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...@@ -42,17 +42,19 @@ There are a few ways we represent projects, depending on their status: ...@@ -42,17 +42,19 @@ There are a few ways we represent projects, depending on their status:
The following steps are the different phases that a project goes through at Tor, from the moment that we start dreaming it until it is completed. The following steps are the different phases that a project goes through at Tor, from the moment that we start dreaming it until it is completed.
### Initiating/Ideation ### Initiating or Ideation
“Ideas” on what we are looking funding for comes from different sources from Tor’s staff and community. We gather them from the strategy goals for the organization, ideas from the team about what work is needed for the tools they maintain that are submitted via gitlab issues or mails to grants at torproject dot org: “Ideas” on what we are looking funding for comes from different sources from Tor’s staff and community. We gather them from the strategy goals for the organization, ideas from the team about what work is needed for the tools they maintain that are submitted via Gitlab issues or mails to grants at torproject dot org:
1. The organization’s goals for the year we are in. The strategy goals for 2023 are [a mature organization and full access to Tor](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/team/-/wikis/home#organization). For 2025-2030 we [discussed the strategy](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/team/-/wikis/Meetings/2024/Lisbon/5-years-strategy) during the last in-person Tor meeting. 1. The organization’s goals for the year we are in. The strategy goals for 2023 are [a mature organization and full access to Tor](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/team/-/wikis/home#organization). For 2025-2030 we [discussed the strategy](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/team/-/wikis/Meetings/2024/Lisbon/5-years-strategy) during the last in-person Tor meeting.
2.Ideas submitted to the [proposals tracker](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/operations/proposals/-/issues) we maintain. 2. Ideas submitted to the [proposals tracker](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/operations/proposals/-/issues) we maintain.
3. Mails sent to the grants@torproject.org about possible projects to fund. 3. Mails sent to the grants at torproject.org about possible projects to fund.
Determining what project to apply for depends on capacity, funding opportunities and organizational priorities. Determining what project to apply for depends on capacity, funding opportunities and organizational priorities.
When a call for proposals (CFP) for a grant is available we [write the proposal](/Process/Project-Design-and-Grant-Writing) and send it. If it gets funded then we move forward with it (unless it is a project that needs to happen regardless of funding). This may take from 6 months to a year. We consider the following items When a call for proposals (CFP) for a grant is available we [write the proposal](/Process/Project-Design-and-Grant-Writing) and send it. If it gets funded then we move forward with it (unless it is a project that needs to happen regardless of funding). This may take from 6 months to a year.
Once a decision has been made to pursue a particular funding opportunity, then the grant writer meets with the project manager, team lead(s) and other stakeholders in the proposed project and decides:
* Goal: the goals of the project, why they make sense, and what the high-level features, requirements will be. * Goal: the goals of the project, why they make sense, and what the high-level features, requirements will be.
* Timeframe * Timeframe
* Estimation / Budget * Estimation / Budget
...@@ -64,6 +66,9 @@ When a call for proposals (CFP) for a grant is available we [write the proposal] ...@@ -64,6 +66,9 @@ When a call for proposals (CFP) for a grant is available we [write the proposal]
* Who has technical authority? * Who has technical authority?
* Who has budget authority? * Who has budget authority?
* How often will requirements and designs be reviewed, and how will adjustments be decided? * How often will requirements and designs be reviewed, and how will adjustments be decided?
* Indicators we are using to track success of the project
Once the proposal is submitted to the potential funder, the process of getting it approved may take several iterations to adjust budgets, timelines, expectations, deliverables, etc. depending on the funders’ specific criteria, until the project is awarded or rejected.
At this stage, the project is put into the [GrantHub platform](https://www.granthubonline.com), and assigned a number. The GrantHub platform is managed by the Grants team, and is used to track funding opportunities over the entire lifecycle. At this stage, the project is put into the [GrantHub platform](https://www.granthubonline.com), and assigned a number. The GrantHub platform is managed by the Grants team, and is used to track funding opportunities over the entire lifecycle.
