Step 1: Determine result areas. Result areas are the key places you will look at to see improvements or changes in the client population. Examples: "better-educated high school students"; "more efficient use of our museum."

Step 2: Determine measurement indicators. Measurement indicators are quantifiable parts of your result area. Applied to your performance, you are able to see how well you are doing. Examples: "number of hospital readmissions of people over 65 years old"; "scores on standardized tests." Brainstorm a number of measurement indicators for each result area, then select the one reflects your intent and is easiest to employ.

Step 3: Determine performance standards. These answer the question, "How much (or how little) of the measurement indicators do we need to consider ourselves successful?" Examples: "10 percent drop in hospital readmissions"; "scores rising from 80^th to 90^th percentile on the Flockmeister reading scale."

Step 4: Determine the time frame. This is the amount of time in which you want to reach your performance standards. The time frame is usually determined for you by the funding source. Most grants are for twelve months. Use months one through twelve, rather than names, because you seldom get to start the grant when you expect to.

Step 5: Determine cost frame. This is the amount of money that represents the cost of the methods or activities you have selected as your approach to meet the objective. The cost estimate is obtained from the planning document you will fill out next.

Step 6: Write the objectives. This stage combines the data you have generated in the previous five steps. The standard format for an objective is: To [action verb and statement reflecting your MEASUREMENT INDICATOR] by [PERFORMANCE STANDARD] by [DEADLINE] at a cost of no more than [COST FRAME]. Example: "To increase the reading scores of freshmen at Drew University minority skills program by 20 pecent in the Drew reading scale in 12 months at a cost of $50,000."

Step 7: Evaluate the objective. Review your objective and answer the question: "Does the objective reflect the amount of change we want in the result area?" It your answer is "yes," you probably have a workable objective. If not, the chances are that your measurement indicator is wrong or your performance standards are too low. Go back to those steps and repeat the process.