Initiative vs. Project

Published: 7 Jun, 2020

Main Difference

The main difference between Initiative and Project is that the Initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote and Project is a collaborative enterprise, frequently involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim

Initiative

In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a government to choose to either enact a law or hold a public vote in parliament in what is called indirect initiative, or under direct initiative, the proposition is immediately put to a plebiscite or referendum, in what is called a Popular initiated Referendum or citizen-initiated referendum.
In an indirect initiative, a measure is first referred to the legislature, and then put to a popular vote only if not enacted by the legislature. If the initiative (citizen-proposed law) is rejected by the parliament, the government may be forced to see the proposition put to a referendum. The initiative may then take the form of a direct initiative or an indirect initiative.
In a direct initiative, a measure is put directly to a referendum.
The vote may be on a proposed federal level, statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or local ordinance, or to simply oblige the executive or legislature to consider the subject by submitting it to the order of the day. It is a form of direct democracy.
Project

Contemporary business and science treat as a project (or program) any undertaking, carried out individually or collaboratively and possibly involving research or design, that is carefully planned (usually by a project team) to achieve a particular aim.An alternative view sees a project managerially as a sequence of events: a "set of interrelated tasks to be executed over a fixed period and within certain cost and other limitations".A project may be a temporary (rather than permanent) social system (work system), possibly constituted by teams (within or across organizations) to accomplish particular tasks under time constraints.A project may be a part of wider programme management or an ad hoc structure.
Note that open-source software "projects" (for example) may lack defined team-membership, precise planning and time-limited durations.

Wikipedia

Initiative (adjective)
Serving to initiate; inceptive; initiatory; introductory; preliminary.
Initiative (adjective)
In which initiatives can be brought to the ballot.
Initiative (noun)
A beginning; a first move.
Initiative (noun)
A new development; a fresh approach to something; a new way of dealing with a problem.
Initiative (noun)
The ability to act first or on one's own.
Initiative (noun)
An issue to be voted on, brought to the ballot by a sufficient number of signatures from among the voting public.

Project (noun)
A planned endeavor, usually with a specific goal and accomplished in several steps or stages.
Project (noun)
An urban low-income housing building.
"Projects like Pruitt-Igoe were considered irreparably dangerous and demolished."
Project (noun)
An idle scheme; an impracticable design.
"a man given to projects"
Project (noun)
A projectile.
Project (noun)
A projection.
Project (noun)
The place from which a thing projects.
Project (verb)
To extend beyond a surface.
"extend|jut|protrude"
Project (verb)
To cast (an image or shadow) upon a surface; to throw or cast forward; to shoot forth.
Project (verb)
To extend (a protrusion or appendage) outward.
Project (verb)
To make plans for; to forecast.
"The CEO is projecting the completion of the acquisition by April 2007."
Project (verb)
To present (oneself), to convey a certain impression, usually in a good way.
Project (verb)
To qualities or mindsets in others based on one's own personality.
Project (verb)
To change the projection (or coordinate system) of spatial data with another projection.

Wiktionary

Initiative (adjective)
Serving to initiate; inceptive; initiatory; introductory; preliminary.
Initiative (noun)
An introductory step or movement; an act which originates or begins.
Initiative (noun)
The right or power to introduce a new measure or course of action, as in legislation; as, the initiative in respect to revenue bills is in the House of Representatives.
Initiative (noun)
The right or procedure by which legislation may be introduced or enacted directly by the people, as in the Swiss Confederation and in many of the States of the United States; - chiefly used with the. The procedure of the initiative is essentially as follows: Upon the filing of a petition signed by a required number or percentage of qualified voters the desired measure must be submitted to a popular vote, and upon receiving the required majority (commonly a majority of those voting on the measure submitted) it becomes a law. In some States of the United States the initiative is only local; in others it is state-wide and includes the making of constitutional amendments.
Initiative (noun)
a character trait manifested in a readiness and ability to initiate action; an enterprising spirit; a go-getting attitude; energy; drive; get-up-and-go.
Initiative (noun)
in interactive activities, such as conversation or games, the right or opportunity to set the course of action; as, to have the initiative.

Project (noun)
The place from which a thing projects, or starts forth.
Project (noun)
That which is projected or designed; something intended or devised; a scheme; a design; a plan.
Project (noun)
An idle scheme; an impracticable design; as, a man given to projects.
Project
To throw or cast forward; to shoot forth.
Project
To cast forward or revolve in the mind; to contrive; to devise; to scheme; as, to project a plan.
Project
To draw or exhibit, as the form of anything; to delineate; as, to project a sphere, a map, an ellipse, and the like; - sometimes with on, upon, into, etc.; as, to project a line or point upon a plane. See Projection, 4.
Project (verb)
To shoot forward; to extend beyond something else; to be prominent; to jut; as, the cornice projects; branches project from the tree.
Project (verb)
To form a project; to scheme.

Webster Dictionary

Initiative (noun)
readiness to embark on bold new ventures
Initiative (noun)
the first of a series of actions;
"he memorized all the important chess openings"
Initiative (adjective)
serving to set in motion;
"the magazine's inaugural issue"
"the initiative phase in the negotiations"
"an initiatory step toward a treaty"
"his first (or maiden) speech in Congress"
"the liner's maiden voyage"

Project (noun)
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted;
"he prepared for great undertakings"
Project (noun)
a planned undertaking
Project (verb)
communicate vividly;
"He projected his feelings"
Project (verb)
extend out or project in space;
"His sharp nose jutted out"
"A single rock sticks out from the cliff"
Project (verb)
transfer (ideas or principles) from one domain into another
Project (verb)
project on a screen;
"The images are projected onto the screen"
Project (verb)
cause to be heard;
"His voice projects well"
Project (verb)
draw a projection of
Project (verb)
make or work out a plan for; devise;
"They contrived to murder their boss"
"design a new sales strategy"
"plan an attack"
Project (verb)
present for consideration
Project (verb)
imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
"I can't see him on horseback!"
"I can see what will happen"
"I can see a risk in this strategy"
Project (verb)
put or send forth;
"She threw the flashlight beam into the corner"
"The setting sun threw long shadows"
"cast a spell"
"cast a warm light"
Project (verb)
throw, send, or cast forward;
"project a missile"
Project (verb)
regard as objective