In this lecture
- Structure a concept note in the expected order
- Write a problem statement a stranger can follow
- Keep the ask specific and singular
Structure is not bureaucracy, it is comparison
A reviewer reads dozens of concept notes against each other. A note in the expected order - problem, rationale, intervention, ask - is compared fairly against the others; a note that reorders itself for effect is compared unfavourably by default, because the reviewer has to work to locate what they need.
One ask, stated once, early
A concept note that buries its funding request in a final paragraph, after pages of context, reads as unsure of itself. State the ask in the first page, then use the rest of the note to justify it.
Materials
Yours to keep, and usable away from the platform.
- Concept note structure - templatePDF · 620 KB
Design prototype - the attachments are placeholders and nothing downloads yet.
Lecture quiz
4 questions, plus 2 written questions at the end - taken whenever you are ready. This is what unlocks the next lecture.