Successful and sustainable programs and projects start with strong design from the outset and include design tools such as logic models, SMART goals, and environmental analysis. This article will focus on the top 8 “project design and development” skills that nonprofit staff and grant writers must have.
Project design and development is one of the top 6 professional grant skills measured by the Certification of Grant Professionals exam. These include research, project design, writing, management, ethics and professionalism, and relationship building.
These are the 8 main skills related to the design and development of your projects that lead to ultimate success and sustainability…
8 skills for effective project design and development
To be effective in the design and development of programs and projects, you must be able to…
- Request and incorporate stakeholder input including customers that is significant and substantive. This includes including their contributions in the initial design of new concepts and programs.
- Build up associations with other agencies that are applying.
- Educate agencies about financial and program-specific compliance with the regulations and requirements of the fund.
- spent”logic modelsWhenever appropriate, to assist in program design. The logic model communicates the purposes, components, and sequence of activities of a project.
- Distinguishing between the various key components of the project design, such as goals, objectives/results, activities, evaluation and sustainability, as well as instruments that optimize design planning such as SMART goals, activity schedules, evaluation plans, and sustainability plans. SMARTER goals are those that are S=Specific, M=Measurable, A=Achievable, R=Realistic and T=Time Based.
- Spent data-driven design elements that are descriptive, qualitative and statistical, as well as data-driven design tools such as environmental scans, gap analyzes and gap closing strategies, SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analyzes, web-based surveys, feasibility studies and needs assessments.
- To identify resources that exist in the community who can help in the design and development of projects and programs.
- Make sure your design is accurate, defensible and leads to a larger program success Y sustainability.