Competitive proposals are rarely assembled successfully at the end of the process. Large or complex proposals benefit from early planning, defined roles, internal milestones, and enough time for narrative development, graphics, budget coordination, review, and revision.
Use this resource when:
- The proposal involves multiple investigators, departments, schools, partners, cores, or sites.
- The application includes required management, evaluation, outreach, commercialization, education, or data components.
- The team wants YRD support with strategy, coordination, graphics, or review.
- The deadline is approaching and the team needs to identify what is still feasible.
Suggested development phases:
| Phase | Main activities |
|---|---|
| Opportunity assessment | Review solicitation, assess fit, identify risks, determine whether to proceed |
| Proposal planning | Define concept, team, structure, timeline, roles, and internal milestones |
| Content development | Draft narrative sections, assemble required components, develop graphics |
| Integration | Align sections, resolve gaps, strengthen cohesion and sponsor responsiveness |
| Review | Conduct strategic review, red team review, mock review, or targeted feedback |
| Revision and finalization | Revise narrative, finalize figures, complete administrative materials, submit through required Yale processes |
Timeline guidance:
For large-scale proposals, this card could include a simple rule of thumb:
The more complex the proposal, the earlier YRD should be contacted. Proposal strategy, team coordination, graphics, and review processes require lead time and may not be feasible close to the sponsor deadline.
YRD can help with:
- Proposal development timelines
- Internal milestone planning
- Identifying which proposal elements need early attention
- Coordinating strategy discussions
- Scoping what level of YRD support is feasible based on timing and capacity