Published on 18.05.2026

A clearer Gantt chart for your next proposal

In a research proposal, you are often expected to provide a quick way to visualize the project timeframe, the main tasks, and the distribution of responsibilities. The most common tool for this is the Gantt chart.

However, making a good Gantt chart can be difficult, especially if you are not used to working with graphics. As a result, Gantt charts often become messy, unhelpful, and a waste of precious space in the proposal.

Here are a few practical tips to help you make the most out of your Gantt chart.

Think of it as a communication tool

Gantt charts are often used as project management tools. However, in your proposal, it is actually a communication tool first and foremost: its goal is to give the evaluators an idea of your project timeline, not help you run the project. Therefore, it does need to be as detailed as it otherwise would be.

There are two main things you can do for this: (i) choose the right time unit and (ii) make a selection in the activities you display.

Choose the right time unit

For most proposals, months are more detailed than necessary. For projects lasting more than one year, quarters or semesters usually work better. Broad time units help you keep the chart compact and enable reviewers to quickly grasp the project's overall rhythm.

Select the right activities

The rows of the Gantt chart should give a representative view of what happens in each work package, without listing every task. Choose activities that show how the goal of the work package will be achieved: for example, key steps in data collection, analysis, writing, dissemination, or coordination. A good selection helps reviewers understand both the content of the work and the project's logic before they have to dive deep into the proposal itself.

This is the kind of thing you will come across if you Google “Gantt chart template”. While such a chart is perfectly fine for project management, it is likely much more detailed than you need for your proposal. Source

Show responsibilities clearly

Use the Gantt chart to make the distribution of work visible, especially when several people, teams, or partner institutions are involved. Reviewers should be able to see not only when each activity happens, but also who in the project team is responsible for it. Again, keep the focus on the main responsibilities rather than on every small contribution.

Make it self-contained

Your chart should be understandable on its own. Avoid obscure abbreviations, internal project labels, or shorthand that forces reviewers to search elsewhere in the proposal. For example, instead of writing only “Work Package 1” as an activity, use a more descriptive label such as “WP1: data collection”. This gives the reader useful information immediately.

Keep the format constraint in mind

For most schemes, your Gantt chart will be a part of the research plan, which is sent to the funder as a PDF. Thus, it likely needs to fit on part of an A4 page in portrait orientation, with standard margins and other proposal text around it. This document might be printed in grayscale or displayed on a screen, where the colors do not look quite the same as they do to you.

Have these constraints in mind before you start designing the chart or thinking about its content. Trying to adapt a chart designed to be read on a webpage (with scrolling, zooming, a specific color space, etc.) to this environment will often result in a mess.

Use simple tools

You do not need specialized project management software to create an effective Gantt chart for a proposal. Although many powerful tools are available, they often present two drawbacks. First, they are usually designed for project management rather than for clear communication in a proposal. Second, they often involve a steep learning curve.

For most proposals, it is better to keep things simple. The built-in “Insert table” function in the word processor you are already using is usually sufficient to create a clear and readable Gantt chart.

Whichever tool you choose, remember that proposal documents are often revised several times before submission, sometimes by multiple contributors. Make sure your chart is easy to update, adjust, and format throughout the revision process.

Templates you can reuse

To help you get started, a few simple Gantt chart templates are available here: 

gantt_chart_templates.docx

The templates use broad time units, leave space for responsibilities, and are designed to fit into a standard proposal document. Choose a version you like, copy it into your own proposal, then adjust the activities, time periods, and labels to match your needs.

In short

A good Gantt chart does not need to show everything. It should help evaluators quickly understand the timeline, the main activities, and the distribution of responsibilities in your project. If the chart is clear, compact, and easy to edit, it is already doing most of what a proposal Gantt chart needs to do.