How to prepare a
successful project
proposal
8-9 February 2010 Luxembourg Nina Bergman
Getting started - from idea to project
What is a project?
Temporary, one-time endeavour
Method of organising work that is different from routine
Involves planning, can be effective, but also more time-
consuming at start compared to ad hoc or improvised
actions
Produces a unique result within specified time, cost and
quality constraints
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Types of projects
Research projects - increasing knowledge to serve as basis
for "evidence based" decisions.
Development projects - development and pre-testing of an
intervention/method to address a particular problem in a
particular population or target group
Implementation projects - wider dissemination and
implementation of an existing intervention in a particular
target group or population
Combined projects
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Elements of a project plan
Technical aspects: problem analysis & evidence base, Objectives,
Indicators, Target group, Methods, Outcomes, outputs and
deliverables
Policy and contextual relevance: social-cultural-policy, support
priorities of the Health programme, geographical coverage, EU
added value
Management of the project: Partnership, management capacity,
risk analysis and planning
Description of work packages, deliverables and timetable
Financial management
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Technical aspects
- Evidence base and problem
analysis
Analysis of the health problem and its impact on
society/quality of life
- incidence, prevalence, distribution, development
over time
Analysis of the factors underlying the problem
(determinants)
Effectiveness of proposed measures, applicability in the
proposed context
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Rationale - why this project?
Explains why you are undertaking the project and why it is important
Analysis of:
Evidence base
• (Health) problem and context
• What has been done to date, (previous
or parallel) and how you will build on this
• Determinants of the problem
logic model
• Possibilities for actions, their likely
effects and applicability
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Logic
Describes the sequence of activities thought to bring about change
and how these activities are linked to expected results or the
principles on which a program is based
Resources Activities Outputs Outcomes Impact
/inputs
Your planned work Your intended results
* Basic Logic Model W.H. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide (2004)
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Developing a logic model*
Start with desired outcomes and work backwards
to develop activities (asking: How?)
Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes Impact
Resources Planned work Short term outcomes
Intermediate outcome Long term outcome
Staff Environmental In 6 months, Prevent
Collection of Environmental
Equipment changes at least 75% childhood
data & good changes
Funding implemented of student overweight and
practices developed and
Existing and promoted population improve health
tested
evidence in X schools will increase status
physical
activity by a
minimum of
How? How?
How? 60 min/ How?
week.
How?
* http://www.cdc.gov/eval/resources.htm#logic%20model
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What’s next?
You now know what you want to do.
You can explain why it must be done and what expected
outcomes.
Now it’s time to define the project’s
aims and objectives…
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Technical aspects
- Defining the objectives
General objective – relate to purpose and vision
and is set as the main single aim and may
have several objectives that would need to be
fulfilled to be achieved
e.g. To make the school setting supportive for
the prevention of overweight and obesity
among young people
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Setting the specific objectives
Specific objectives are the activities you carry out to achieve your
general objective.
Often active verbs e.g. assess needs, revise, assemble, compare,
investigate or develop.
e.g. By 6 months, map reasons for not taking part in classes of
physical activity in fifteen participating schools.
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Make the objectives S.M.A.R.T
• Specific - Specify the target group and the factors that need to be
changed
• Measurable - Formulate objectives in a measurable format e.g. numbers
to be reached, increased awareness by 25 %...
• Appropriate - Make sure objectives are achievable and attainable,
acceptable for the target group?
• Realistic - Ensure that you can realistically achieve the objectives given
the project’s resources: time, money, staff?
• Time-bound - Connect objectives to a time line. State when you will
achieve the objective e.g. within 3 months, by February 2015?
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Technical aspects - Indicators
• Are used to measure the performance of the project
• Should be directly linked to the specific objectives
• Is the base for the evaluation as they are needed to
measure progress and the level to which the objective
is reached
• Should be separated into process and outcome
indicators
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Methods and means
The activities of the project needs to be described to serve as a
guideline for the implementation
Every specific objective should be linked to at least one
intervention method
Answer the question: Why are these the most effective methods
to achieve your objectives?
