Many grant processes are divided into two stages. First the funder asks for a concept. Only if the concept is approved do they ask for a full proposal, and that proposal is assessed again. Nuts and Bolts of Mobilizing Resources describes exactly this process.
That makes the concept note the gate. However strong your full proposal would have been, nobody reads it unless the concept note gets you invited. This guide shows how to write a concept note that does its one job: it catches the funder's interest and earns the invitation.
It draws on Dr. James Njagu's two books, The Art and Science of Designing Projects and Writing Winning Proposals and Nuts and Bolts of Mobilizing Resources. It is written for NGOs, universities and community organizations in Kenya and across Africa, and at the end there is a free Word template.
What is a concept note?
A concept note is a short pre-proposal that tells a funder who you are, what you plan to do and how much it will cost. Its purpose is to inform the funder and catch their interest, so that they request a full proposal with complete technical and budget information.
The Art and Science lists the concept paper among the forms of pre-proposal. Depending on the donor, a pre-proposal may be called a preliminary proposal, a white paper, a letter of intent (LOI) or a concept paper. Funders request them to spare applicants the effort of a full proposal at the first stage.
A pre-proposal does three things for the funder:
- it establishes a foundation for discussion, and later becomes the basis for negotiating the funding;
- it shows how well your project fits the funder's priorities;
- it decides who moves to the next stage, and sometimes gives you feedback for the full proposal.
For how the concept note compares with solicited, unsolicited and RFP-based proposals, see grant vs bid vs tender.
When do you need a concept note?
There are three common situations.
- The funder runs a two-stage call. You submit the concept first and develop the full proposal only if the concept is approved. Note the deadlines and process for each stage when you first read the call.
- You want to approach a funder who has not published a call. The Art and Science strongly discourages sending unsolicited full proposals, because there is a real chance they will not be read. The book's advice is to send a short introductory letter or a short concept paper on your intention instead.
- You are about to write any full proposal. One of the book's basic considerations for proposal writing is to start with a concept paper before the full proposal.
How long should a concept note be?
One page, unless the funder sets a different limit.
Both books are consistent on this. The Art and Science says the preliminary letter, which can serve as a concept paper or pre-proposal, should be brief and concise, on official letterhead, and usually no more than a page. Nuts and Bolts says the same letter should not exceed one page, and it describes the writing challenge as explaining "the importance of your project in just a one-page concept note."
The funder's rules always come first. Some funders prescribe a size, limit the number of words or characters for each section, or require their own template or online form. Where they do, follow it exactly. The Art and Science notes that RFPs go through an administrative review before the technical review, checking format, size, length, font, budget ceilings, deadline and contact details. More than 40% of proposals fail because they do not follow the guidelines.
Before you write: three things to have ready
1. Your project design. The book's sequence is planning first, then the logical framework, then writing. Proposal writing is "a translation of the log frame into a project." A concept note is the shortest version of that translation, so develop the logframe before you write the concept, or at least while you do.
2. Your funder research. Be familiar with the donor's language, priorities and budget before you write. A donor can only fund projects that fit its specific intentions, so the concept note has to show that fit.
3. Your organizational documents. Nuts and Bolts recommends having these ready before you develop a concept or proposal:
- your registration certificate;
- financial and organizational audit reports for the past three years;
- short bios of key staff;
- a summary of recently completed and ongoing projects;
- reports that document the success of your approaches;
- information on the districts or regions where you will work.
