Part 1: Developing a Strategic Plan
Managing Your Project
Hiring a Project Manager is key to leading the project team. Creativity, networking, and collaboration with key stakeholders all contribute to a successful project. The PM brings a “big picture” mindset in order to establish project milestones, delegate project deliverables, and manage project financials and isn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves.
How-To
Here is a step-by-step process for managing your project and developing a strategic plan.
Step 1
Hire a project manager whose responsibility is to thoroughly review the grant, incorporate the mandate, and develop a work plan.
Step 2
Review Letters of Intent, contact key stakeholders – advising them that the grant has been approved – and confirm their support.
Step 3
Write a press release announcing the grant approval and the high-level plan, then publish it.
Step 4
Look at ways to make the project “come to life”. Ask yourself, what must we do to succeed?
Step 5
Evaluate what positions are required for the success of the project and develop a recruitment strategy.
Step 6
Review Budget Allocations
As with any new project and process, there are unforeseen challenges. We aim to share the challenges we met and the lessons we learned as a result.
Lessons Learned
COVID introduced additional challenges that were not considered when writing the proposal for the grant. Having the ability to pivot quickly and try new approaches to a given strategy is important. For example, the strategy with the Business Improvement Associations did not work due to business closures/restrictions as a result of COVID.
Tips
- Being flexible in your plans and able to make alternate arrangements due to health restrictions makes planning activities easier.
Resources
Throughout The Dementia Society’s Dementia Inclusive campaign, we produced several materials that may be helpful to other organizations.
Sample Press Release
Dementia Inclusive Grant Announcement