In the nonprofit field, the development of a new program generally begins with receiving some type of grant award. Of course, nonprofits can develop programs without being awarded a grant, but the money needed to create and implement any type of program will need to come from a philanthropist or through other fundraising efforts and activities. For purposes of this blog post, though, let's say that you received a grant and are now ready to create your program. Below are the first five of ten items that will need to be addressed as you develop and implement your program.
1. You will need to develop a work plan with the program’s goals and objectives. I develop work plans using a template that has six columns. The first column lists each goal; the second column lists each objective under the goal; the third column lists the staff person(s) responsible for completion of the objective; the fourth column lists the objective’s deadline; the fifth column lists each objective’s budget allocation, if applicable; and the six column is reserved for any comments related to the objective (e.g., if the objective was modified or deleted, if additional funding is required, etc.). Using this type of template makes it easy to monitor the progress of the grant program, ensuring that all goals and objectives are met in a timely manner.
2. You will need to ensure that you have adequate staff members available to develop the program as specified in the grant proposal. If you plan on using existing staff members, you will need to consider how adding new responsibilities will change their current jobs. If an existing staff member works part-time, and your proposal states that you need to fill a part-time position, then perhaps they can absorb the job duties of the new position, assuming they desire additional hours or full time employment. If, on the other hand, your grant proposal requires a full-time employee, you can either use an existing staff person and modify their job duties accordingly, or you could hire a new staff member. If you decide on the latter, then you will need to create and post a job announcement, screen applications, set up interviews, and hire a new employee, based on the organization's human resource policies and procedures.
3. You will need to ensure that you are targeting those individuals identified in your grant proposal. This proposal should specify the number and types of people you intend to recruit and serve. For example, is your target population Caucasian males over 70; at risk youth in low income families, between the ages of 13 to 17; or some other group? I suggest developing a list that delineates the characteristics of your potential clients, so all staff employed under the grant clearly understand who they are recruiting and providing services to. How to reach these clients will be discussed later.
4. All grant proposals are required to contain an operating budget. Determine who is responsible for monitoring the budget. More than likely it will be the grant coordinator, but check the grant proposal to confirm the responsible party. Regular monitoring of the budget will help you to ensure that your expenses are not exceeding allocated amounts, whether or not any changes need to be made to ensure that adequate funding is available for all goals and objectives, and demonstrate your commitment to fiscal accountability.
5. All programs require policies and procedures to communicate the organization's values and standards related to specific areas of operation and the overall operation of the new program. Policies state the organization’s values and beliefs. Procedures outline what steps will be taken, when, and in what order, to support the respective policy.
Although there are other aspects of program development, implementation, and evaluation, the five components described above are critical. If you have a work plan (with goals and specific objectives) in place, have staff to run the program, understand who you are trying to reach, have an operating budget that you monitor on a regular basis, and have policies and procedures that guide the program, you are well on your way to developing and implementing a good, strong, and successful program.
If you enjoyed this blog post, you will also like the one titled "Program Development, Implementation & Evaluation - Top Areas to Address - #6 - #10."
Coach Sharon
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