In short
The organisation profile proves you can deliver the project. It covers your history and where you work, your vision and mission, your track record with numbers and a short success story, how you are governed and how money is controlled, and your legal registration and tax status.
After reading about the project, a reviewer asks: can this organisation be trusted with the money and deliver what it promises? The organisation profile answers that question with evidence, not adjectives.
What to include
- A short history: when and why you started, and where you work today.
- Vision and mission, with what they mean in practice.
- Track record: results with numbers, and similar projects you have delivered.
- One short success story, used with consent.
- Your team, partners and relationships with communities and authorities.
- Governance: board, financial controls, audits, safeguarding and complaints policies.
- Legal status: registration, tax-exempt status and other registrations.
If you are a small or new organisation
- Show what you have achieved, even on a small scale, with numbers.
- Name experienced board members, advisers and partners.
- Explain your financial controls and how decisions are made.
- Ask for an amount that fits your track record, or partner with an established organisation.
Common mistakes
- Putting the organisation’s history before the project.
- Claims such as “we are passionate and committed” without evidence.
- Leaving out governance and financial controls.
- Registration details that do not match the attached certificates.
Frequently asked questions
Where should the organisation profile go in a proposal?
Follow the funder’s template. Where you choose, place it after the project sections, because funders invest in change first and then check that you can deliver it.
What legal documents do funders ask for?
Usually registration, governing documents, tax-exempt status, audited accounts and a list of board members. Some countries also require permission to receive foreign funds.
Written by Gachi Foundation, a non-profit in Jharkhand, India. All proposal-writing resources.