To write a proper research proposal, you will need to know what the requirements are. If there is no posted list of requirements, contact the person or group you be submitting the proposal to and request a written list. Find out length and structure needs, and what type of content they expect, like the length and cost of the project. It helps to create your own checklist to follow, marking off items as you complete them.
Once you've established the requirements, make a rough outline for the structure of your research proposal. Make notes on what information you already have, and what you still need to find or gather. Divide the outline into sections: front matter, introduction, body and back matter. Front matter includes items like cover page, title pages and table of contents. The introduction usually includes the problem statement and project overviews. The body is the main content of the proposal, containing the full scope and plan for your research. The back matter is where you include additional appendixes, resumes or letters of recommendation.
Knowing your audience is vital to writing any research proposal. Make a list of things you do know about your audience, for instance who they work for, what priorities the company or college has, and what research proposals have been accepted and funded in the past. Remember that your proposal may be reviewed by people besides the decision-makers; there may be technical experts to whom you must prove your project's validity. Spend some time researching and making notes of useful information to use as a cheat sheet when you begin writing your proposal. Keep the sheet nearby as you work on each section to remind you to whom you're writing.
Keeping your proposal error-free will help the reviewers focus on the content. Review the entire project yourself first for spelling and grammar, as well as for content relevance. Keep your outline, audience notes and proposal requirements with you as you review each section. Follow this with an outside review. Give your proposal to a peer, advisor or colleague. This twofold editing technique will help avoid ruining content with simple errors.