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Technical aspects - Target group
Identify the groups who will be
involved in and benefit from the
project.
General
objective Be specific, try to find a segment of
people who are as homogenous
Specific Specific
as possible e.g. girls aged 11-15
Specific objective 3 in schools
objective 1 objective 2
target groups, methods & indicators Ensure that the planned methods for
+ outcomes and deliverables the interventions are relevant for
this particular group
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Indicator table
Specific Objective Target groups Main actions Process Indicator Impact/ outcome indicator
1. -… •… 1. 1.
-… •… 2. 2.
-… •…
2. •… 3. … 3.
•… 4. …
3. •… 5. 4.
•… 6. …
•…
4. •… 7. … 5.
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Policy and contextual relevance
Adequacy of the project with social, cultural, policy
context
Contribution to the second health programme and
the annual work plan
Pertinence of the geographical coverage
Strategic relevance, EU added value and
innovation
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Managing the project implementation
An evidence based problem analysis that takes into account
Policy and contextual relevance leads to defining the general
objective of the project.
This is translated into several specific, s.m.a.r.t objectives.
Link target groups, methods and means to each objective and
expected outcomes and indicators of these.
Group activities in work packages with defined deliverables.
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Work packages
- horizontal tasks: coordination, dissemination and evaluation (mandatory)
- vertical tasks: actions fulfilling the objectives (maximum 6)
WP 1 – coordination of the project:
Specifications, Description of work, List of deliverables, Milestones
Horizontal WP 2 – dissemination of results
WP:s
WP 3 – evaluation of the project
Core WP 4 WP 5 WP 6 WP 7
WP:s
• Specifications,
description of work
• List of deliverables
produced by the WP
• Milestones reached
by this WP
Timetable
specification
Page 19 36 months
Timetable with
WP1 WP2 WP3 WP4 WP5 WP6
Milestones M1 X X X X
M2 X X X X, D, M
M3 X X X X
M4 X, D X X
- scheduled significant M5 X X X
events or completion of M6 X, D, M X X X
deliverables M7 X X X
M8 X X X
M9 X X, D X, D
M 10 X X X
X - Work package duration M 11 X X X X
M 12 X X, D, M X X
M 13 X X X X
D - Month when deliverable will M 14 X X X, D X
be produced M 15 X X X, D X
M 16 X X X X
M 17 X X X X
M - Month when milestone will be M 18 X, D, M X X X
reached M 19 X X X X
M 20 X X X, D X
M 21 X X X X
M 22 X X X X, D
M 23 X X X
M 24 X, D X, D X
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Summing up
Ensure that the topic of your project has a clear EU added value and is
included in the work programme’s priorities
Use the best strategy to address the key determinants of the problem
Use a logic model and review the evidence base!
Do not apply “quick fix” or “reinvent the wheel”
Justify relevance of project partners and geographical coverage using policy
and contextual analysis
Use s.m.a.r.t objectives. Too general aim and objectives makes it difficult to
measure results,
A comprehensive analysis of the target group increases effectiveness of the
project
Plan so that you will know who will be doing what,
Page 21 at what time to achieve the project objectives
References
EU Health Programme
http://ec.europa.eu/eahc/health/projects.html:
Call for proposals for projects
Guide for applicants
Model grant agreement
Decision establishing second programme of Community action in the field of health 2008-13
Financial Regulation and its implementing rules
Logic model
Basic Logic - Model Kellogg Foundation “Logic Model Development Guide” (2004)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/
S.M.A.R.T objectives
University of Glascow,
http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/humanresources/pdr_ref_guide/objsandstds/settingobjs/#d.en.53775
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_(project_management)
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Thank you and good luck!
Nina Bergman
[email protected]
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