At first glance, designing social, environmental, or territorial development projects seems like a technical task: defining objectives, goals, timelines, and budgets. But in practice, many projects fail or have limited impact because they are based on flawed assumptions.
It is common for organizations to know what they want to change, but fail to translate that intention into a clear briefing connected to the territory, the people, and the real contexts where the project will be implemented. The result is well-intentioned initiatives, but built from the top down, that do not engage with those who live there day to day.
So, what can be done? Keep reading this article and we’ll tell you! At Raízes, we have learned over almost two decades that good projects start with listening.
1 – Identify the problem (sometimes it’s not a lack of ideas, but a lack of listening)
Many companies, institutes, and organizations come to us with a legitimate demand: they want to develop a social or environmental project, structure an ESG agenda, strengthen their territorial performance, or generate positive impact on a consistent basis.
The challenge is that, often, this desire has not yet been transformed into a mature briefing. There is a lack of internal time, specialized staff, or accumulated experience to organize information, align expectations, and understand the real needs of the audiences involved.
On the other hand, those who carry out projects in the territory also feel this gap.
Without a structured listening process, there is a risk of planning actions for audiences that are not a priority, proposing misaligned solutions, or investing energy in strategies that do not respond to the real demands of communities. This is where mediation becomes essential.
However, this process does not start with ready-made answers. It begins with questions. Over the course of a few months, we conduct a qualified listening exercise that involves:
- Conversations with local actors and strategic audiences
- Understanding the territorial, social, environmental, and institutional context
- An initial mapping of dynamics, challenges, and opportunities
- Alignment of expectations, objectives, and actual capabilities
2 – Design a creative and unique project
In order to implement a creative and unique project, it is essential to understand the audience, the potential, the demands, and the limitations. Understand what the territory wants and how this relates to what the proponent intends to offer. A good project starts with a very unique and consistent value proposition, from which we can then think about clear objectives (goals), ways to achieve them (actions), the time required (schedule), human and material resources (budget), and ways to identify whether we have achieved what we set out to do (indicators).
Sometimes, contracting professionals underestimate the importance of a well-designed, strategic project that is in line with the wishes of those involved and suited to the reality that will inevitably arise at some point. Projects that are detached from reality, i.e., carried out without listening, strategy, and design, take their toll at the time of execution. The budget does not add up, the schedule is insufficient, the action has no effect… That is why the time and resources invested in this stage are precious.
The result is a more consistent project design, connected to the territory, with clear objectives and greater potential to generate positive impact—whether in social, environmental, cultural, or ESG-related projects.
3 – Work with those who have been doing it for a long time
Now approaching its 20th anniversary in 2026, as a matter of fact, Raízes designs and implements projects in different regions of Brazil, always in dialogue with communities, local organizations, public authorities, and private initiatives. This journey has taught us that successful projects are not born solely from good intentions, but from careful processes, built by many hands.
Moreover, in dozens of projects and extensive interview and diagnostic processes, one demand frequently arises: organizations want help not only to execute, but also to think together, structure, prioritize, and design.
Especially in contexts where areas such as sustainability, social impact, or ESG are being created or strengthened, it is natural that there is no specific agenda for project design. Relying on those who have already traveled this path reduces risks, optimizes resources, and increases the chance of consistent results.
Successful social projects begin before implementation
When a project is born from listening and strategic design, for instance, it tends to:
- Be more responsive to local needs
- Achieve greater engagement from the audiences involved
- Avoid rework and waste of resources
- Build trusting relationships from the outset
- Generate more lasting impacts
Based on this experience, Raízes structured a three-month process of listening and designing projects, designed to support organizations that want to better plan their actions before implementing them.
Most importantly, more than just delivering reports or plans, what we propose is a joint construction process that respects the territory’s timing and strengthens the decision-making of those who hire us.
In conclusion, if your organization already knows it wants to be active in 2026, now is the time to listen, understand, and plan carefully. Impactful projects cannot be improvised; they must be built. And listening is the first step to doing better.
