Step 1

Developing (or Revisiting) Your Program Plan

In the competitive environment which now exists, funders demand a credible and well-researched plan that shows evidence of being likely to succeed. Thus, it is essential that you have a very clear idea of what you want to do before describing it in a proposal. In fact, knowing what you want to do is key to selecting the right funder to approach.

There are many program planning models, most of which contain similar steps. The Health Communication Unit  (THCU) at the Centre for Health Promotion, University of Toronto, recommends their six-step planning model. The model includes a situational assessment phase that includes some or all of the following data collection activities:

• Gathering and collating the perspectives of key program stakeholders.
• Conducting a literature search to find out what has already been done and determine the best way to address the issue.
• Collating and reviewing evaluation findings from the program (if it already exists), or related programs.
• Collecting new information about programming needs and desires, directly from the target audience.
• Collecting information about the mandates, agendas, policies and/or guidelines of key stakeholders (e.g. other related organizations, influential community members, other staff at your organization).
• Assessing and revising your vision and mission.
• Conducting a PEEST analysis, i.e. an assessment of political, economic, environmental, social and technological factors. A PEEST analysis can be organized into a SWOT format, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

This information is then used to identify:

• Goals
• Populations of interest
• Geographic areas of interest
• Specific, measurable outcome objectives that describe concrete changes in the populations of interest
• Broad strategies (e.g. policy development, education, skill building)
• Specific activities (e.g. a mass media campaign, a workshop, an event)
• Resources required for activities (i.e. staff, financing)
• Timelines
• Evaluation indicators

THCU also recommends the use of a logic model to provide a quick overview.