Needs assessment is fundamental to the success of a project. They are an essential part of the planning process. A needs assessment guides administrators in defining the terms of the project. A needs assessment is defined as “a systematic approach to studying the state of knowledge, skill, interest, or attitude of a defined audience or group involving a particular topic” (McCawley, 2009, p. 3). An effective needs assessment provides insight, information, is objective and helps identify gaps in services. Timmreck (2003) states that a needs assessment is used to: “Ascertain what available resources, services, equipment, or other items exist for use in the program being planned” (p.90). The administrator needs to know what resources are available for use before designing the project and the needs assessment helps to gather information about the resources available for that project. Timmreck (2003) states that needs assessments are also used to “investigate, ascertain, evaluate, and research what services or programs exist and what services are lacking” (p. 90). Once the information becomes available, the administrator can design the project effectively because he now knows what service is needed and what resources are available for use. The information provided by the needs assessment is critical to the success of a project and therefore makes the needs assessment an integral part of the planning process. There are several approaches used by needs assessment to effectively gather insights and information. Specifically, when using a needs assessment, the target group and catchment area are the main areas to focus on. A target group is defined as “a concentration of populations or clients… at the center of the charter… and, and helps identify gaps in services, thus making it an imperative part of the planning process. The SWOT analysis assists in the needs assessment process by identifying gaps in services. Thereby enabling administrators to meet this need through the needs assessment process. Works CitedMcCawley, P. F. (2009). Methods for conducting a training needs assessment: Guidelines for cooperative extension system professionals. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/pdf/bul/bul0870.pdfRenault, V. (n.d.). Community toolbox. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/swot-analysis/mainTimmreck, T. C. (2003). Planning, program development and evaluation: a handbook for health promotion, aging and health services. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett.