Please Excuse My Ignorance

With non-fiction, you send a proposal, not a completed manuscript. You should also considering getting an agent rather than going straight to publishers. Not only can an agent typically get you a better deal, but they know the editors at the publishing houses and have a better idea of who may be looking for what you have. Google "writing a non-fiction proposal" and you should turn up a lot of hits that go in depth of what you should do.

I would second the agent suggestion. Many people believe it works better for you in the long run if you go into a deal with someone already on "your side."

Agents work for you, and they ONLY get paid when a deal is inked. Generally 15%. www.agentquery.com is a resource you should be looking at right now. You can search for agents who handle what you're doing, then go look at their web pages and get the pertinent info (how to submit, what to submit, a listing of their previous sales, their client list, etc). If you find anyone who you're not sure about, come back here and search their name on the Bewares and Background Checks board.

Never sign with an 'agent' who wants money upfront. Okay?

One more question.....do you write up the proposal and THEN find an agent and give the agent the proposal to submit to publishers on your behalf?

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Yep.

There are tons of ways to look for legit agents for non-fiction, but all those years ago now, I started with the Association of Authors' Representatives, since its members are required to adhere to specific canon of ethics. Go to their page, and search for agents who represent memoirs or whatever form of non-fiction you're writing, and work off that list. (Just typing the word "memoir" into the search box pulled up 57 agents, including mine.)

There are other places to go, certainly, but for a first-timer, you at least know you're dealing with a good bunch. A DISCLAIMER, HOWEVER: Just because an agent is NOT on the list does not mean he or she is not a reputable agent. Tons of great agents are not AAR members. It's just a good place to start.

And then, as escritora said, you'll need a good proposal. However, to land an agent, you'll need a query letter first. If you catch an agent's attention with your query, (s)he'll ask for a proposal next. So even while you're sending out queries, have a great proposal ready so you can send it off a moment's notice---and good luck!