Resources
This non-inclusive list is provided as a starting point for further exploration of project planning and related topics. The resources are organized by the phases addressed in the tutorial, i.e., Define the Project, Plan and Do the Project, and Write the Grant Application
Define the Project (Needs Analysis and Goals)
Allison, Michael, and Jude Kaye. Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A Practical Guide and Workbook. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997.
This comprehensive book and disk set shows you how to create and implement an effective strategic plan using a simple, seven-phase process that covers everything from defining your mission and setting your course to initiating, monitoring, and streamlining your plan.
Kramlinger, Thomas, and Ron Zemke. Figuring Things Out: A Trainer's Guide to Needs and Task Analysis. Reading, Mass.: Perseus Books, 1982.
This book describes a system to help determine the idealized vision of the organization, pinpoint the right human resource problem, find the primary cause, and suggest solutions. A complete how-to and when-to handbook on needs and task analysis, including advice on how to match needs assessment techniques and problems, and guidance for good communication at every step of the needs assessment process.
McNamara, Carter. "Strategic Planning
(in nonprofit or for-profit organizations)." http://www.mapfornonprofits.org/
(November 21, 2002)
This Web-site includes information and resources about preparing the strategic plan, conducting an analysis of the organization's environment, establishing a strategic direction, and monitoring and evaluating the plan. It also includes an e-learning module on developing the strategic plan.
Nelson, Sandra. The New Planning for Results: A Streamlined Approach. Chicago: American Library Association, 2001.
This resource is an all-in-one guide with the essential steps for drafting a forward-looking plan for any public library, regardless of organizational structure or size. It enables libraries to respond quickly to rapidly changing environments via:
- A four month timeline and twelve concise tasks to help with planning
- Sample forms and resources to organize, explain, and implement the planning process
Rossett, Allison. First Things Fast: A Handbook for Performance Analysis. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfieffer, 1999.
This book contains job aids, design templates, and examples along with tips on accelerating analysis, using technology, overcoming organizational obstacles, communicating with experts, customers and colleagues, and presenting results.
Watkins, Ryan, Douglas Leigh, William Platt, and Roger Kaufman. "Needs Assessment- a Digest, Review, and Comparison of Needs Assessment Literature." Performance Improvement (September 1998): 40-53.
This article integrates the major literature in an
effort to review and compare many models and case studies that relate
to needs assessment. Suggests that the major factors to consider
in selecting an appropriate needs assessment model are the organization's
audiences (both internal and external), the types of results that
will be addressed, the organization's processes, and the criteria
by which the findings will be evaluated.
Westbrook, Lynn. Identifying and Analyzing
User Needs: A Complete Handbook and Read-to-Use Assessment Workbook
with Disk. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2001.
This practical handbook provides step-by-step
instruction in how to conduct a needs analysis.
Plan and Do the Project
DeWeaver, Mary F., and Lori C. Gillespie. Real-World Project Management: New approaches for Adapting to Change and Uncertainty. New York: Quality Resources, 1997.
This resource offers a simple, iterative spiral model for contemporary project management. The book's fresh approach takes into account the reality of constant change in such project factors as funding, sponsorship, technology, competitive situation, and regulation.
Frame, J.Davidson. Managing Projects in Organizations: How to Make the Best Use of Time, Techniques, and People. Rev. ed. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers, 1995.
This book presents a practical, flexible approach to managing projects, with a special emphasis on avoiding pitfalls and making things happen. It offers tools to help identify customer needs, define project requirements, and enhance planning and control. It also provides advice on overcoming problems at the organizational level as well as the team and individual levels, providing pointers on managing personnel, and selecting the best team structure.
Project Management: Tools for an age of rapid change, complexity, and other business realities. 2d ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2002.
The author provides a practical toolkit for today's project manager, offering strategies for identifying customers and maximizing their satisfaction; techniques to help managers evaluate and select products, personnel, and vendors; an easy-to-understand risk management process that really works; a user-friendly method of project evaluation that helps managers gauge progress; and a team management checklist.
McNamara, Carter. "Basic Guide to Nonprofit Program Design and Marketing." http://www.managementhelp.org (November 21, 2002)
This site includes brief information and resources on preparing and planning your program and services, including market analysis, promotions, service delivery, measuring success, and resourcing and budgeting. It also includes a free on-line learning module for leaders, managers, consultants, and volunteers who serve nonprofit organizations.
"Project Management." http://www.managementhelp.org (November 21, 2002)
This site was developed as part of the Free Management Library, a joint effort between the Management Assistance Program for nonprofits and Authenticity LLC. "Project Management" includes articles including various perspectives on project management, information on team building and group leadership, and resources and related links on project management topics.
Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). 2000 ed. Newtown Square, Pa.: Project Management Institute, 2000.
