Program planning is a a crucial step in the grant proposal process. In the book “Practical Grant Writing and Program Evaluation” by Yuen and Terao, they have this interesting equation for developing program as shown below.
P2 = w5 x h2 x E
The different variables are defined below
P2 = program planning
w5 = why x who x when x where x what
h2 = how x how much
E = evaluation
Below is a break down of each.
P2 is shorthand for program planning. There is not much more to this variable than this. The purpose of this model is to plan a program. What is important is what is to the left of this variable in the model.
w5 stands for the 5 w’s that are commonly used in journalism. “Why” explains the reasons and goals of a program. Another way to think of this is that the “why” is articulating the needs and the problems that the program will address. For example, if kids are struggling with math this could be a problem that a program may address. Program planners must know exactly what they are trying to address or the program may not address what the planners have in mind.
“Who” represents the target population. The target population is the individuals who will receive services from the program. Something that goes along with the target population is who will be serving them. Identifying who will serve the target population can include job titles, qualifications needed, etc. Who will be served and who is serving them is captured by this “w.”
The logistics of a program are captured by the last three “w’s” (when, where, and what). “When” deals with the timing a duration of the program which is context-dependent. “Where” is focused on the location. “What” addresses the resources that a program needs to have success.
These 3 w’s must be addressed with the target population in mind. For example, the “where” or location must be accessible to the target population or the “who.” You can’t have a great location with all the needed tools that are too far away for the people you are trying to help. “When” also is affected by being aware of the availability of the target population. If the target is school kids the program might have to be after school when the kids are available or late in the evening after parents get off work.
h2 represents “how” and “how much.” “How” are the activities that the program will conduct to help the target population. For example, for a math program, the activity might be tutoring or the use of online resources that support the development of math skills. “How much” is the budget of a program which must keep in mind the amount that is reasonable to request from a funder.
The last letter in this equation is “E” which stands for evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine how well the program was able to achieve its goals and objectives. How an evaluation can be conducted is beyond the scope of this post but this is a critical step in determining what to do next.
Conclusion
This equation is a great way to simplify and explain what needs to happen to develop a grant-funded program. Naturally, there is always more than one way to approach a problem but this is just one of many tools that are available for people who are trying to articulate this complex process.