...@@ -73,41 +78,41 @@ All grant writing happens in ephemeral Google docs, or in the Fundraising Team/G ...@@ -73,41 +78,41 @@ All grant writing happens in ephemeral Google docs, or in the Fundraising Team/G
### Planning ### Planning
Once the project gets approved, the project manager gets the submitted documents that were approved and stores the approved, final version in Nextcloud in the folder Sponsors/Sponsor NN/Documents Submitted. They will also add the sponsor information to the [active Sponsors's page](home#projects). Once the project gets approved, the project manager gets the submitted documents that were approved and stores the approved, final clean version in Nextcloud in the folder Projects/Project NN/Documents Submitted. They will also add the project's information to the [active Project's page](home#projects).
Next the project manager will: Next the project manager will:
* Send a poll to all people involved in the project to find a day to do a kickoff meeting. * Send a poll to all people involved in the project to find a day to do a kickoff meeting.
* Converts the approved time-line into a ‘status and timeline’ spreadsheet to track and change across the duration of the project. * Converts the approved time-line into a ‘status and timeline’ spreadsheet to track and change across the duration of the project.
* Creates a label ‘Sponsor NN’ in Gitlab * Creates a label ‘Project NN’ in Gitlab
* Creates a [coordination meeting pad with information about the project](Process/Templates/KickoffProjectMeetingPadTemplate): * Creates a [coordination meeting pad with information about the project](Process/Templates/KickoffProjectMeetingPadTemplate):
* Start and end dates * Start and end dates
* Goals * Goals
* Who is involved in the project * Who is involved in the project
* Frequency and where meetings will be held * Frequency and where meetings will be held
* Links to timeline, Gitlab kanban board, sponsor folder in Nextcloud * Links to timeline, Gitlab kanban board, sponsor folder in Nextcloud
* Deliverables that will be accomplished across the duration of the project * Deliverables that will be accomplished across the duration of the project
* Indicators used in the project, if any * Indicators used in the project, if any
The [kickoff meeting](Process/Templates/KickoffMeetingTemplate) agenda includes: The [kickoff meeting](Process/Templates/KickoffMeetingTemplate) agenda includes:
* Going over Deliverables and desired outcomes, clarifying anything that is not clear * Going over Deliverables and desired outcomes, clarifying anything that is not clear
* Reviewing what we are tracking during the project * Reviewing what we are tracking during the project
* Define Scope (who is creating tickets for what) at this time. If possible have a presentation from "objective owners" about what they were thinking about when they wrote that specific objective and activity. * Define Scope (who is creating tickets for what) at this time. If possible have a presentation from "objective owners" about what they were thinking about when they wrote that specific objective and activity.
* Remind people that they need to [estimate](Process/HowToEstimate) all tickets included in this project. * Remind people that they need to [estimate](Process/HowToEstimate) all tickets included in this project.
* If one or more milestones will be created to track deliverables for the project then the milestone needs to contain, at minimum: * If one or more milestones will be created to track deliverables for the project then the milestone needs to contain, at minimum:
* The name of the project. * The name of the project.
* A description of what the project entails and why we're doing it or not doing it. * A description of what the project entails and why we're doing it or not doing it.
* Tasks involved in the deliverable. * Tasks involved in the deliverable.
* Start and ending date. * Start and ending date.
* Review Timelines and Estimations as well as who is going to work on it. * Review Timelines and Estimations as well as who is going to work on it.
* How we are going to work: * How we are going to work:
* when do we meet * when do we meet
* how frequently * how frequently
* what to expect from these meetings (agenda, status) * what to expect from these meetings (agenda, status)
* agree on how coordination and communication will happen.. * agree on how coordination and communication will happen..
Next, we create tickets, adding them to the appropiate milestone, tagging them with the sponsor label. Next, we create tickets, adding them to the appropiate milestone, tagging them with the sponsor label.
The [roadmap](process/HowToBuildRoadmap) will be define by a [kanban board](https://gitlab.torproject.org/groups/tpo/-/boards) filtered by the sponsors's milestone. The [roadmap](process/HowToBuildRoadmap) will be define by a [kanban board](https://gitlab.torproject.org/groups/tpo/-/boards) filtered by the project's milestone.
### Communication ### Communication
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