Alumni on the Move
Five tips for writing a winning social impact proposal
2023 Äänit Prize winner, Kira Düsterwald (South Africa & University of Cape Town, 2017) gives prospective Äänit Prize applicants tips and insights into writing a winning social impact proposal.
- What three things makes a social impact proposal stand out in the African context?
- Impact: Solving a real problem that matters to people, with a solution that is measurable.
- Feasibility: Showing that you know how to do it and that you have the team to do it.
- Uniqueness: What makes your solution, team, product, or problem special? Why has no-one else done it already?
- Why is scalability and sustainability so important in shaping a strong proposal?
In the long-term, start-ups, businesses and ventures are not run on investment money; they are run on a sustainable source of revenue -- and revenue does not only mean money, it also means stakeholders and staying power! Similarly, solutions that have the capacity to move between markets or to scale the solution space to fit new demands can go a step further in entrenching their long-term viability and utility. If you solve your first problem, there needs to be a next step.
- Impact measurement is essential - but how can it be planned for an idea- and early-stage ventures?
Start by thinking about just one single, specific metric that would convince your hardest sell that you are on the right track. This could just be at a minimal viable product level. For example, for us we identified reducing waiting times in health settings as something that could immediately convince hospitals that we have improved their services.
- What common mistakes should one avoid in the proposal narrative?
Keep the problem narrative simple so there is more space to focus on your solution. It's always tempting to sell the big vision, and it needs to be there so that the proposal has a bigger purpose. But don't let it cloud clearly elucidating the first steps: these should be specific, clear and measurable. Also, be careful about ensuring the narrative tells one consistent story throughout the proposal: if it does not, it's time to sit back and think carefully about your purpose. Finally, be honest about your story and journey.
- What is the most compelling way to showcase return on investment (ROI) for a social impact venture?
In my view, story-telling that combines case studies with figures about the bigger social return are the most compelling.
