Hypothetical Nonprofit Project Plan Example
This is an example of how a hypothetical nonprofit organization used the project plan template to describe a sample program.
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Project Plan for the TechAssist Program Version 1.4, February 2004 Prepared by the Mayberry County Nonprofit Technology Assistance Agency (NTAA) Table of Contents 1.0 Project/Program Description 3.0 Intended Audiences or Beneficiaries 7.0 Anticipated Phases, Milestones, and Schedule 8.0 Potential Partners or Collaborators 9.0 Sources of Information and Expertise 10.0 Required Systems and Equipment 11.0 Tools, Templates, and Conventions to be Used 13.0 Review and Approval Processes 14.0 Method for Managing Changes and Derivatives 15.0 Project Responsibilities and Dependencies 17.0 Open Issues and Questions
18.0 Appendices and Attachments
1.0 Project/Program Description [Describe the long-term or "big picture" vision of the completed program or project. How will it look, smell, feel, taste, perform, increase productivity, help customers, or otherwise benefit human kind? What purposes and dimensions will it entail? How does it relate to your mission, strategies, problem statement, and any other project successes?] In 1996, the Nonprofit Technology Assistance Agency (NTAA) of Mayberry County opened its doors to offer nonprofits Internet services and assistance in conquering the "technology gap." Many nonprofits lack access to or understanding of the latest hardware, software, and information technology (IT). In an effort to assuage this gap in our county, the NTAA piloted the TechAssist Program in 2002. With a six-year track record of providing effective, low-cost Internet services and training, the NTAA was poised to provide nonprofits additional valuable and much-needed help via the TechAssist Program. People from the community who are interested in learning more about technology and sharing their knowledge volunteer as TechAssist consultants. They visit nonprofit offices to examine their computers and networks, make recommendations for short- and long-term solutions, and assist with repairs as needed. They can also help install software, tutor, and teach general classes or those tailored to a nonprofitís specific need. TechAssist services are low-cost for those nonprofits who can afford to pay and free for those who cannot. Our mission is to enrich both volunteers and clients while encouraging a "pay-it-forward" philosophy. 2.0 Goals and Objectives [What are you trying to accomplish? List the project or program goals and objectives in terms that are clear, concise, achievable, and measurable. Example 1: By May 2004, the Mayberry Community Center will have served 150 enrollees, 50% of whom will represent under-served populations. Example 2: The initial project goal entails producing a four-hour video training series on self defense with an accompanying training manual and resource database to be accessible by college students over the Internet by May 2004.] Primary goals: The TechAssist Program intends to become the primary technology service and training provider for community-based organizations in Mayberry County. By helping nonprofits reap the most from the technology and equipment they already have, and supporting them in devising technology plans and budgets, we can significantly narrow the "digital divide" that keeps nonprofits from fulfilling their highest potentials. Objectives: 1 By December 31, 2004, 10% of the estimated 950 nonprofit organizations in Mayberry County will have received TechAssist services of some type. 2 By December 31, 2004, 25% will have attended computer training classes specifically geared toward nonprofit needs. 3 Eighty-percent of TechAssist clients will be satisfied with their technology services and/or training, and will plan on using them again and recommending them to others. 3.0 Intended Audiences or Beneficiaries [Who will be served by the project or program? Examples include customers, clients, clientsí customers, recipients of services provided, communities, wildlife, students, specific segments of the population, and so forth.] Direct beneficiaries of the TechAssist Program comprise local nonprofits who first become members of the NTAA Support Network and then can demonstrate a need for at least five (5) hours of assistance in one or more qualifying areas. (See Section 5.0, Services to be Provided.) nonprofits participating in the pilot program have included the Mayberry Food Bank, the Mountain Ridge Animal Shelter, and CallOnce Hotline. TechAssist has already received numerous testimonials and letters of thanks from grateful pilot participants. Indirect beneficiaries of the TechAssist Program include the many clients of member nonprofits. These downstream clients receive much more efficient and effective community assistance from nonprofits who are able to devote their full energies to their primary missions. 