Much has been written about monitoring and evaluation and it is not proposed to discuss these in detail.
However, there are some essential features that need to be considered in designing a successful proposal.

1. We work with people and inevitably this means that there will be a degree of unpredictability in the project implementation. We need methods to understand when things are not working as expected, either for better or worse, and be able to respond to these in a timely fashion.
   
2. We need to build in "check points" / "mile-posts" against the activity plan to measure our progress in achieving this. How will we know whether we are on track?
   
3. We need to think about the evidence we are going to gather to demonstrate the impact of the project before we start and to include this in our project plan. For instance if you are planning to show an improvement in people's self-confidence through a change in behaviours, such as an increase in their involvement in voluntary activities, the way you are going to collect this information needs to be in the original project design. It is no good trying to do it retrospectively when much good evidence may have been lost or not be possible to demonstrate.
   
4. The outcomes and goals you set have to be measurable and realistic. Set goals in clear language that is meaningful. The world of project plans is full of people maximising their potential, but what does that mean? Increased attendance at educational sessions, using specific tools to measure increased well-being, improved attainment are all clear and able to be substantiated by evidence. If you are expecting outcomes that may not be able to be demonstrated in the context of your project state the evidence that has been gathered to show the likely impact of such engagement on people's behaviours but don't pretend that you will be able to evidence it necessarily within the scope of this particular project.
   
5. Don't promise more than you can deliver or demonstrate you have achieved. There is a natural desire to "talk up" proposals and then run the very real risk of failing to deliver. Be positive and confident in your presentation but temper this with realism.
   
6. Don't be afraid to go back to funders if things haven't worked as you had hoped. You have clear records, you can show what has been achieved and why things need to be amended. Talk to the funders as soon as you realise things may need to change - don't wait to the end of the project and then make excuses. Remember that some of the most important learning is from things that don't work.
   
7. Do build enough time in to your proposal for adequate monitoring and be prepared to build evaluation in to the project design.