Section 3: Find Partners to Help with your Changemaker Project
So far, we have learned about factors that affect health within a community and have learned how to identify those factors using community health needs assessments. Now, let’s dive into the steps necessary to begin taking action.
What resources are already available in your community?
Community problems are often too large for one person or organization to take on. But no matter the size of your community, it’s likely that several community groups already exist. Could the goals of one or more of those groups align with your idea to address a health need? If so, there is a group of people who already meet who might be able to help put your idea into action.
Some of those existing groups might be:
- City council
- County commission
- City park board
- MU Extension council
- Hospital foundation
- Lion’s International
- Rotary International
- Optimist International
- Ministerial alliance
- Boy Scouts
- Girl Scouts
- Community betterment clubs
- Main Street groups
- Teachers’ associations
- School wellness committee
- Gardening clubs
What other organizations do you know about? Which of these groups might be interested in helping with your project? Call the meeting organizer and ask to be put on the agenda of an upcoming meeting so you can discuss your idea with the group and ask for their support.
The Tax Exempt Organization Search is an online tool to find non-profit groups in your area. To use this tool, enter your city and state in the fields at the top of the page. Press the Search button, and you’ll see a list of all the non-profit organizations registered in that city. You might also see charitable trusts listed. Take note of these, as they might be able to help fund your project.
Build your changemaking team
Of course, you can also create your own group. You don’t have to register as a nonprofit, and you can still work with existing community groups. Invite people who care about your project to join your group. It is also important to include those directly impacted by the problem you hope to address. For example, if you plan to make a park wheelchair accessible, it would be important to have a member of your team be a wheelchair user. To learn more about creating your own group, visit the Community Health Toolbox website. You might also consider finding the MU Extension Community Development specialist who serves your area and ask for their help.
MU Extension provides support for newly formed nonprofit organizations. The Nonprofit Technical Assistance program can assist with startup, organization, funding and more.
Develop your idea
Once you have an idea of what you want to change and who can help you, here are some considerations to further flesh out your mission:
- Clarify the purpose: What is the problem you want to solve or the need you're addressing? How will the community benefit from the project?
- Set measurable goals: Whether it's increasing community participation, raising funds, or improving public spaces, define what success looks like.
- Identify your target audience: Who is going to be directly impacted by the project (residents, local businesses, students, etc.)?
Start meeting regularly with your group to work on the action items you have identified to accomplish your goal. Remember, you can always add more members to the group as word gets out about your work. Consult with local Extension specialists if you need guidance as you work toward your goal. As you work, consider if you need to implement any marketing strategies to build support for your project. The Neighborhood Leadership Academy can provide more formalized training on community improvement.
Choose the right marketing channels
Do you need to get a message out to the broader community to add more members to your team? Do you want to update the community about your team’s progress? Consider your target audience to determine which marketing strategies will be most effective.
- Social media: Leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn to share updates, success stories and events.
- Website: Create a dedicated website or landing page with project details, news, and ways to get involved or donate.
- Local media: Reach out to local newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations for coverage, interviews, press releases (See page 29 for an example of a Press Release).
- Flyers and posters: Print materials to post in community centers, local businesses and other places where people regularly meet.
- Email newsletters: Send regular updates to supporters, volunteers, and stakeholders to keep them informed and engaged.
As you continue to make progress, consider what it will take to maintain your project in the future.
Develop a long-term plan
How will your project continue if the original planners are no longer working on it? Creating a long-term plan for a project requires a clear vision, careful research, and a strategic approach to managing both time and resources.
Start by defining the overall goals and outcomes you want to achieve, ensuring they are specific, measurable, and aligned with your values or mission. Break down the larger goal into smaller, actionable steps or milestones, and set deadlines for each to track progress. Anticipate potential challenges and risks, and plan for how to manage them, whether through additional resources, flexibility in timelines, or backup strategies.
Regularly evaluate your plan, adjusting it as necessary based on feedback, unexpected changes, or new opportunities. Finally, ensure strong communication channels are in place among all stakeholders to maintain alignment and motivation throughout the project’s duration. If the project will require maintenance, identify an organization that will be responsible for that.
Refer to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Sustainability Planning Guide for Healthy Communities for detailed steps to creating a sustainability plan. Read as much background information as you like. The detailed steps begin on page 13. Strategic Doing facilitation might also help as you create action plans based on the skills and abilities of your group.
Budget
Will your project require funding? Are there groups in your area who may be able to fund your work (think about the city, churches, local trusts, etc.)? Could your group host an event that would raise funds and also bring awareness to your project? Who in your community has experience with grant writing? Ask someone at the local Extension office about existing connections to local funding or grants available through Extension. If you are interested in applying for a grant, there are grant application resources that may help you get started.
It is important for organizations to create accurate and up-to-date annual budgets in order to maintain control over their finances, and to show funders exactly how their money is being used. When planning a budget, it's important to break down all potential costs and allocate resources efficiently. To learn more about planning and writing a budget, visit the Annual Budget section of the Community Tool Box resource. At the very minimum, make sure the group agrees about how to spend any funds raised. Keep all receipts and document what income was taken in and what expenses were paid.
Funds for projects will be held within an account designated by the county Extension council at the county level. Funding requests can be made by completing the Funding MOU document (Appendix III) and will require approval at monthly Extension council meetings.
Who do you want to invite to the team? What could be a possible funding source?