An Overview of Our Vision and Plans for the Next Two Years
April-September, 2008: Fundraising and Research
During this period, we will work to fundraise and establish a solid base of support for the project. Both of us will meet with prospective funders and work to establish partnerships with publishers, college and university faculty and student groups, community groups, and organizations promoting civic engagement. Our secondary focus will be on continuing to conduct interviews and writing the next two chapters of the book with Billy Starr, Founder of the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, and Liz Titus Putnam, Founder of Student Conservation Association.
October 2008-April 2009: Interviewing Changemakers and Writing the Book
Our work during this phase will be focused on producing the book and its accompanying resources. We’ll conduct background research and interviews with the changemakers who will be profiled in the remaining 7-9 chapters of the book. After the research is complete and story outlines are constructed, Matt will concentrate on drafting each chapter. Michelle will develop and test pilot the supplemental case studies and discussion guides with the assistance of university professors and community practitioners.
May-November, 2009: Building the Curriculum
This period will be dedicated to developing the action resources of The Purpose Project. While some writing and editing of the book will still be taking place, the majority of our efforts will be focused on strengthening the resources in the curriculum based on feedback and suggestions collected during the pilot phase. We will also be developing the conceptual framework and design for the project’s action toolkit and technology component. During this period we will work with a professional web developer to identify the technical requirements and best layout for elements such as live chat, video conferencing, and the creation of discussion forums, which will complement and dramatically expand the existing informational and web blog components of our website.
December 2009-April, 2010: Developing the Action Toolkit
During this time, we’ll compile the information and develop the technical elements necessary for the launch of The Purpose Project’s web-based hub. We will also be working with the book’s publisher to finalize details, approve edits, and establish a release date. Coordination with other implementation partners will be carefully orchestrated so that maximum awareness for the project is achieved once the book becomes available.
May-June, 2010, and Beyond: Going Public
This phase will be spent introducing the different resources offered by The Purpose Project to our constituencies. Contacts will be made with media, bookstores, community and student groups, and organized into a promotional tour, ensuring that aspiring changemakers have access to the messages and insights of their predecessors. While our timeline only goes through The Purpose Project’s first three components, we will continue to seek new and innovative opportunities for achieving the project’s long-term goal of inspiring and equipping higher levels of civic engagement among more members of our generation as we move forward.
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