Plan writing

Writing a plan and making your idea concrete are two processes that occur simultaneously. As you put your plan on paper, writing forces you to make concrete choices and ask yourself critical questions. On this page you will find a step-by-step plan for writing your plan. Keep in mind that there is no standard format - everyone has their own method. Therefore, let this guide be primarily a guide.

Plan writing

Can't you just get a standard format for a good plan? Unfortunately, that doesn't exist, because every lender has its own priorities. It's important for you to develop one solid plan that you can always use as a basis, and then respond to each lender's specific wishes in additional forms or accompanying letters. In any case, a good plan is:

• A plan for a problem that you (or your organization) offer a solution for.
• A plan you believe in.
• A plan that you can visualize.
• A plan that involves the people around you.

💡 Tip: Having trouble getting people involved in your plan? Start networking! Share your questions and gather feedback and new perspectives at events, workshops, or online communities. This will help you build a valuable network of potential partners, mentors, and interested parties who will support your project.

Plan outline

A concrete plan contains a number of essential components. These include the following topics:

Concept/Product: What is your plan, in a nutshell?

Initiators: Who is organizing it and what are their motives?

Reason: Why is it being organized?

Mission and vision: What do you want to achieve, and what is your higher goal?

Objectives: Set concrete and measurable goals that can be adjusted.

Target groups: Who do you want to reach with your plan?

Content and form: What will you do and what will it look like (artistically and in terms of content)?

Action plan / Timetable: What does the implementation look like?

Communication plan: What are you doing to be visible?

Tools and tips

Writing tips

• Write one plan that can be used for multiple funds.
• Avoid diminutive forms and unnecessary adverbs.
• If you are writing for a specific fund grant, please contact us in advance to discuss any doubts or questions you may have. Please take into account the longer processing time before you receive a response.
• Always keep the core—your mission and the "why"—in your plan. If you have to delete or adjust something, always return to the question of why you are doing it.
• Align your plan with the criteria for the subsidy; for example, if a minimum of five plays is required, ensure that you can demonstrate this.

A SWOT analysis

Conduct a SWOT analysis to identify your own strengths and weaknesses (which you can influence) and to map out external opportunities and threats. For internal factors, ask yourself: What are you doing well and where can you improve? For external factors: How does your plan fit in with the current zeitgeist, and what opportunities or obstacles exist in the environment or region where you operate?

[ Related article: SWOT analysis ]

Digital brainstorming tools

In addition to the methods mentioned above, you can use digital tools to further develop and structure your ideas. These include LLMs (Large Language Models, or artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT and Claude) for creative input, or a mind map app to organize your thoughts. These tools can help you quickly discover new perspectives and connections, making your plan even more concrete and inspiring.

💡 Tip: A good prompt—a question you can ask an LLM—helps you think more clearly about your plan. Do you already have an idea and want to refine it or test it critically? Try one of the following prompts:

• “Ask me five pointed questions that will help me further refine my vision for project [name].”
• What questions would a child, an artist, an activist, and a scientist ask about my project idea?
• "What assumptions are secretly embedded in my project idea that I should question or reverse?"
• What are the pitfalls or things I should avoid if I want to achieve [goal] with project [name]?
• “Which existing projects are similar to my idea, and what can I learn from them or do differently?”

Enter your own topic or project name and adjust the prompts to what you want to explore further. The more specific your question, the better the ideas you will get back. Want to know more about AI and LLMs? Then read our article on AI and marketing.

AI in marketing and communications

Everyone has heard of them: AI tools that can significantly simplify your work life. Especially in the cultural sector, AI tools like ChatGPT can be of great value, for example, in marketing and communication. But how do you take full advantage of these tools? In this article you will read more about the benefits of artificial intelligence and how to make it work effectively for you.