Annotated Research Proposal Template
Build a full three-chapter proposal section by section, with guidance on what academic and funder reviewers expect and what to remove before submission.
Word
Proposal Builder Kit
Build a proposal your supervisor, or your funder, can follow.
For undergraduate, Master's and PhD students, early-career researchers and NGO staff writing a research proposal, concept note or the research sections of a grant application.
- It helps you produce:
- a concept note, a problem statement, a three-chapter proposal draft, a conceptual framework, a sample-size justification and defence slides.
- Included:
- 5 templates + 1 bonus. Four Word files (.docx), one PowerPoint deck (.pptx) and a framework template in Word and PowerPoint.
- Access:
- one payment of UGX 25,000 or US$7. Once purchasing opens, you sign in with your email and download from My Kits.
Why a kit, not another single template
Your proposal should answer one clear question from beginning to end.
Most proposals get returned because the title, problem statement, objectives, framework, sample size, methods and analysis plan were built separately. This kit helps you build them in the order reviewers assess them.
- Research idea
- Problem statement
- Objectives
- Framework
- Methods
- Sample size
- Defence
What's inside
Six resources, built to work together.
Concept Note Template
Turn a rough study idea into a concise concept note or expression of interest for a supervisor, committee, or a funding call with a short-form first stage.
Word
Conceptual Framework Template
Clarify your outcome, factors and relationships before they become a confusing diagram, and reuse the logic when a funder asks for a results or theory-of-change framework.
Word + PowerPoint
Sample Size Justification Cheat-Sheet
Write and defend the sample-size paragraph behind your calculation, the paragraph reviewers use to judge whether the budget and timeline are realistic.
Word
Proposal Defence Template
Prepare a structured presentation for a proposal defence, a shortlisting interview or a funder pitch, with guidance for common panel questions.
PowerPoint
Bonus: Problem Statement Builder
Build a clear problem statement with a negative state, evidence, consequences, gap and study purpose.
Word
Free sample from the kit
Problem Statement Builder (Word)
The kit's bonus file, free to download without signing in. It walks you through the negative state, the evidence, the consequences, the gap and your study purpose, so you can judge the style of the guidance before buying.
The other five files stay in the paid kit.
How to use the kit
A clear path from idea to defence.
Adapt every section to your own study and to your institution’s or funder’s requirements. The kit does not write the proposal for you.
- 1
Start with the concept note
Write the short version of your study first: the problem, the aim and why it matters.
- 2
Sharpen the problem statement
Use the Problem Statement Builder to set out the negative state, evidence, consequences and gap.
- 3
Draft the full proposal
Work through the Annotated Proposal Template chapter by chapter, then delete the guidance notes.
- 4
Fix framework and sample size
Draw your conceptual framework and write the paragraph that justifies your sample.
- 5
Prepare the defence
Build your slides from the Proposal Defence Template and rehearse the common panel questions.
Applying for funding
The same reasoning a funder asks you to prove.
Grant forms differ, the questions behind them rarely do. Build each section once in the kit, then move it into the funder's own headings and word limits.
What the funder asks forWhat you use from the kit
- Concept note or expression of interestConcept Note Template: the short version of the study, written before the full application opens.
- Background, rationale and needProblem Statement Builder: the negative state, the evidence, the consequences and the gap the grant would close.
- Aim and specific objectivesAnnotated Proposal Template: objectives written so each one is answerable, measurable and matched to an analysis.
- Theory of change or results frameworkConceptual Framework Template: your outcome, factors and relationships, ready to redraw in a funder's format.
- Methodology and study populationAnnotated Proposal Template: design, population, sampling, data collection and analysis in the order reviewers read them.
- Feasibility, sample and budget justificationSample Size Justification Cheat-Sheet: the paragraph that shows the numbers behind the cost and the timeline.
- Shortlisting interview or funder pitchProposal Defence Template: a structured deck plus preparation for the questions panels repeat.
Looking for a call to apply to? Browse current grants and fellowships. The kit does not complete a funder's forms, budget templates or annexes for you.
Who it is for
Built for students and grant applicants alike.
- Undergraduate researchers
- Master's and PhD students
- Early-career researchers responding to grant and fellowship calls
- NGO and institutional staff preparing research components of funding applications
- Anyone writing a concept note or expression of interest before a full application
- Students preparing for proposal defence
- Researchers using a common three-chapter proposal structure
Important note
University and faculty requirements differ. Always confirm your institution's specific requirements for title pages, declarations, referencing style, spacing, ethics approvals and submission format.
This kit provides structure and guidance. It does not write a proposal for the buyer, guarantee approval, or replace supervisor feedback.
FAQ
Quick answers.
Can I edit the files?
Yes. The templates are editable Word and PowerPoint files. You type directly into them and remove the guidance notes before submitting.
What software do I need?
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, or a free alternative that opens .docx and .pptx files, such as Google Docs and Slides or LibreOffice. Some formatting may shift slightly outside Microsoft Office.
How will I receive the kit?
Purchasing is not open yet. Once it opens, you will pay once, sign in with your email, and download the files from My Kits on Methods Bench.
Will the kit fit my study and institution?
You must adapt it. The kit gives structure and guidance, not finished text. Follow your own study design, your supervisor's advice and your institution's or funder's rules on headings, word limits, referencing and formatting.
Does this work for grant applications, not just student proposals?
Yes. The concept note, problem statement, framework and sample-size sections carry over to most funding applications. No template matches every funder's form, so move your text into their headings and cut to their limits.
Is this only for Makerere University?
No. It follows a common three-chapter proposal structure used across many Ugandan and East African programmes. Confirm your own university's requirements.
Can I get help if I am stuck?
Yes. Email Methods Bench about the files. If you want someone to review your actual proposal, that is a separate paid service on the Services page.
Can I share the files with classmates?
No. The kit is licensed for the purchaser's personal academic use. Do not resell, redistribute, upload or share the files.
Ready when you are
Get the Proposal Builder Kit
UGX 25,000 · One payment · Editable Word and PowerPoint files
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