orgSpaces

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Analyzing Your Space Needs
Courtesy of the Nonprofit Finance Fund

This page refers to information to be gathered on a Facility Requirements Checklist. See Facility Requirements Checklist for a sample and a blank form.

A. Quantify the space requirements

Start with a quick tour of the current facility to observe:
- Population and occupancy;
- Hours and frequency of activities and space used;
- Noise level;
- Ambiance;
- Functional problems.

Determine:
- Number of people using each space;
- Function of each person using a space if applicable;
- A future growth factor for each space when applicable;
- Special features required for each space to fulfill its function;
- Size of each space in net square foot area;
  - Multiply: Width in feet by Length in feet = Square Foot Area;
  - Round up to the nearest full foot when measuring a space;
Prepare a List of Required Spaces for:
- Agency's Program Mission:
  - Determing the number and types of program activities;
  - Project program growth and expansion.
- Program support functions;
- Program staff
- Program volunteers
- Agency's administration;
- Administrative support staff;
- Administrative support functions;
- Visitor requirements;
  - Are many visitors expected? What times of day?
  - Is there a need for security? How strict should it be?
  - Should visitors be carefully controlled within one area?
  - Is there more than one classification of visitor?
    - Program participant;
    - Volunteer;
    - Business visitor.
  - Parking
  - Pedestrian circulation
  - Safety issues
- Special equipment requirements;
- Lighting needs;
- Audio visual requirements;
- Acoustical requirements;
- Special environment needs or requirements;
- Mechanical and electrical systems requirements

B. Using the Facilities Requirement Checklist, compare the space requirement needs with the agency's mission statement.

List in three columns:
1. Have
2. Immediate need
3. Long-term need
Determine whether the current arrangement of spaces and activities:
- Helps users to meet program mission objectives;
- Contributes to wasted efforts.
Evaluate current space by identifying:
- Excess space in one location versus overcrowding in another;
- Inadequate program activity spaces, storage, filing, work areas;
- Factors that make present space function now versus factors that will make the new space function better;
- Multi-purpose functions that can share the same spaces.
Identify agency population by recording:
- Number of participants now in your program;
- Number of staff members currently working in your space;
- Forecast future growth of:
  - Program participants;
  - Staff;
  - Volunteers.
- Propose additional spaces that will effectively enhance the program mission;
- Exclude those spaces that are superfluous to the program mission;
- Eliminate those spaces that prevent the program from fulfilling its mission;
- Determine which activities cannot be changed versus which can be changed or modified.

Note: Reject the option to sublet underutilized space.

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