4.0 Products to be Created [Examples include: Studies, reports, manuals, instructional materials, software and information systems, graphics, Web sites, widgets, databases, and the like. Distribution methods and media (such as CD-ROM, Internet, or printed documents) also should be identified. A detailed breakdown might appear in a separate Service Agreement.] Although the TechAssist Program focuses primarily on technology services, the Program foresees the potential for developing turn-key business solutions from which many nonprofits can benefit. For example, a common need among the pilot program participants has been a database for tracking client services. The needs were so similar that we were able to derive a common specification that can be used for many future clients. This business product eventually can be offered for sale on a sliding-fee basis to TechAssist members and non-members alike, creating another source of revenue for the program. 5.0 Services to be Provided [Examples include: Providing business software training, after-school activities, wildlife tours, nutritional counseling, copy editing services, day care, and customer satisfaction assessments. A detailed breakdown might appear in a separate Service Agreement.] The ongoing TechAssist Program services include:
To receive services, TechAssist members must demonstrate the need for at least five (5) hours of assistance in one or more qualifying areas. There is no limit to the total number of hours of assistance any member can receive. 6.0 Methods [What general approach and techniques will you use to provide services or develop products for your project or program? For example, will you start by researching and analyzing your audiencesí needs, and continue with a series of design, implementation, pilot testing, and deployment activities? When the planning is finalized, you might include a detailed task and schedule breakdown as an attachment or appendix.] To address a full spectrum of nonprofit needs, the NTAA employs the following combination of approaches, of which the TechAssist Program is one important and integral part:
7.0 Anticipated Phases, Milestones, and Schedule [Will your project or program involve an incremental implementation process that will occur over many months or years? If so, what long-term phases do you anticipate? Are there important milestones that will occur within these phases? Can you identify a specific schedule for the aspects you will be performing in the short term?] We envision four distinct phases for the TechAssist Program, with the most crucial listed first. We anticipate seeking funding for one or more phases per fiscal year, as indicated below. A detailed schedule appears in Section 18.0, Appendices and Attachments.
8.0 Potential Partners or Collaborators [Do you anticipate joining forces with other agencies, organizations, or consultants to complete the program or project? What experience, infrastructure, expertise, funding, credibility, or other benefits will they bring to the table?] One potential collaborator in the TechAssist Program is a for-profit technical assistance provider, CompuVisit. This organization provides excellent fee-based services similar to the free or low-cost services offered by TechAssist. We are exploring a possible exchange arrangement whereby CompuVisit would refer local nonprofit clients to TechAssist for free or low-cost help during regular business hours. Reciprocally, TechAssist would refer clients to CompuVisit for fee-based off-hours technical support (the area in which TechAssist has the fewest resources currently allocated). 9.0 Sources of Information and Expertise [From what subject matter experts (SMEs) will you receive information and assistance? Will you need to do additional research, and if so, what sources will you tap? Examples include Internet resources, company documentation, customer feedback, trouble logs, service reports, surveys, evaluation forms, census data, research studies, and the like.] The NTAA will need consulting help in specific areas to set up the evaluation program. (See Section 12.0, Evaluation Processes.) For example:
10.0 Required Systems and Equipment [Examples include: Servers, networks, computers and peripheral devices, and other types of equipment. If the organization will be acquiring these items, a breakdown might appear in a separate Technology Plan. If a service provider or contractor will provide the equipment, this responsibility can be explained here and/or discussed in Section 15.0.] The long-term plan per Phase 2 of Section 7.0, Anticipated Phases, Milestones, and Schedules requires upgrading existing computers and adding peripheral devices. We have determined our equipment needs for 2004-05 as follows:
