So you have this idea for a project or service that your church or charity could offer. A few things to consider before you rush into the delivery phase:
Have you established the need? Do you know that there is a demand for what you are offering? Have you spoken to potential clients / beneficiaries to check they need what you offer and it is at the right price, location and time for them to best access it?
Is anyone else plannimg or doing what you plan to do? Check with other local churches, charities and agencies. If other, related, things are being planned, will they be complementary to what you will be doing and is it worth talking about working together in some way?
Do you have the resources to both deliver and keep delivering? Are the money, the people and other resources in place? If you have them now, how confident are you they will continue to be available, even after the initial rush of enthusiasm and funding begins to fade?
How will you know when your project succeeds? What criteria have you set to help you know whether the project or service is working well and how will you go about measuring this? Are those in the project or service team aware of these criteria and measures?
What will you do if things go wrong? What are the risks associated wth the project and service and what have you planned and put in place to mtigate them? Have you fully complied with any relevant legislation before you start?
How will you launch and publicise what you plan? How do people both inside and outside your organisation find out about the project or service? How will you share the stories you may have from this work?
Frustrating though spending the time answering these may be, particularly when you feel the project or service may be desperately needed and you feel ready to start, the chances of success will be far greater if you invest time in questions like this now. If you need more help, please contact me.