The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

This course provides the “big picture” to anyone with the responsibility of developing and presenting a financial proposal for new equipment, staffing, reorganization, or additional resources.

First, we introduce the essential elements that are critical to a successful proposal. Without all of these, you are just wasting time and risk damaging your credibility.

Next is the selection of the type of proposal you want to make and making sure you include all of the relevant factors.

Then we must have a clear picture of where we are now so we can persuade the eventual proposal audience that we must move to somewhere else. We present this clear picture using statistics drawn from historical data to describe trends and make realistic forecasts of the future requirements.

Finally, preparation of the proposal means careful selection of words to use and a carefully crafted strategy of presenting them in the best sequence for maximum effectiveness because we only have one chance to make a good ‘first impression.’

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of thirty (30) questions at the end of the course to obtain PDH credits.

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.

Please Note: Continuing Education credits for this course are awarded as PDH (Professional Development Hour Credits).