http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/steps.html

1. Innovate
2. Do your homework
3. Build a team
4. Find the right funding agency
5. Use the phone
6. Use a journalistic writing style
7. Follow Guidelines to the letter
8. Build in continuation, evaluation, and dissemination
9. Watch the bottom line
10. Leverage funds
11. Get a sharp and critical reader
12. Write the abstract last

...or general advice on developing successful grant proposals

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/FIPSE/howtoget.html

When you consider submitting a FIPSE proposal, it is important to go into it with your eyes open. The process is laborious, and the funding ratio quite low. It takes months, sometimes years, of reflection and consultation to bring a project to the degree of ripeness that FIPSE expects of its most competitive proposals. That is why it is important to make sure that your project is something you really want to do. If the proposal, besides having potential as a national model, is intrinsically worthwhile for your institution, it will exhibit the clarity and coherence that we associate with fundability.

http://www.fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1.html

The foundation center offers a two part proposal writing short course. The three major pieces of information to have when beginning are: concept, program and expenses.

Concept

• How does this project fit into the overall mission and purpose of the organization?


• What specific need is being address?

Program

• What is the nature of the project?


• How will it be conducted?


• What’s the timetable?


• What are the anticipated outcomes?


• What’s the plan for evaluating the results?


• What are the staffing and other needs for the project?

Expenses
At this point, you need a broad outline budget and whether there is a reasonable return on the investment you’re proposing