Online Field Courses
Video Intro to the Online Courses
Cursos en Línea sobre Desarrollo—en español
OL 2.2 Project Architecture: Planning for Impact. PDF
March 9, 2010 – April 26, 2010: 6 Weeks, and
May 18, 2010 - June 28, 2010: 6 Weeks
Prerequisite for this course: OL 2.1: From the Ground Up
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Project Architecture: Imbed impact into your project design with a set of powerful management tools: Logframes, budgets, compelling fact sheets. They will communicate to donors & stakeholders exactly what you are going to accomplish and can be used for effective management of the project once funded. |
To learn about course fees and to register please go to the bottom of this page.
Project Architecture is a course in international development where you will each complete the development of your project—hopefully a real one—that was started in OL 2.1, From the Ground Up. Each one of the assignments will be a concrete step in preparing your project for a donor presentation.
The classes are designed to be fun and interactive: you will be collaborating with colleagues from around the globe. You have the opportunity of creating your own personal field course by taking your assignments into the field; we will encourage you to collaborate with colleagues and donors during your project’s development.
This course will take your needs assessment and project concept developed in OL 2.1, and build a Logframe matrix. This Logframe will provide the basis for developing a detailed budget, a schedule, and a compelling project fact sheet—transforming the project into one that can be presented to donors—and used for leading the effective management of the project once funded.
Some of the assignments below suggest doing them in a community. This is not a requirement if it impractical for you, but this is where partnering with someone in the field can add depth to your experience. There are no books to buy—all course materials can be linked to, or downloaded from the course site.
If you have a question don't hesitate to contact us at: Online.Learning@csd-i.org .
What Students Think About the Online CoursesCourse Syllabus
Week 1. We will take the project challenge, proposed solution, and activities that you developed in OL 2.1, and transform them into a simplified logframe.
Week 2.
1. The focus will be on outcomes and impact, how the current world of development sees them. We will see how we can use them to improve the logframe.
2. We will incorporate outcome and impact statements into the logframe, and begin adding indicators and means of verification in preparation for developing a monitoring and evaluation plan in the next course if this series, ‘Positive Outcomes’, which covers in detail the design of M&E plans.
Week 3. You will each write a compelling project fact sheet for presentation to donors that is no longer than 2 pages. This concise, quick-to-read document can present a focused message to a donor.
One Week off for Spring Break
Week 4. We will take the activity list from the logframe and create a budget, and then apply costs to each of the different activities.
Week 5.
1. We will take our detailed budget and transform it into a visual timeline/schedule.
2. Make a list of 2 colleagues, 2 potential NGO partners, and two donors that you can share this working project proposal with. Make appointments with 3 of them.
Week 6.
1. Share your project informally with a donor, your boss, your professor, someone in the development world for feedback. We will discuss why it is a good idea to visit a donor at this preliminary stage, and why you should wait on writing an actual proposal.
2. We will polish this family of documents by including the constructive feedback, and by making sure that the docs are absolutely parallel to each other. We will then carefully print them out and make an appointment with a donor to present your project.
In Summary
This course will take the project concept developed in OL 2.1 and transform it with a powerful set of management tools into a project for presenting to donors. Logframes, detailed budgets, and compelling fact sheets: these tools will communicate to donors, staff, and stakeholders exactly what you are going to accomplish, and lead the effective management of the project once funded.
OL 2.2 Course Schedule
March 9, 2010 – April 26, 2010 for those of you taking OL 2.1 in January and February, and
May 18, 2010 - June 28, 2010 for those of you taking OL 2.1 in March and April.
Course Fees
The 6-week course is $75.00 for citizens of developing nations living in a developing country, and $125.00 for citizens of developed countries if paid before February 19th.Choose which price fits your profile and look for the corresponding number (1., 2. 3., etc.) in the dropdown payment menu.
Course fees for both local citizens living in developing countries, and citizens of developed countries are as follows:
1. $75.00 for developing country citizens: register by February 19, 2010
2. $100.00 for late registration after February 19
3. $125.00 for developed country citizens: register by February 19, 2010
4. $150.00 for late registration after February 19
In-country NGOs. Up to ten staff all working on the same class project
5. $500.00 by February 19, 2010
6. $650.00 for late registration after February 19
Registration and Payment
To pay by debit or credit card, select the correct course cost below, enter your nationality, and click 'Add to Cart.'
When you are ready to pay, click ‘Proceed to Checkout.’ PayPal membership is not required to submit the payment; in the lower left you will see 'Don't have a PayPal account?' Click 'continue' and you will be linked to a form for non-PayPal members.
You will be sent your Login username and password, and instructions for starting the course on Monday, March 1, 2010. We look forward to meeting you!
The online course will be led by Tim Magee, CSD’s Executive Director, who has over 30 years experience in both working with nonprofits and leading training workshops.
If you have a question don't hesitate to contact us at: Online.Learning@csd-i.org .
Registration closes March 5, 2010.