Project Proposal Template: Background
Project Proposal Template: Background
Project Proposal Template: Background
Have a great idea for a project? Before you can start, you need to get buy-in and approval from sponsors,
managers, and other stakeholders. Use this template to create a project proposal that clearly conveys your
ideas and shows how your project will benefit the company and your customers. Even if your
organization uses a standard form for project requests, this document offers guidance for developing a
concise, compelling proposal.
HubSpot Tip: Consider including an Executive Summary to give an overview of the main points in
your project proposal, especially if you will be submitting it to busy c-level executives.
Background
Chances are, your project idea originated when you noticed a problem the company was facing and
thought about how you would solve it. Begin your project proposal by giving a summary of the history
and context of the issue that your project addresses.
Start by describing the problem from the broadest perspective, then move into a more detailed
explanation about the specifics. Be sure to provide enough information so that everyone who reads your
document will gain a good understanding of the background just by reading this section.
Include a history of any similar projects you have led successfully in the past; doing so lends credibility
and will make project sponsors feel more confident about your likelihood of success.
HubSpot Tip: You have listed your past successes, but what if another project attempted to solve this
problem in the past, and failed? Be sure to include this in the background section. You can also provide a
brief assessment of why you think the previous project failed and how you have designed the current
project for success.
Project Summary
Objectives
List the objectives your project will address. Each objective should be specific and should be complete
with measurable outcomes. You should indicate what will constitute a successful outcome for each
objective and how you will measure it.
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 3
Scope
Will your project take place over multiple phases? Describe each phase here.
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
1
HubSpot Tip: Of course you should tell the reader what your project would entail, but you may also
want to indicate what it will not include. Clarifying expectations now will make staying within budget
and on schedule easier during project execution.
HubSpot Tip: Often a company’s strategic goals are captured in a strategic plan. Your manager may
be able to share this information with you.
HubSpot Tip: Including a detailed schedule in your proposal shows your commitment to effective
project management.
2
Depending on the type of project you are proposing, it might make sense to include brief biographical
sketches of your proposed team members to highlight their qualifications. If it would strengthen your
proposal, you might even consider including full resumes in an appendix.
HubSpot Tip: Has your proposed team completed similar project in the past? Past successes are a
strong indicator of future success, so you should include examples of successful past performance, if
possible.
Project Budget
Almost every project will require a budget in order to succeed. Whether your project requires funding in
the traditional sense, or just time from participants or access to supplies that are already available at the
office, be sure to clearly indicate the resources needed, so that your readers can easily give their approval.
HubSpot Tip: Differentiate one-time and recurring expenses in your budget.
Conclusion
Remember those objectives that you outlined at the beginning of the proposal? You should reiterate them
here. Show the reader exactly what you intend to accomplish and briefly summarize how you will do it.
Now, tell the reader what you need in order to make the project a reality. Perhaps you need the proposal
to be forwarded on to higher management for review, or to accounting for budget approval, or maybe you
just need a signature. Indicate the next steps here.
HubSpot Tip: Consider including your contact information (email address and phone number) in this
section, in case the reader has a question and needs to get in touch with you quickly.
Authorization
Include a section for signatures and approval by the project sponsors and any other relevant leaders. You
should include signature lines directly in the document, like shown below.
HubSpot Tip: Include signature lines for anyone who needs to give their official approval for the
project to begin. Be sure to fill in their names to personalize the document.
3
Appendices
To include supplementary information without distracting the reader, reference it briefly in the narrative
of your project proposal and then insert it into an appendix. That way, additional details are available to
anyone who wants or needs them, but the extra content will not dilute your message or make your
document excessively long.
HubSpot Tip: Some pieces of information that you might include as appendices are: additional
research on the problem, resumes of key proposed staff, and additional data to back up the claims you
have made in your proposal.