11.0 Tools, Templates, and Conventions to be Used [Examples include: Style guides, typeface conventions, forms, file naming conventions, presentation guidelines, procedural outlines, specific software applications, standard operating procedures, and Web page templates.] The TechAssist Program intends to develop a suite of templates for specialized client uses, such as predefined spreadsheet and database formats. Additionally, we plan to develop a series of Quick Reference Guides to provide a standard set of instructions for many common setup and usage functions, saving the nonprofit clients considerable time and effort in their TechAssist training and orientation sessions. 12.0 Evaluation Processes [How will you evaluate the progress and effectiveness of your program or project? Will you be collecting information regarding how you are carrying out your stated objectives (process evaluations), and how well you are serving your target audiences (outcome evaluations) at various points in time? Will you be using any outside evaluators?] Evaluation Milestones for Phase 1: (See the related detailed schedule in Section 18.0)
13.0 Review and Approval Processes [Who needs to review and approve each phase, service, product, or other deliverable of the project? What protocol will be used? How will reviewer comments be incorporated or otherwise addressed?] The NTAA General Manager and TechAssist Director will develop a set of guidelines by February 2004 (see the detailed schedule in Section 18.0, Appendices and Attachments). 14.0 Method for Managing Changes and Derivatives [What is the expected life cycle (or life span) of the product or service to be developed? Will it continue in its current state, be updated intermittently, or phase out within some period? Might a product or service eventually be revamped for a different audience or purpose? What process or procedure will be followed when any changes to designs, products, or services occur? Who will participate in the change process?] The NTAA General Manager and TechAssist Director will develop a set of guidelines by February 2004 (see the detailed schedule in Section 18.0, Appendices and Attachments). 15.0 Project Responsibilities and Dependencies [Who is responsible for producing the product(s); providing services; and for providing equipment, resources, and training? Who will perform proofing, editing, supervising, translating, and the like? For example, will the organization or agency be responsible for making available any equipment, facilities, subject matter experts, and reviewers? Is a contractor responsible for creating a specific set of products or performing evaluations?] The responsibilities and dependencies for Phase 1 are included as part of the detailed schedule in Section 18.0, Appendices and Attachments. 16.0 Risks to be Managed [What potential risks exist with respect to funding, time, and resources? Are there cost, schedule, and quality trade-offs that should be evaluated? Does the undertaking have sustainability risks that would cause social hardship if the project ended? How will each risk be mitigated?] We have identified the following risks with respect to the TechAssist Program (related to Section 7.0, Anticipated Phases, Milestones, and Schedule): 1 The risk of not receiving any of the requested funding for 2004-05, which means that no part of the program can go forward. In this case, we would put the program on hold while we seek other funding sources. 2 The risk of receiving only partial funding for any one phase, which means choosing among two or more critical needs. In 2004-05, the choice would involve deciding between upgrading ten computers and hiring the TechAssist Program Director. Most likely, we would pursue hiring the Director in 2004-05. 3 The risk of not being able to adequately schedule and dispatch the trained volunteers. This concern arises from the challenges of conducting the pilot program, in which scheduling and providing transportation to client sites presented ongoing difficulties. To mitigate this risk, we may need to expand the collaboration we are creating with CompuVisit to include an equitable transportation-sharing component. 4 A potential sustainability risk could entail considerable inconvenience to nonprofit clients if the TechAssist Program were unable to obtain funding past a certain point. Nonprofits who had come to depend on our free services might suffer considerably by having to seek fee-based services. No ideal mitigation strategy for this possibility exists at this time. 17.0 Open Issues and Questions [What questions and concerns remain after all topics above have been considered? How and when will these be resolved?] The NTAA Board of Directors has been asked to research whether a broader partnership with other community-based agencies can mitigate the TechAssist Program sustainability risk. The board is scheduled to report on this question at the July 2004 board meeting. 18.0 Appendices and Attachments [If preparing to use the project plan as a project agreement, appendices or attachments can include detailed content outlines, specific schedules, and signatures, for example.] Proposed Detailed Schedule for Phase 1:
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Assistance with technology planning and purchasing