• How to Start and Grow a Think Tank
• Grassroots Leadership Guide to K-12 Education Reform
  • Prologue
  • Decide What Type of Organization You Want to Become
  • Building and Maintaining an Effective Board
  • Get Things Up and Running
  • Legal Reference Material
  • Organize Your Staff and Volunteers
  • Examples of Programs and Operational Materials
    • Overview
    • Suggested Questions to Ask Before Starting a Project
    • School Choice Plans
    • Sample Education Program Overview
    • Sample Project: Leveraging Reform from the No Child Left Behind Act
    • Markets Aren't Magic: School choice improves K-12 education, but only if it's properly structured
    • Marketing Idea: Greatest Scam on Earth
    • Eight Week Event Checklist
    • Sample Speaker's Itinerary
    • Glossary of Terms
  • Building Coalitions
  • Getting Your Message Out/Media Relations
  • Talking with Legislators
  • Raising Money
  • History of School Choice
  • Education Reform Research and Resources
  • Resources
• Taking Donors Seriously
• Fundraising Fundamentals

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Suggested Questions to Ask Before Starting a Project

by Marsha Michaelis, Evergreen Freedom Foundation

1. What is the purpose (outcome) of this project? Why are we doing it?
2. If the project is successful, how will it help advance EFF's mission?
3. Will this project do more to accomplish our mission than another project would?
4. Who is our target audience? Whose minds are we trying to change?
5. What is our message and what is the best way to communicate our message to our target audience?
6. What tasks are necessary to complete this project?
7. What are the deadlines for the project and its various tasks?
8. Who will be responsible for completing each of those tasks? Do they understand their responsibilities and relevant deadlines?

The answers to these questions determine if and how to do each project.

Marsha Michaelis is director of the education reform center at Evergreen Freedom Foundation in Washington state.