Contents

• Overview 
• What are Goals & Milestones
• What You'll See in the Goals & Milestones Section 
• How to Complete Goals 
  • How to Complete Program-Created Goals
  • How to Add Your Own Goals (If Allowed)
• How to Complete Milestones
  • Understanding Milestone Weightages
  • Adding or Deleting Milestones
     

Overview

This guide explains how to complete the Goals and Milestones section in your application (Intake Form). 

If you are a Program Administrator looking for help, please see this article.
 

What are Goals & Milestones?

Some programs may ask you to share what you want to achieve and the steps you'll take to get there. 

• Goal: The main outcome you want to achieve.
• Milestones: The smaller steps you’ll take to reach a goal. 

📌Note: Goals and milestones are considered a best practice for all programs, and are required for programs that follow Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200.301).

Quick Tour

Click through this quick tour on how to complete Goals & Milestones in your application. For detailed steps, see the instructions below.
 

What You’ll See in the Goals & Milestones Section

Desired and Proposed Fields

Within each goal in an application, you’ll see two types of fields:

• Desired fields: Set by the program to give you context. You cannot edit these. They show what the program is asking for.
• Proposed fields: Completed by you. These describe your plan, timeline, and expected results.

How Goals Might Appear in an Application (Intake Form)

How the goals section appears in your application will depend on how it was designed by the program.

You may see:

1. Only pre-created goals that were set up by the program.

Example: 

➡️Follow these instructions below: How to Complete Program‑Created Goals.
 

2. Only the option to add your own goals (Add another goal+ button).  

Example:

➡️Follow these instructions below: How to Add Your Own Goals (If Allowed).
 

3. Both pre‑created goals AND the option to add your own (Add another goal+ button).  

Example: 

➡️Follow both instruction sections below: How to Complete Program-Created Goals and How to Add Your Own Goals (If Allowed) 
 

How to Complete Goals

How to Complete Program-Created Goals

Some programs create specific goals for you to complete. These goals will appear automatically in the Goals section of your application.

For each program-created goal, complete all fields marked with an asterisk (*), including:

• Proposed Deliverable Date: When you expect to complete the goal. 
• All “Proposed” fields specific to the goal type, such as:
  • Proposed Narrative Description (Narrative Goal)
  • Proposed Number to Be Achieved (Numeric Goal)
  • Proposed Percentage (Percent Achieved / Percent Changed Goal)
  • Proposed Number to Be Achieved / Rate per Achievement / Budget Amount (Reimbursement Goal)
• Milestone(s) — at least one milestone is required for each goal. For more help on completing milestones, see How to Complete Milestones.
  
  Narrative Goal Example: 

📌Note: If you also see an Add another goal+ button at the bottom of the section, it means the program allows you to create your own goals, too. For instructions, see How to Add Your Own Goals below.
 

How to Add Your Own Goals (If Allowed)

Some programs allow applicants to create their own goals. If this is the case, you’ll see an Add another goal+ button at the bottom of the section.

When creating your own goals:

• Follow any instructions or limits in the section description or help text.
• You may add goals until you reach the maximum allowed (the button will no longer be clickable when you reach the limit). 
• You may delete any goals you added yourself.

To create a goal: 

1. Click Add another goal+

2. In the new goal section, complete the following: 

a. Edit the Goal Label and/or Help Text (optional)

b. Select a Goal Type (options vary by program - you may only see one or several of these options): Narrative, Numeric, Percent Achieved, Percent Changed, or Reimbursement. 

• If you want more information about each goal type, see ➡️ Understanding Goal Types. 

c. Enter a Proposed Deliverable Date: When you expect to complete the goal. 

d. Complete all “Proposed” fields specific to the goal type, such as:

• Proposed Narrative Description (Narrative Goal)
• Proposed Number to Be Achieved (Numeric Goal)
• Proposed Percentage (Percent Achieved / Percent Changed Goal)
• Proposed Number to Be Achieved / Rate per Achievement / Budget Amount (Reimbursement Goal)

e. Add Milestone(s) — at least one milestone is required for each goal. For more help on completing milestones, see How to Complete Milestones below.

How to Complete Milestones

Milestones are the smaller steps you take to reach your goal(s). 

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Each goal must include at least one milestone. If you don’t include a milestone, you won’t be able to submit your application. 

 For each milestone, you must complete all fields marked with an asterisk (*), including:

• Milestone Description
• Start Date
• Due Date

• Weightage % (milestone weightages for each goal must total 100%). For help with weightages, see the next section: Understanding Milestone Weightages. 

  ⚠️ IMPORTANT: The milestone weightages for a goal must add up to 100%. If they don’t, you won’t be able to submit your application. As you enter each weightage, a red message at the bottom of the Milestones section will show the running total until it reaches 100%.
  
  
   

Understanding Milestone Weightages

A milestone weightage is a percentage that shows how much that step counts toward completing the whole goal. Bigger or more important steps get higher percentages (Example: 60%), while smaller tasks get lower ones (Example: 20%). 

Example: 

• Goal: Provide 150 community members with access to preventive health screenings
  • Milestones: 
    • Partner with clinics to schedule screening events → Weightage: 30%
    • Conduct screenings and track participant attendance  → Weightage: 50% 
    • Review results and provide follow‑up referrals → Weightage: 20%

Adding or Deleting Milestones

• Add a milestone: Select Add Milestone Row+ at the bottom‑left of the goal. You can add as many milestones as you need.
• Delete a milestone: Select the trash icon next to the milestone you want to remove. 

📌 Note: You can delete any milestone, but you won’t be able to delete it if it’s the only milestone for that goal, because each goal must have at least one.

What did you think of this article? Please leave a comment below! 
Your feedback helps us improve the experience for everyone.