to support. Common to both parties in this
equation is their shared intent to advance the region’s transition to local
self-governance and market economies.
This Guidebook takes away the mysteries surrounding the rituals of preparing
applications for grants, especially applications to funding sources in other countries. It
is necessitated by the absence of a practical, informal, yet comprehensive explanation
written with those in mind who have had little opportunity to take part in the rituals of
preparing written funding requests. It will not make the work of preparing proposals easy,
but it will make it easier by revealing the basic practices, procedures, expectations and
dynamics surrounding their preparation, as well as actions to take if one succeeds in
receiving a grant.
Notwithstanding our Institute’s focus on public administration and university
administration, the Guidebook is written in a generic style so as to be helpful to
writers of proposals on other subjects relevant to the welfare of people in the region.
A proposal must address a real problem with a promising solution and offer a competent
team of people to carry it out. Other important aspects of a proposal are that it be
thorough, logical, well argued and convincing. Whoever writes it must master the subject,
ideally be someone who will be involved in its implementation, and who also understands
the process of preparing proposals. Let me assume that you are that person. By offering
this Guidebook in seventeen languages germane to Central and Eastern Europe and the
former Soviet Union, we want to ensure that language is not an impediment in familiarizing
you with this process. Furthermore, if the proposal has to be submitted in a language
difficult or unknown to you, we encourage that it be first written in your own language so
as to benefit from the richness of your understanding and then translated into the
language required by the funding source.
Zoltan Szigethy
Executive Director, ILGPS
June 1995
Acknowledgments to Edition I:
This document and its companion Directory of Funding Sources for Public
Administration and University Administration in CEE and the Former Soviet Union (which
lists over 250 funders as well as contact and other pertinent information) could not have
been created without the helpful comments, suggestions and criticisms from more than 100
people in 27 countries at 23 universities and numerous training centers. Information was
compiled from over 300 foundations and institutions. This is your document, presented the
way you wished it to be.
Special thanks must go to Mari Novak and Gabriel Toth in Slovakia; Donka Prodanova in
Bulgaria; Vassily Selishchev and iouri Zagoumennov in Belarus; Tiina Randma in Estonia;
the Soros Foundation’s network of offices; the USAID offices worldwide; and the 28
USAID/NYU and ILGPS trainees from five countries who made up the "Intergovernmental
Relations Training Project" and who were the first to comment on the outline and
ideas for this document; PIET offices worldwide; nearly every librarian in Massachusetts,
New York, London, Bucharest and Budapest; Violetta Zentai, Judy Hylton and Dick DeLyser in
Hungary; Mihai Farcas of Romania; Silvana Lalo of Albania; Pavlo Sheremeta of Ukraine; and
Thomas Bass all over. A large thank you to Theresa Ambronn—editor extraordinaire; Mr.
Thomas Wolf—who gave generously of his time and advice; and Zoltan Szigethy, Executive
Director of the Institute for Local Government and Public Service in Budapest, who not
only conceived of the need for this document but also acted as preliminary editor.
Researcher & Author: Dr. Stephanie Barton-Farcas
English Editor: Ms. Theresa Ambronn
Printing/Distribution: Mr. Thomas Bass
