What to do if you have an idea

By First Parish, December 28, 2021

Lots of great ideas come up at meetings and in conversations. Now is the time to take the next step, and here are some tips from your Interpersonal Relations team.

Come up with an idea!

Decide if you want to spend some time getting this idea to become a reality. Just raising an idea and expecting others to turn the idea into a reality is often a way to have the idea stay as an idea and not become a reality, no matter how good the idea is!

Communicate with others about your idea. This could be a committee at First Parish, a few friends* who can give you feedback and perhaps help you implement your idea, or whatever sounding board that will hear you out, ask you to fine-tune your idea, and possibly do the work to make it a reality.

*And if someone comes to you with an idea, try to respond positively!

If your idea requires spending money to turn it into a reality, consider the source of this money – a committee budget, personal donations, a request for a grant from the UUA or other organization, or other. Or, will this be a fundraiser or event with a ticket price that will pay back the money you need upfront? To get approval you need to be creative about the value of the idea vs. the work and cost of implementing the idea.

Get specific about your idea with results of your research into how and why and any other questions that will surface before the idea becomes reality. If your idea is a fundraiser or other event that involves the congregation, fill out a Fundraiser Worksheet (https://fpuucanton.org/get-involved/fundraiser-worksheet/) to provide plans.

Enlist help to carry out your idea and get approval from the appropriate committee or group.

Then go for it!