Starting Your Project
The first challenge is to scope your project and gather support.
What do want to do?
Describe your vision. What do you hope to accomplish? Talk first with those who can understand your vision. Build it up and flesh it out as much as possible, before you worry about obstacles. Use a white board or pad of paper. Write down as many ideas as possible and review them periodically. Photographing your notes is a slick way to remember brainstorming sessions. Digital cameras make this an instant way to record minutes and distribute them by email.
Visualizing
Modeling of any sort can help you visualize. Make sketches or 3D models, play in the sandbox, take photographs and write stories. Do anything to build images that will lead you to your dream. Use these images to get others on board. Use the images to raise funds.
Do you need a life-size model? You can use rope or contractor's ribbon to mark out a space in a park or on a parking lot, then walk around getting the full size perspective that you need.
How big is your project and what do you need to accomplish it?
Do you need money? See How to Find Funding.
Do you need contacts? Do you need neighborhood support, Community Council support, City Parks support, Departments of Transportation Support, county support, state support? Do you need land? Do you need architects, engineers, cooks, writers or artists? Whatever you need, begin networking for it. Ask others who have been successful at what you want to do. Most people will be thrilled to pass on their knowledge. That's why we created Urban Sparks; it's a thrill to help you create something good.
Does anyone but you care about your dream? Probably the most important support is the moral support of those who will cheer you on and help you. Build those relationships. By creating a dream, you are giving others something to get excited about. You'll be surprised how much they'll appreciate that and how important that will be to you.
Others – even good friends – may not think your idea is so good. Don't be discouraged. No matter how good your idea is there will be detractors, for many strange and human reasons. Persevere!
If you're going to lead a project that will last for more than a year, we'd recommend you study leadership. It's probably not what you think it is. See our Inspiration page and look at our leadership links.
Do you need an artist, materials, contractors, dirt or plants? Networking is a great way to find the things you need. Here is a start – our collection of links to all kinds of resources. Resources and Links