PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Developing program services is not unlike developing products or services in the for-profit market, particularly as nonprofits look to more innovative methods to earn revenue from products and services. Nonprofit services must be marketed, including clarifying which client groups the nonprofit is going to serve( these are target markets), verifying their needs (a basic form of market research), analyzing competitors (nonprofits do have competitors) and potential collaborators, determining the best fee for services, determining how to produce and distribute the services, and how to promote (advertise, manage public image and sell) the services, as well.

Programs goals should follow directly from, or be the same as, strategic service goals intended to meet specific needs of specific client groups. (Note that there are also strategic goals other than for meeting needs of clients, for example, getting a facility.)

Goals should specify the results from program services and be in terms that are "SMARTER" (an acronym), that is, specific, measurable, acceptable to those working to achieve the goals, realistic, timely, extending the capabilities of those working to achieve the goals and rewarding for them, as well.

​

Courses taken to satisfy this competency: Nonprofit Leadership Seminar