Q&A: How can I effectively prioritize projects when we have limited resources?
How can I effectively prioritize projects when we have limited resources?
In nonprofits and other mission-driven organizations, we regularly have more projects, programs, and initiatives than resources to do them. When these projects address important needs in our communities and organizations, it’s very hard to prioritize them.
Begin with Sustainability
Before trying to prioritize projects, consider the sustainability of each project. Conducting a sustainability assessment will help you to consider whether the programs, operations, or deliverables the project will create can be sustained or maintained after the project ends. You may find that some of your projects are simply not sustainable, and these projects can be dropped from consideration.
Identify Needs and Impact
To prioritize projects that are sustainable, we can begin by identifying each project’s needs and impact in terms of:
People - Who will need to be involved in the project? Who will be impacted by the project?
Timeline - How much time will the folks involved need to spend? How long will the impacts of the project and what the project creates last?
Resources - How much funding will be required to complete the project? What equipment, tools, or spaces will the project need?
Alignment - How well aligned is this project with our current strategic priorities and values? How will the project impact your community, users, or team?
Once you have identified the needs and impact of each project, it may become clear which projects are most feasible and should be prioritized, given your resources.
Assess Impact and Effort
If you are still unsure which projects should be a priority, you can assess your projects using an Impact and Effort matrix, with quadrants for High and Low Impact on one axis and High and Low Effort on the other. Plot each project on the matrix.
Given limited resources:
Projects with High Impact and Low Effort should be your first priority.
Those with High Impact and High Effort should be your second priority and can come later, considering the availability of the people, timeline, and resources already identified.
Those with Low Impact and Low Effort should be your third priority, happening when and if resources become available.
Projects plotted as Low Impact and High Effort should not be a priority and you may want to consider whether these projects are worth pursuing.
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