Youth Venture

Goal setting is very important for every Venture team. When filling out your Youth Venture Action Plan, we ask you to identify three or four SMART goals. These goals are one of the most important parts of your Action Plan because they will be the driving force behind your Venture. Ask yourself: What three or four activities are most important to our team?

SMART Goals are:

• S

  Specific: Is the goal detailed enough that someone who isn’t a part of your team would know what needs to be done and how?

• M

  Measurable: Is there a clear way to measure success? How will you know when you’ve reached your goal?

• A

  Actionable: Is there a clear series of steps to take to accomplish your goal?

• R

  Realistic: Is it possible to reach this goal considering the resources available to your team?

• T

  Timely: When will the goal be accomplished?

A Sample SMART Goal:

Our Venture will host two high school talent shows in October and in April to raise money for art programs in low-income schools. By charging admission, we expect to raise $300 per show. We will donate 60% of our proceeds to an arts foundation and keep the rest for future Venture projects.

• This goal is specific since it is clear what needs to be done to reach the goal. You don’t have to be part of the team to understand this goal.
• This goal is measurable because it defines success as earning $300.
• This goal is actionable since it implies a clear series of steps: auditions, rehearsals, advertising, and the shows.
• This goal is realistic because it relies on resources students have readily available to them.
• This goal is timely because it describes when the shows will occur: April and October.

More examples of SMART goals:

• We’ll bake twelve apple pies to sell before Thanksgiving. We’ll donate the funds we raise to a local breast cancer charity.
• We’ll start a knitting club that meets weekly. We’ll sell the scarves we make at back-to-school night and give at least $75 to a local breast cancer charity.

Examples of goals that are not SMART:

• We’ll increase awareness of breast cancer. This goal is vague, and fails to cover any of the requirements of a SMART goal.
• We’ll sell candy and donate some of the money to fight breast cancer. This goal does not say when the activities will take place.

If you’re having trouble figuring out whether or not your goals are SMART goals, make sure to ask yourself if your goals are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely. If you can answer yes to all of these questions, then most likely you have created a good SMART goal.

Check out these additional YV Tip Sheets:

• What is Sustainability
• Creating an Initial List of Contacts- Network Mapping

© Youth Venture, 2007. All rights reserved.