David Fair Partners LLC: Why you need Project Management?

David Fair Partners LLC Real World Solutions for Real World Nonprofits http://www.davidfairpartners.com 'Project Management' is not nonprofit language. Project Management is not a language spoken by many nonprofit organizations because many working in the nonprofit field perceive that project management is for businesses or government agencies. On the other hand, good, if not great, nonprofit management and boards work together to determine the future direction of their organization. One way they work together is to divide the work necessary to meet the strategic plan and support their constituents into “projects.” By working together as a team, they can align work by guiding the direction of the work and manage budgeted funds as well as grants and contributions earmarked for specific purposes. As a team, they ensure the aligned and divided project work is properly defined, planned, and then the plan executed for each new program, which is a series of related-projects that tie to the strategic direction of the organization. A nonprofit, though, may not refer to the work as a “project” even though the work is temporary with defined beginning and end dates and the work results in producing a unique product or service—the very definition of a project. Many nonprofits have never been trained to think about the work as a project or programs as a series of related-projects. However, dividing the work into projects and defining, planning, and then executing the plan can help ensure the success of a new endeavor such as a new strategic program based on the mission, a fundraising effort, or launching a nonprofit business (social enterprise) initiative. Although some projects are successful, others fail. One of the top five reasons for project failure is the project was poorly or incompletely defined before the project began. Defining a project includes outlining the scope, time, cost, and resources necessary to produce a quality product or service. The reasons for poorly or incompletely definitions vary but common reasons include: 1) nonprofits have never been taught to think about a new initiative (a new program) as a series of  related-projects that tie to the strategic direction of the organization; 2) limited training and instruction in project management and no or limited standardized processes result in a project manager and team members “figuring it out” as they work on the project; 3) funds obtained from a third-party are inadequate because there was limited funding to properly define and plan the project before submitting the request for funds; and 4) limited staff results in committees being formed, each charged with completing a project but each “doing their own thing.” Learning the language of project management can help a nonprofit avoid these pitfalls and succeed with the implementation of new endeavors. FIND OUT MORE! Contact Laura Burford LAD Enterprizes 610.429.3122 (office) 610.513.5900 (mobile) David Fair Partners LLC Visit us at http://www.davidfairpartners.com

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