Work 1 on 1 with Tim Magee.

Get The Help You Need Designing, Funding, Launching and Managing Successful Non-Profit Projects.

You probably work for a non-profit that is focused on programs such as animal welfare, community development, the environment—or a food bank or homeless shelter—and you love your non-profit and the work you do.

However, In a recent New York Times article, Social Programs That Work, Ron Haskins of the Brookings institution pointed out that rigorous evaluations of nonprofit programs or practices typically find that around 75% have little or no effect.

In response, I offered these four steps to help you get a jumpstart on project design, funding, and management—and to put your programs into the 25% of programs that are successful.

Step one: accurately define the problem & engage community members in the needs assessment process
Step two: identify the real underlying causes to the challenges and clearly define project goals
Step three: research best practices to solve the underlying causes that have shown scientific evidence of having worked
Step four: develop sound project management documents that will increase your chances of donor funding and project management success

I provided detailed information and downloadable templates for each of these steps for you to get started on your own.

Three ways to work directly with me on project design and funding.

However, beginning next Tuesday I’m offering three ways you can work directly with me on the four steps described above. I can help you to:

design a new project from scratch
launch a recently funded project
troubleshoot a current project that is experiencing challenges

The Three Ways to Work with Me: 1. Distance Learning Program As a course facilitator with our distance learning program at the Center for Sustainable Development, I’ve had the honor of working with nonprofits working on local programs in nations such as Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. I lead an eight month distance-learning diploma program called OL 240: Designing and Funding Nonprofit Projects. This diploma program will lead you through the development of a real project in real time.

Four Courses in the Diploma Program In 201 and 202 you will develop projects that have had community input as part of the process of developing a needs assessment. You will also develop a set of management and presentation documents for your donor communications. In OL 203 and 204 you will research solutions to the special challenges in your project in order to refine your project’s activities. You will build impact into your project through continued community engagement. You will learn how to launch and manage, and to develop long-term sustainability in your project.

If one of the scenarios below applies to you—then the OL 240 diploma would be perfect for you.

Are you considering a career change, a new job search, or vying for a promotion?
Would you like to boost your proposal writing & project management skill sets to raise more funds?
Would you like to learn more about designing and implementing Non Profit projects?

2. Six Month Mentoring Program: Six months to a more focused, organized you. The Mentoring Program is completely customized for you. I will work one-on-one with you for six months on project development, funding, and project launch. We will have a monthly telephone meeting, and I will answer quick questions that might come during the six months—and of course I will act as mentor and consultant on the different stages of your project development. During the six months we will look in depth at the following aspects of your project’s development:

Your Community and their Specific Needs
Your Solution Oriented Plan
Your Proposal and Management Tools
Your Donor Communications
Your Co-management Team
Your Project Launch

Learn more about my Six Month Mentoring Program and how to join it.

3. 100 Day Coaching Program I provide a three-month coaching program where we will work together to develop a real project that will work to solve community challenges. We will start off clarifying community need—and then we develop a project design, funding documents and research donor possibilities.

The Coaching Program is a combination of training, advising, and consulting. I will provide an experienced set of eyes, concrete feedback on your work. I will also show you tricks for working smarter and faster.

We will take approximately a month for each one of the following steps:

Conduct a participatory needs assessment with community members to develop ownership and to uncover the real challenges they face.
Develop a simple and straightforward program outline complete with clearly defined problems, underlying causes, solution oriented activities, and well defined goals.
Develop a set of project management and donor presentation documents which will include an action plan, a budget, a detailed schedule, and a program fact sheet (Letter of Inquiry).

I look forward to the opportunity of working with you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions.

Sincerely,

Tim Magee

Tim Magee is the author of A Field Guide to Community Based Adaptation published by Routledge, Oxford, England.