Planning is key to developing a well thought out program or project. Grant proposal writing is actually one of the steps in program planning, it is not the plan itself. Many non-profits bypass the planning stage due to limited staff size, or eagerness to bring an initiative to life.
Planning should include, at a minimum, the following basic elements:
- The Project Goal-What benefit(s) will the project bring?
- The Target Population-Who will benefit?
- Documentation of Need-Why is this project needed?
- Objectives-What objectives need to be met in order to achieve the goal?
- Activities-Who will do what to meet the objectives?
- Staffing Needs
- Timeline of Activities
- Estimated Budget (3 years for new programs)
- Evaluation-How will you measure whether or not the goal has been reached?
The program plan is very similar to a business plan for a corporation. There are helpful websites and software that can take you through the planning process step by step. Business Plan Pro offered through http://www.paloalto.com is a comprehensive business plan software package that takes you through a series of questions, with a nonprofit option built into the program, in order to formulate the basics of a comprehensive plan.
It is essential that key staff, the Executive Director and even Board members take the time to properly plan a new program. Ideally the new program or project should be planned out for three years.
It is also recommend that current or ongoing programs continue planning through the evaluation process. During evaluation the organization is asking what did or did not work and what adjustments need to be made in order to ensure the program's continued success.
More later on the differences between goals, objectives and activities.
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