The seven questions a concept note must answer
Neither book sets out a separate concept-note format. It does give a list of seven questions that a proposal's executive summary must answer, and it recommends that the summary be one page. A one-page concept note has the same job as an executive summary: it may be the only thing a decision maker reads, and it has to invite them to read further. So use these seven questions as your structure:
| # | Question | What the books say it needs |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who is requesting the grant? | Your organization, with at least one sentence on its credibility: history, mission, track record on this problem |
| 2 | What problem is being addressed, and where? | A clear, concrete, solvable problem in a named location, with a sense of urgency |
| 3 | What is the goal and overall objective? | A long-term goal, and objectives that say who, what change, by when and where |
| 4 | What is the strategy? | A summary of the key activities |
| 5 | What results do you expect? | Change, not just activity counts |
| 6 | What is the total budget, and how much are you requesting? | The total cost, the funds already obtained, and the amount requested from this funder |
| 7 | How will the project continue? | Sustainability after the grant ends |
The book's guidance on the preliminary letter adds two things to include: your reason for approaching this particular funder, and a closing statement saying how you plan to follow up your request.
Here is what each element needs.
1. Who you are, and why you are credible
Introduce the applicant in two or three sentences: who you are, why this problem concerns your organization, and what you have already done about it. The Art and Science asks for the organization's history, mission, goals, and skills and experience, and for the steps you have taken in the past to address the problem. In a concept note, compress this to your strongest piece of evidence.
2. The problem, and where it is
This is where most concept notes are won or lost. The books give you four rules:
- Define the problem as an existing negative situation, not as the absence of your solution. "Girls in the ward drop out of school after Class 8" is a problem. "There is no mentorship programme" is a missing solution.
- Make it clear, concrete and solvable with the funding available. A problem the size of the country is not a project.
- Address root causes, not symptoms. The book uses a problem tree for this: the core problem in the centre, root causes below it, effects above it.
- Give it urgency and evidence. Say why the donor should pay attention now, use up-to-date statistics (international, national and local where you can), and draw on your needs assessment. Name the location.
3. Goal and objectives
The goal is the general, long-term change you want. The book's example: "To reduce incidence of HIV infection among young people ages 15 to 24 in Tanzania."
The objectives are the intermediate changes you will achieve. Each one should answer four questions: who will be reached, what change will be achieved, in what time period, and where. They must also be SMART: specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic and time-bound. As the book puts it, unfounded objectives undercut the credibility of the entire project.
Be careful with targets. Unless the funder requires them, only put a number on the change if baseline data are available and the target is based on prior experience. An unrealistic target can make the project look like a failure even when the results are impressive. Nuts and Bolts adds the other side: set goals too high and miss them, and the donor questions your capability, but set them too low and the project looks cost-ineffective.
4. Strategy
Summarize the key activities in a few sentences. The concept note is not the place for the full workplan. It should show that you have a practical plan and that the activities lead logically to the objectives.
5. Results
Donors want the biggest possible impact at the lowest cost, so say what will change. The Art and Science is direct about this: "145 people have attended a training session" does not imply an impact. Report what those people will do differently, or what will improve for the community.
6. Budget
Every version of this guidance in the books includes the money: the preliminary letter states the total sum needed including other sources, and the executive summary gives the total budget and the amount requested. The executive summary checklist asks for three figures: total cost, funds already obtained, and amount requested in this proposal.
Two rules from the book shape these figures:
- Show counterpart funding. Don't ask for 100%. Very few donors will fund a project in full, and showing other contributions, including the community's, makes the request more appealing.
- Keep administration lean. Budgets with administrative costs over 20% have a higher chance of rejection.
If the funder wants a budget table with the concept, keep it to a one-page summary using your main budget categories. The template below includes the book's summary budget format.
7. Sustainability
Sustainability is the project's ability to continue once the initial grant ends. Name at least one realistic route. The book lists the options for financial sustainability: other local, national or international donors; integrating the project into your organization's own budget; collecting fees from clients or users where appropriate; and in-kind contributions.