This document identifies and describes the knowledge and practices that are applicable to most projects most of the time and that are generally considered valuable and useful. It also provides a common vocabulary within the profession and the practice for talking and writing about project management. See also http://www.pmi.org
Evaluation
Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. n.d. The Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation. Washington, D.C.: DHHS.
This introduction was developed for grantees
of this program and provides very concrete, practical explanations.
It is accompanied by additional guides for specific kinds of human
services programs funded by the agency. Available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/core/index.html
via Acrobat PDF as of August 22, 2001.
Bond, Sally L., Sally E. Boyd, and Kathleen A. Rapp. Taking Stock: A Practical Guide to Evaluating Your Own Programs. Chapel Hill, N.C.: Horizon Research, Inc., 1997.
This manual was developed for community-based science education initiatives through funding from the DeWitt Wallace-Readers Digest Fund. Participating advisors included the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the National Science Foundation. Available at http://www.horizon-research.com/publications/stock.pdf via Acrobat PDF as of August 22, 2001.
Carla Carter and Associates. Making Measurement Work: Using a Balanced Scorecard in Nonprofit Organizations. Scottsdale, Ariz.: Carla Carter and Associates, 1997.
This is a practical guide to action in improving performance measurement and measurement systems intended to move organizations beyond elementary levels of measurement into a more complex, systems perspective. It includes five approaches and ten different uses of measures are described, with practical tools to aid in decision making and effective use of measures and measurement systems.
Canadian Centre for Philanthropy. n.d. Assessing the Available Evaluation Tools for Nonprofits - a Review of Evaluation Resources for Nonprofit Organizations. Toronto, Canada: Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.
This resource provides information about
evaluation in general. It assesses the available evaluation tools
for nonprofits. It includes program logic/outcome measurement manuals;
participatory, empowerment and collaborative evaluation manuals;
and balanced scorecard manuals. Available at http://www.ccp.ca
as of August 21, 2001.
Falletta, Salvatore V., and Combs, Wendy L. "Evaluating Technical Training: A Functional Approach." ASTD Info-line (September 1997):12-15.
Even though it is geared toward technical training, this resource has useful material for evaluating other types of training and education projects. It includes a concise description of common evaluation tools, sources of information, data interpretation techniques, and a list of references and resources.
Project STAR. n.d. Support and Training for Assessing Results. San Mateo, CA: Project Star.
This basic manual for outcome-based evaluation was produced by Project STAR under contract to the Corporation for National Service. It is available at http://www.projectstar.org via Rich Text Format or Acrobat PDF as of August 22, 22001.
The Rensselaerville Institute. Target Setting & Result Verification Guidebook. Rensselaerville, N.Y.: The Rensselaerville Institute, 1999.
This guidebook offers an approach to defining and verifying results that will increase your ability to profile and communicate accomplishment. It can be used by an array of service providers.
Write the Grant Application
Bauer, David. G. The "How To" Grants Manual: Successful Grant Seeking Techniques for Obtaining Public and Private Grants. 4th ed. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1999.
This manual helps the reader identify the best sources of funds, develop a systematic approach, write tailored proposals, and deal with government, foundations, and corporate funders.
Burke, Jim, and Carol Ann Prater. I'll Grant You That: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Funds, Designing Winning Projects, and Writing Powerful Grant Proposals. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann, 2000.
This resource is part book, part CD-ROM, and part website. It walks the reader through a step by step process for writing a successful proposal. It provides a series of workshops in those areas with which the reader need a little help, including writing, organizing, presenting and being creative.
The Foundation Center Virtual Classroom.
"Proposal budgeting basics." http://fdncenter.org/learn/classroom/prop_budgt/index.html
(November 21, 2002)
This tutorial offers the basics of developing a project budget--an important component of the grant proposal. The course covers issues such as overhead costs, and employee fringe benefits, and provides links to sample budget templates.
"Proposal writing short course." http://www.fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1.html
(November 21, 2002)
The subject of this short course is proposal writing. But the proposal does not stand alone. It must be part of a process of planning and of research on, outreach to, and cultivation of potential foundation and corporate donors.
Miner, Lynn E., Jerry T. Miner, and Jerry Griffith. Proposal Planning and Writing. 2nd ed. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1998.
This book will help both the novice and seasoned grant seekers improve the quality, presentation, and eventual outcome of their proposals. Each of the techniques presented has been extensively field tested.
Quick, James A., and Cheryl C. New. Grant Seeker's Budget Toolkit. New York : John Wiley, 2001.
This book includes step-by-step guidance, insider tips, and tools needed to create the kind of budgets and financial plans that win grants. It also includes a computer disk containing the full range of budget forms accepted by federal agencies in Word for Windows format. | 
