Nonprofit Programme Decision Log
This is a practical guide to building a decision log for a nonprofit programme project — a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why, adapted to the realities of delivering a nonprofit or grant-funded programme.
What a Decision Log is
A decision log is a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why. For the full concept and how it works in general, see Decision Log. On a nonprofit programme project it plays the same role, tuned to this kind of work.
Why it matters for a Nonprofit Programme project
Nonprofit Programme projects live or die on delivering a nonprofit or grant-funded programme. A well-built decision log gives the team a shared, explicit reference for exactly that — reducing ambiguity, aligning stakeholders, and making problems visible early enough to act. Skipping it, or doing it generically, is how nonprofit programme projects drift into avoidable delay and cost.
What to include
- Decision
- Date and owner
- Rationale
- Alternatives considered
- Impact
Nonprofit Programme-specific considerations
Tailor the decision log to the risks that most often derail nonprofit programme projects:
- Funding constraints
- Volunteer coordination
- Impact measurement
Example
On a real nonprofit programme project, the decision log would be shaped by delivering a nonprofit or grant-funded programme. In particular, it should explicitly account for the project’s biggest risks — funding constraints, volunteer coordination, impact measurement — rather than treating them as afterthoughts.