Before and after: making it specific
The Art and Science warns against vague phrases such as "increasing capacities" or "empowering communities", and asks: what exactly do you want to change? Here is the difference in practice. These rewrites are illustrative, for a fictional organization. They are not taken from the books.
| Vague | Specific |
|---|---|
| "We will empower youth in the county." | "We will train 120 out-of-school youth aged 18–24 in two sub-counties of Kitui in solar installation, and link at least half to paid work within 12 months." |
| "The project will build the capacity of farmers." | "Members of 15 farmer groups in Makueni County will adopt drip irrigation on at least one plot each by the end of the second season." |
| "We request funding for our programme." | "The project costs KES 4.2 million over 18 months. We have secured KES 1.1 million from the county and members' in-kind labour, and request KES 3.1 million from the Foundation." |
| "200 people will attend awareness sessions." | "300 households in two villages of Kwale County will treat their drinking water, measured by a follow-up survey of a sample of households at six months." |
The specific objectives answer who, what change, when and where, and the specific budget line gives the three figures funders look for. Numbers like these only belong in a real concept note if baseline data and prior experience support them.
Self-check before you send it
Run the book's executive summary checklist against your concept note. It should:
- appear at the beginning, if it accompanies a longer document;
- identify the applicant;
- include at least one sentence on credibility;
- include at least one sentence on the problem;
- include at least one sentence on objectives;
- include the total cost, the funds already obtained and the amount requested;
- be brief;
- be clear;
- be interesting.
Then check the problem statement against the book's checklist. It should relate to your organization's purpose and goals, be of reasonable size and not try to solve all the problems of the world, be supported by statistical evidence, be developed with input from beneficiaries, make no unsupported assumptions, be free of jargon, and make a compelling case.
Finally, get a colleague to review it. Nuts and Bolts notes that a concept is usually drafted by a team or an assigned lead, reviewed, and revised with the organization's feedback before it is finalised. Plan enough time for several drafts.
Common concept note mistakes
The book's do's and don'ts for proposals apply directly to a concept note. Avoid:
- Weak and begging language. Write to persuade a partner, not to plead.
- One concept for every funder. A one-proposal-fits-all approach ignores what each funder wants.
- Claiming to solve many problems.
- Bending the project to fit the donor's criteria at the expense of what you think needs to be done.
- Unexplained jargon and acronyms. Spell them out, or cut them.
- Hiding your selling points within the text.
For the full list of reasons funders reject proposals, see why grant proposals get rejected.
Download the free concept note template
The free concept note template is an editable Word document built from this guide. It includes:
- a one-page concept note layout structured around the seven questions, with prompts;
- the summary budget format, showing total cost, funds already obtained and the amount requested;
- the executive summary and problem statement checklists;
- a list of attachments and organizational documents to have ready.
To go deeper on turning a concept into a full proposal, read the grant writing guide or Dr. Njagu's book Designing Projects and Writing Winning Proposals. Teams that want hands-on practice can join a proposal writing training cohort.
Frequently asked questions
What is a concept note?
A concept note is a short pre-proposal that tells a funder who you are, what you plan to do and how much it will cost. Its purpose is to inform the funder and catch their interest, so that they invite a full proposal with complete technical and budget information.
How long should a concept note be?
One page, unless the funder sets a different limit. Both of Dr. James Njagu's books describe the preliminary letter or concept paper as no more than a page. Where a funder prescribes a length, a word count or a template, follow it exactly.
What should a concept note include?
It should say who is requesting the grant, what problem is being addressed and where, the goal and objectives, the key activities, the expected results, the total budget with the amount requested, and how the project will be sustained. It should also say why you are approaching this funder and how you will follow up.
What is the difference between a concept note and a full proposal?
A concept note is a short first-stage document meant to catch the funder's interest. A full proposal is the complete document the funder asks for afterwards, with the detailed problem statement, objectives, implementation plan, monitoring and evaluation, sustainability and full budget.
What is the difference between a concept note and a concept paper?
In practice the two terms are used for the same kind of short pre-proposal. The Art and Science lists the concept paper, alongside the letter of intent, white paper and preliminary proposal, as names different donors use for a pre-proposal. Use whichever term the funder uses.
Can I send a concept note to a donor who has not asked for one?
Yes, and it is better than sending an unsolicited full proposal. The Art and Science discourages unsolicited proposals because they may not be read, and recommends sending a short introductory letter or a short concept paper on your intention instead.