Feasibility Studies

Before a group can begin to put their ideas into action, especially where a complex project is involved, they often need to work out if it is feasible. That is, they need to work out how their objectives can be achieved, how much it will cost and which way of working would be most beneficial. They need to carry out a Feasibility Study.

A Feasibility Study is a study designed to determine the practicability of a project. It will investigate the costs involved and the resources needed. It will also point out any problems that may be encountered.

Many groups do not have the expertise or confidence needed to carry out such a study themselves and, although it can be costly, it is often sensible to bring in outside experts to carry the feasibility study out for them. Other groups may be able to do this work themselves, especially if they have some relevant experts within their group.

If your group do decide to carry out a feasibility study by themselves you should first of all look at the aims you hope to achieve. Ask yourselves: “What are we trying to achieve?” “What problems are we trying to solve?” and “How do we hope to do this?” Then, you should look to see if anyone else is doing something similar. Are your ideas new? Could you be working in partnership with another group? This is the time to carry out some market research.

Your next step should be to work out how you will be able to measure the success of the proposed project. How long will it take to see if your project has made a difference? This is easier if you have a project with a definite completion time, e.g. the creation of a community park, but if your project is dealing with an awareness raising issue, e.g. a recycling scheme, you need to work out indicators by which you can evaluate your success.

Before you start the project you need to look at your current position. This will give you a starting point from which to develop your idea. What resources do you already have, in terms of people, expertise and materials? What else do you need to progress with the project?

You then need to look at all the options available to you. Find out how much each option will cost, how long it will take and who you would need to carry it out. This stage often involves consulting with experts. For example, if you are planning to make improvements to your village hall, you will need to consult with the community, and possibly hire an architect to assess the possibilities available.

Next you need to analyse the options. It is not always the case that the cheapest approach is the best. The most suitable option could be the one that will guarantee the longevity of the project, or one that can lead on to other “spin-off” projects.

Your group should now be in a position to plan out a schedule for carrying out the work, outlining exactly what needs to be done, how long it will take and who will be responsible for each stage of the work. This will put the project into some kind of chronological order.

Now you have got to this stage, and are in agreement as to the way forward, document your findings and move on. If carried out correctly, a feasibility study not only helps to convince others, particularly potential funders, of the viability of your project, but also helps you avoid any potential pitfalls that could lead to failure.