The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) held a workshop on Project Proposal Writing. Bringing together 37 representatives from the Engineering and Planning Hub, the workshop was tailored to enhance participants’ skills in analyzing and translating the needs of local communities into proposals with clear developmental impact. In addition to introducing participants to the technical and financial standards used by donors in project evaluation, the event provided training on the use of planning, monitoring, and evaluation tools to ensure effective and transparent implementation. The workshop sought to improve the readiness of local government units (LGUs) to compete for funding, expand partnerships, and achieve project sustainability.

Delivered by expert Usama Saleh, the training focused on strengthening participants’ capacities to develop integrated project proposals. Sessions highlighted key concepts and various requirements of project management, including the project life cycle, distinguishing between projects, programs, and portfolios, and formulating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) objectives. The training also covered methodologies for constructing a logical framework that connects inputs to activities, outputs, and outcomes, and provided analysis of the distinctions between each. Applications involved intensive exercises on designing transparent budgets using detailed financial templates and creating realistic timelines for activity implementation. These were grounded in common challenges faced by LGUs when drafting proposals.

This workshop is part of the Municipal Technical Exchange Hubs project, implemented with the support of the GIZ Local Governance Reform Program. The initiative incorporates seven key hubs: Engineering and Planning, Social Inclusion and Integration, Financial Management, Public Relations, Creativity and Innovation, SDGs, and Village Councils.