Kehittämishanke

Kehittämishanke, translated as development project, is a time-bound effort designed to develop or improve a product, service, process, or organizational capacity within a company, public authority, or civil society organization. The aim is to increase effectiveness, quality, accessibility, or impact by testing new approaches, methods, or technologies.

Typically, kehittämishanke follows a lifecycle that includes needs assessment, planning, design or piloting, implementation, and evaluation. It has defined objectives, a budget, a schedule, and documented management arrangements. Projects usually involve collaboration among multiple stakeholders, such as the organization initiating the project, partner organizations, customers or beneficiaries, and often researchers or consultants.

In Finland and in European contexts, kehittämishanke is a common term for formally funded initiatives within public administration, health and social services, education, regional and digital development. Funding may come from government agencies, regional development centers, universities, NGOs, or European structural funds. Applications typically require performance indicators, reporting, and periodic reviews.

Outcomes can include new processes, tools, service models, guidelines, or curricula, as well as knowledge shared through reports, pilots, or broader dissemination. A key aspect is sustainability, meaning that results are continued or institutionalized after the project funding ends.