Goals and objectives are derived from the needs statement of a grant proposal. It is important that the needs statement, goals, and objectives, are all aligned in order to make sure a program has a clear sense of purpose. In this post, we will define goals and objectives within the context of grant writing.

Goals

Goals are broad general statements that provide a sense of direction for a project. Objectives are derived from goals with the difference being that goals are specific in terms of how they help to reach the goal. Goals, because of their general nature, are unachievable but are instead inspirational in their construction.

Since goals are intangible they are also unmeasurable. An example of a goal would be the following for a school.

To provide the best educational services in the region

The goal above is a goal because of its general unmeasurable nature. None of the terms are defined and there is no way of knowing when the school will be the best in the region as this is not defined either.

Objectives

Objectives support goals by making goals real at least in part. Objectives are specific steps that are made in a measurable way to reach goals. Objectives are often associated with the acronym SMART which stands for.

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound

Objectives need to focus on something or be specific. Objectives also need to be measurable generally quantitatively. Objectives must also be achievable given the context of the program. Objectives must also be relevant or related to the goals and needs statement of the project. In other words, an education program needs objectives related to education and not health care. Lastly, objectives must have a window of time in which they can be achieved. Below is an example of an objective.

Ensure at least 15 students are reading at grade level by the end of the program

Within the context of grant writing, there are two types of objectives which are outcome and process objectives. Outcome objectives demonstrate impact are results derived from a program. An example would be the objective shown above in this paragraph. This objective is achieved as an outcome of the program. In other words, once the program is completed the desired measurable behaviors should be measurable.

Process objectives are focused on the steps to achieve results within a program. An example of a process objective is below.

The number of students who participate in the reading program for the first time within the grant period willgrow to 10% of the student population

The objective above helps the program leaders realize what they need to do to ensure the success of the program. In other words, the students are not doing anything here. Instead, the program leaders know what percent of the student population is needed for the study. Process objectives need to be achieved to ensure the validity of any outcome objectives.

Objectives are result-oriented and concrete. Grant proposals need objectives to provide shape to the direction that a program will take if it is funded.

things to Considered

There are several tips and things to consider when developing goals and objectives. It is important to determine what it is that you want to change with your program. Understanding the target of changes can help to formulate goals and objectives. For example, if the change target is improved reading comprehension this will lead to different goals and objectives compared to developing math skills.

It is also important to be aware of the target population or the people you want to serve. This is important because the target population can often show up in goals and objectives to help focus the proposal. Another concern is the direction of change. Is there a desire to increase or decrease a behavior or skill? Generally, reading comprehension should increase while arrests should decrease.

The amount of change and a timeline should be thought about as well. Numbers must be set to both of these ideas. The amount of change can be a 10% increase or decrease in something and the timeline can depend on how long the program will last. In all of this, the goals should be inspirational while the objectives are measurable.

Lastly, it is important to know that objectives are not methods. Objectives measure the impact of methods or activities that are used to see if objectives have been achieved.

Conclusion

Goals and objectives are at the heart of a proposal. They provide shape and a sense of accountability to a project. Knowing this, the goals and objectives must be presented understandably not only for the readers of the proposal but also for the writers as they provide clarity in what exactly one is attempting to accomplish.