Advancing Early Capital Project Planning in a Changing Landscape
How do you balance uncertainty with planning for a capital project, where momentum is the name of the game?
Introduction
When times are uncertain, it’s tempting to wait. In a few more months, things could settle down: pricing could be more certain, the political environment could shift. Funders could be more open to supporting needs beyond those essential to survival. We might all have more breathing room… in a few months.
The problem is that unmet needs don’t typically resolve with time. Space that was too tight remains too tight. Building systems that were on the verge of failure only continue to deteriorate.
How do you balance this uncertainty with planning for a capital project, where momentum is the name of the game? Take it slow — but keep going. Progress that is incremental and careful can shape a vision that is both realistic and something to be excited about.
Answering a few (seemingly) simple questions can keep things moving with limited risk:
What will we need in the future?
We love to meet organizations that have an up-to-date strategic plan. A clear picture of future programming and staffing saves time and streamlines discussions around space planning (“programming,” in architect speak). This groundwork makes it easier to see how – and whether – an existing facility can be adapted to meet changing needs.
Who will make decisions?
Capital project planning is a group assignment. Figuring out who will work together, and how, is essential. Many boards form a capital project committee to act as point of contact for an owner’s rep or other consultants. Forming such a committee early ensures that key constituencies or viewpoints are represented and involved in decision-making from the start.
Capital project planning is a group assignment. Figuring out who will work together, and how, is essential.
What do local stakeholders want?
A capital project may introduce external stakeholders that weren’t involved when an organizational strategic plan was developed. Particularly when a capital project could involve a land purchase, significant expansion or new construction, neighbors matter.
Before making any plans, do your homework. Look for existing neighborhood plans. Are there opportunities to align the project with existing community and economic development initiatives? Reach out to a community planner or local representative for advice or simply to build a relationship. Attend a community meeting or two and just listen — before you need to ask for support.
Before making any plans, do your homework.
Where could the funding come from?
Very few organizations know exactly how a project will be funded at the start of planning. But it’s helpful to have a sense of how a project and its outcomes align with private and public funding priorities.
This could mean database research. It could also mean grabbing coffee with staff of an organization that recently completed a capital project to understand their key funding sources. This preliminary research may shed light on the degree of support needed to further test fundraising feasibility, pursue grants or cultivate donor relationships. It can also indicate the upper bounds of fundraising — and budget.
What are we working with?
A Property Condition Assessment can help prioritize project needs while providing a base of knowledge to assist in future design. Likewise, preliminary environmental assessment can surface red flags. Both are generally cost-effective and demonstrate to boards and funders that you are approaching a project with due diligence.
Cap Ex often helps organizations engage third-party engineers to provide these assessments — then helps interpret the findings to guide next steps.
Who are we working with?
Identifying a project architect demonstrates seriousness about pursuing a project — particularly when the team is identified based on their experience and success with similar projects.
We often work with organizations to help solicit, shortlist, select, and onboard design teams. With a key partner onboard, timelines and soft cost budgets begin to solidify. Fundraisers and development teams can begin to speak to team capacity and estimated milestones — key information for funding applications.
Progress Happens One Step at a Time
While some of these questions are best taken in sequence, work can overlap as bandwidth and funding allow. Answering these questions begins to demonstrate organizational capacity, due diligence, and attention to how scope connects to needs.
The work to answer each of these questions is the progress — careful, deliberate, step-by-step.
Ready to take the next step? We’d love to chat with you!
