Long Proposal Assignment Specifications
A generous, anonymous donor represented by Irving Law Firm has given the City of Wichita Falls a grant of $15 million towards the revitalization of the downtown area. As the member of the local urban beautification board, you have been tasked with writing a 10-12 page (including title page, table of contents, and references) report proposing how this money ought to be used. You might, for example, suggest the building of a downtown park, or an increase in outdoor lighting, or the development of bike lanes, etc. Your limit is your imagination. Your focus is not on increasing revenue, but on increasing the public good.
NOTES:
· If you do not live in Wichita Falls, you can pick another real town of your choice in need of revitalization.
· This assignment is highly imaginative. You can make-up elements as necessary (but you must support them with real-world evidence).
· It must be supported with research.
The component parts of your proposal must include:
1. Title Page: includes the title of your report, the recipient’s name (Irving Law Firm), your name, and the date.
2. Table of Contents
3. Executive Summary/Informational Report: Explain the key demographics of Wichita Falls (age, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.) and other important city information. Explain, in detail, why there is a need for revitalization in this community (for example, if you focus on adding bike lanes, you must explain how they are currently lacking and why this is a problem). You must cite this information. You can use the citation style of your choice, but you must use it accurately.
4. Project Team: Who is involved in this project? Contractors? Architects? City Planners? Here you can be inventive. You must give a description of all the key players. A flow chart showing the relationship between key players would be helpful.
5. Scope of the Project/Description of Proposed Plans: This is the bulk of your proposal. Explain, in detail, your plans for revitalization. You must cite research to support these plans (for example, if you choose to spend your money building bike lanes, you need to provide ample evidence that these lead to increased good for the community). You must cite a minimum of 3 sources in this section to justify your decisions.
6. Description of Potential Drawbacks/Setbacks: Explain any major potential setbacks. Offer a justification for why it is worth pursuing this development project despite these potential challenges.
7. Estimated Breakdown of Cost: Explain the expected cost and timeline for this development.
8. References: You must provide your references in in-text citations and a full bibliographic entry here. See Appendix B of your textbook for guidance.
You must include at least two labeled figures (whether a chart, graph, map, or informational table that you make) in your report. Likewise, you must include at least one image.
Your proposal must follow proper formatting and design requirements (see your textbook for details). You may use images where appropriate, but the bulk of your proposal must be written. Remember, this is not an essay but a proposal. See Chapter 11: Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals for formatting recommendations. Be sure to use section headings, clear and concise language, and spacing for emphasis. You may, and are encouraged, to use color.
You must cite your supporting evidence both in-text and on a reference page. You must provide a minimum of 4 sources total, though I suspect you will use several more.
Your grade will focus both on the design of your proposal and your justification for your decisions. You can be inventive – it is fine if you invent whole organizations (like your key players) but you must offer justification for these inventions. In other words, you’re going to use APlus Contracting because they have the highest Better Business Bureau rating in the city, or some such justification.
Remember, this is an opportunity to use your imagination, think about your community, and have a bit of fun.
DUE: Sunday, April 12 by 11:00pm, uploaded to D2L as a single PDF.
