In short
The methodology explains what you will do, how, by whom and for whom, step by step, and why this approach will solve the problem you described. Link every activity to a cause of the problem, give evidence that the approach works, and explain what makes it better than the alternatives.
Also called the project description or approach, this section turns the problem into a plan. Reviewers look for a clear, logical path from activities to results and for signs that the approach is grounded in evidence and local knowledge.
What to include
- The main activities, in the order they will happen.
- Who will carry out each activity and with which partners.
- How participants will be selected, including the most marginalised.
- The evidence that the approach works: research, pilots or past results.
- What makes your approach different and better.
- How the activities lead to the outcomes, ideally as a short theory of change.
A simple theory of change
Write one sentence in the form: “If we do these activities, then these outputs will be delivered, which will lead to these outcomes, because of these assumptions.” For example: if we install solar computer labs and train local instructors, then 1,500 students will complete a digital skills course, which will give them the skills employers ask for, because the labs work without grid power and lessons are in the local language.
Showing what makes it unique
- Local knowledge, language and long-standing relationships.
- Community ownership built in from the start.
- Lower cost per person reached than the alternatives.
- A tested model with results from a pilot.
- Partnerships that bring in skills or resources others lack.
Common mistakes
- Listing activities without saying why they will work.
- Activities that do not address the causes in the problem statement.
- Claiming innovation without explaining what is new.
- Leaving out how participants will be reached and selected.
Frequently asked questions
Is the methodology the same as the implementation plan?
They are related. The methodology explains what you will do and why; the implementation plan sets out who does each activity and when.
Do I need a theory of change?
Many institutional funders ask for one. Even when it is not required, a one-sentence theory of change makes your logic easier for reviewers to follow.
Written by Gachi Foundation, a non-profit in Jharkhand, India. All proposal-writing resources.