Many years of experience helping communities get projects off
the ground have resulted in our Four Steps to Success
guide. It
will help you check that you have covered all aspects of what
can be a complicated process, and may save you time, effort
and money in the long run.
You
may be surprised to see that finding funding is not the first
challenge - other, vital, processes should be considered first.
There
are no guarantees that every project will be successful, but
following these steps will help.
First
stage information - identify:
- what you want to happen
- who
will benefit
- whether
there are similar projects already running successfully
elsewhere
- when
it needs to happen -timescales
- where
it will happen - finding a potential venue/premises
- who
to approach for advice and who to involve at the very first
stage
- how
to gain and develop support in the community - methods of
communication, consultation and publicity
-
the right people to form a working group and their
roles and responsibilities
- suitable
meeting place for the working group and admin arrangements
Ìý
| Step
Two - Developing the Idea |
Next
stage information - develop the idea
- Prepare plan of action
- Find enthusiastic people willing to help
- Check suitability of chosen venue/premises
- Identify potential partner organisations/groups
- statutory or voluntary
- Identify particular skills/knowledge and the need
for any professional input e.g. architect
- Check regulations - health & safety, planning, need for
licences, police checks etc.
- If you are paying staff - consider the implications
e.g. wages/National Insurance/tax/conditions of employment
- How much will the project cost i.e. a realistic
budget
- Identify potential sources of funding - who to contact
- Bidding - if appropriate write a formal bid
- Keep wider community informed
The
work begins - the idea starts to become a reality
- Review the Working Group responsibilities - clear
and agreed rules and demarcation - review on a regular basis
- Keep wider community informed and review communications,
consultation and publicity activities
- Keep an eye on project progress particularly timescales
and budget
- Be prepared to modify the project if it doesn't go exactly
to plan
- Key funders will expect a regular progress report.
Think about how you will monitor your project and assess its
impact
The
longer term - sustaining the project
- Be aware of ongoing costs including maintenance
of building/s and update cash flow accordingly
- Funding - review existing/explore new sources
- Review responsibilities/roles of your core management
group
- Identify the need to keep people involved and consider
bringing new people in
- Review training needs and research services offered
by training providers accordingly
- Keep wider community and key funders informed
- Be prepared to review and adapt as circumstances
and the people involved change
- Encourage creative thinking - explore ways of becoming
self sufficient
And then consider . . .
-
Is the project developing to the stage where it needs to be
formalised?
