Step 1 of 6
The Concept Note
Write a short, preliminary concept note that you can use to gauge the interest of potential partners and stakeholders.
Workshop: How to write a Concept note
Tools used
From seed to harvest
The project development journey
Six steps in three phases take you from an initial concept idea, through finding collaborators and co-creating an impactful project, to work packages and grant writing. Each step has a workshop and tools.
The process is iterative. Following Design Thinking, you keep testing and improving your understanding of the research problem. Use all the tools for a 360-degree understanding, or cherry-pick the tool you need at any given time: every tool can be used on its own.
Phase 1 · Seed
Initial idea and consortium creation
Phase 2 · Growth
Developing the project concept
Phase 3 · Harvest
Preparing work packages and initiating fundraising
Phase 1
Initial idea and consortium creation
Put your idea or the funding call on paper as a one-page concept note and find the partners to co-create the project with.
Find the right core partners and stakeholders, involve them as early as possible and align everyone's expectations.
Workshop: Collaborator mapping, Stakeholder analysis and Give & Take Matrix
Phase 2
Developing the project concept
Explore the research problem from every angle with your consortium, then scope it with a gap analysis and a Theory of Change.
Step 3 of 6
Research problem exploration
Identify the key critical issues of the research problem with your consortium and turn your assumptions into knowledge.
Workshop: Problem exploration and assumptions mapping
Step 4 of 6
Research problem scoping
Define how you will get from today's state of the art to the impact you want, as a road map from inputs to vision.
Workshop: Gap analysis and Theory of Change
Tools used
Phase 3
Preparing work packages and initiating fundraising
Turn the activities from your Theory of Change into work packages with SMART goals and begin writing the grant application.
Step 5 of 6
Finalize work packages
Turn your activities into work packages and align expectations with SMART goals for each one.
Workshop: SMART goals
Tools used
Step 6 of 6
Initiate grant writing
Find the right funding call, if you did not find one before starting, and begin writing a great grant application.
Workshop: How to write a great grant application
No tools named in the handbook. Related: