Nonprofit Administration and Management Commons^™

A Comparison Of Community Development Corporations (Cdcs) In Worcester, Massachusetts, Benjamin L. Gessel

School of Professional Studies

This paper examines the factors that influence the effectiveness of two community development corporations (CDCs) in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Main South CDC is more community-oriented and has a comprehensive approach to improving its neighborhood. Worcester Community Housing Resources (WCHR) has a narrower approach that is limited to developing and financing affordable homes. The paper investigates the success of these two organizations on factors widely considered important for CDCs, including their ability to provide affordable housing, the extent of services they offer, their level of community control, and their financial security

Happening In Plain Sight: An Evaluation Of Sexual Harassment In Municipal Government Through A Case Study Of Newark, New Jersey, Hoween R. A. Flexer, Caitlin R. Louie

School of Professional Studies

In the city of Newark, New Jersey, Sebrevious Scott, a participant in the New Jersey Reentry program was hired as part-time office assistant in the city's re-entry office. After being transferred to the city’s Parks and Grounds Departments, she started being sexually harassed, inappropriately touched and propositioned by her supervisor, Richard Kirkland. Scott made repeated attempts to report these actions through the appropriate channels. She was met with dismissal, resistance, and later retaliation. While working in this hostile environment she was also pursuing a full-time employment opportunity with the city upon the completion of the reentry program. Unfortunately, this never …

Comparative Job Skill Development Initiatives In Northwest Arkansas And Barcelona, Grace Davis

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social innovation strategies are being used around the world to create new avenues to meet the social needs of people that can vary from lack of jobs or food to deforestation and loss of wildlife. In the past, simple donations and corporate programs have made an impact, but there is a new way of creating sustainable and profitable impact through newly introduced strategies that consider society as a whole and allow the perceived obstacle to work as a solution. It is important to first note what social innovation is. Social innovation is the restructuring of philanthropic endeavors by creating sustainable …

Employee Retention Rate, Lila Sorenson

School of Professional Studies

This paper addresses the following problem regarding low employee retention rates in non-profit mental health organizations, specifically at NFI. The problem at hand is that majority of staff at NFI have an average length of stay of one year or less. The purpose of this paper is to address the current problem and hypothesize factors that could impact the low retention rates. Additionally, the purpose of the paper is to brainstorm potential solutions regarding the low retention rates and suggestions of how to implement the solutions. The documents contained in this paper include data analysis of employee average length of …

Wonderfully Made In The Making: A Strategic Recommendation For Growth Opportunities, Kayley Scott

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

I was partnered with a local non-profit organization, called Wonderfully Made, to identify and solve a strategic problem they are experiencing. Wonderfully Made is focused on serving girls of color with special needs. I analyzed internal resources and weaknesses and I researched external factors that affect them. I found that Wonderfully Made needed to explore growth opportunities through a strategic alliance with a college organization, ideally an NPHC sorority at UNO. This would create a mentorship opportunity for the participants in the organization. It would also create growth with minimal time and resources needed from Wonderfully Made’s busy board. If …

Reconnecting And Reengaging In 2021: Building Strong Nonprofit Teams For The Future, The Nonprofit Institute At The University Of San Diego

Nonprofit Sector Issues and Trends

Prepared on behalf of The Nonprofit Institute by Nonprofit Leadership and Management graduate students.

Nonprofit organizations often operate within a good deal of uncertainty, even in good times. During a crisis, organizations may need to quickly implement changes. Nonprofit employers have had to retract, restore, and in some cases, reinvent their human capital management systems and processes to align with the new normal. This document, created by University of San Diego students studying LEAD 505: Developing Human Capital, offers some basic considerations and strategies for nonprofit organizations related to managing their workforce in times of crisis.

Simulating The Cause: How Grassroots Organizations Advance Their Credibility Through The Dramaturgical Curation Of Events, Theodore A. Khoury, Yuliya Shymko, Jacob Vermeire

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

To survive, nascent grassroots organizations—and their respective causes—must earn the trust of various audiences that can impact credibility advancement. However, it can be quite difficult for grassroots organizations to access suitable settings, times, and collocated audiences. One context that can yield this type of access is an event, as it constitutes a rare opportunity for organizations to engage in practices that impact credibility advancement. We investigate how a volunteer-based grassroots organization orchestrates a high-profile event at the United Nations to promote African diaspora entrepreneurs as a valuable force in the mitigation of development challenges in their home countries. We employ …

The Microfinance Experiment: An Evaluation Of Programs And Effectiveness In St. Louis, Maxwell Miller

Honors Scholar Theses

Widespread poverty remains a reality for many in both developed and developing countries. Policymakers, charitable organizations, and entrepreneurs have introduced diverse strategies to provide individuals and communities opportunities to rise from poverty. One such method is microfinance, a system developed by Muhammad Yunus in the early 1970s to provide small loans and financial services to borrowers too impoverished or otherwise lacking in credibility or collateral to be considered by traditional means of credit.

Since its inception, microfinance has spread among other countries to mixed success. While many researchers claim microfinance has proven to be an effective tool to combat poverty, …

Nonprofit Social Media Internships: A Handbook, Allison Laroy

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This thesis examines how nonprofits can best prepare their interns and how interns can best prepare themselves for a role in engaging audiences through social media. Through a literature review on nonprofit social media and internships, a series of qualitative interviews with interns and supervisors, and my own lived experiences as a social media intern, I develop a handbook for nonprofit social media internships. This guide is relevant to the specific experiences of nonprofit social media internships, includes advice on training, mentorship, and best practices, and finally, it incorporates further resources on nonprofit social media that interns and supervisors can …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Single Women, Catherine Martens

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since its formation in the 1700’s, America has been home to varying degrees of discrepancies between social classes, which include assumptions inherently held within these differences. Considering the fact that America was largely built by the hands of human slaves ruled by those with political influence often landowners, social hierarchy has been intricately woven into the fabric of America’s story from the beginning. Despite the progress that has been made to create and advance equal economic opportunity, there is still a considerable lack of social mobility available for those in lower socioeconomic statuses. More specifically, the impact of poverty is …

A Comparative Analysis Of Southern Bancorp And B Corp Community Development Banks, Jace Russ

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Southern Bancorp has helped pioneer community development banks in America. They were one of the first banks to establish themself as a Community Development Financial Institution as well as become a Certified Benefit Corporation. Their mission of serving underrepresented groups in the United States has been a key driver in decisions as well as profits. They have been very successful in pursuing their mission through providing jobs, housing, and financial resources for these groups. In doing so, they have advanced above the vast majority of banks in serving their community. They have also been able to successfully manage operations so …

Coach Bob Hurley Sr.: A Jesuit Educated Heroic Leader, Francis Petit

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to determine if Coach Bob Hurley Sr. (Coach Hurley) was a Heroic Leader. Coach Hurley was the long time Varsity Boys Basketball Coach at St. Anthony’s High School in Jersey City, New Jersey which closed in 2017. Coach Hurley was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. The methods of this research included a historical study of the life and career of Coach Hurley as was captured within the traditional media and academic literature. In addition, the methods of this research also included one-on-one phone interviews that Francis …

Investigating The Relationship Between The James C. Kennedy Center And The Utilization Of The Harvard Policy Model: A Strategic Planning Process, Neely Griggs

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to understand the relationship between the James C. Kennedy Wellness Center and the utilization of the Harvard Policy Model. The Wellness Center in Tallahatchie county, Mississippi has a profound impact in the community by working to decrease the prevalence of preventable diseases, and the Wellness Center’s leadership has decided to engage in the development of a strategic plan. The researchers led the Wellness Center through the first four steps in the Harvard Policy Model of strategic planning. Through focus groups and data analysis, the Wellness Center’s vision and mission statements were re-conceptualized, the core values of the …

Agreement Success Plan, Miranda Holtz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Monterey County Health Department’s Administration Bureau works with contracts and agreements for the Public Health Bureau, which detail what services programs will complete so that they can receive funding or maintain a partnership with the County. The problem was that a large portion of the management analyst’s time was dedicated towards technical support for agreements. The Agreement Success Pan is aimed to increase efficiency by aiding program staff with agreements through a Prezi, which is similar to a self-paced webinar. The project had three phases; interviews of program supervisors or managers, gathering supporting documents, and final launch. Afterward, a questionnaire …

Evaluating Urban Parks Accessibility And Equity: A Case Study Of Hartford, Ct And New Haven, Ct, Natalie Roach, Mara Tu

Honors Scholar Theses

Public parks provide cities with environmental benefits, positive health effects, recreational opportunities, community building, educational spaces, and public amenities. However, certain populations have been systematically denied their fair share of these benefits because of unjust practices in the creation and maintenance of urban parks. With a lens of environmental justice, the goal of this research was to assess park quality and accessibility of two Connecticut cities, Hartford and New Haven, by gathering publicly available information as well as using GIS tools.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) has an existing ParkScore rating system that evaluates the quality of a city’s …

Workforce Assessment: Measuring The Impacts Of Covid-19 On The Maternal And Child Health Workforce, Ashleigh M. Sutphen

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Workforce assessments provide an opportunity to assess, evaluate, and identify the needs of a particular workforce. The use of workforce assessments in the field of maternal and child health (MCH) has been an ongoing and a strongly supported effort by the Health Resources & Services Administration: Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The maternal and child health workforce is responsible for providing essential public health services to some of the most vulnerable populations such as mothers, children, and people living with disabilities. Thus, the continuation of providing these essential public health services is critical – even in the midst of …

Barriers To Succession Planning: A Case Study Of Atlanta Nonprofit Organizations, Adonnis J. Jules

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Succession planning is not a common practice among nonprofit organizations, despite support for its effectiveness in supporting leadership development and providing organizational stability during a planned or unplanned transition. Nonprofits have acknowledged that their leadership ranks are thin, and a leadership transition tends to bring challenges to the organizations when vacancies need to be filled. Barriers exist that prevent nonprofits from engaging in succession planning, but little research has examined the nature of these barriers. This study focused on nonprofit organizations across four different industry sectors to determine the extent of their succession planning efforts and the barriers that exist …

Understanding The Effectiveness Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Initiatives At Youth Summer Camps, Ingrid Hale

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Nonprofit Studies Capstone Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives at camps in creating a community that is safe and inclusive of all participants. Many youth summer camps are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as integral to their values and mission and consider themselves safe spaces for all regardless of their race, religion, or socioeconomic background. DEI should be a matter of concern for any camp, so that it might better prepare its participants to serve as advocates for social justice in society today and in the future. …

Connecting Charities With Creatives: Bridging The Gap Between Local Nonprofit Organizations And University Of Mississippi Students, Natalie Pruitt

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the need for marketing resources among North Mississippi nonprofit organizations and apply the findings to develop and launch a website based on primary and secondary research that connects local North Mississippi nonprofit organizations with University of Mississippi graphic design, marketing, bachelor of fine arts and integrated marketing communication (IMC) students seeking experience to complete various marketing and graphic design- related tasks and develop and implement an integrated marketing plan to promote and raise awareness for the website.

Nonprofits face the challenge of allocating funds from donations to create functional and creative communications …

Extension-Led Demonstration: Grameen Microfinance Methods And Capital Access For Low-Income Female Entrepreneurs, Mark A. Edelman

Journal of Extension

A nonprofit community development financial institution and Extension collaborated to conduct a demonstration project to evaluate efficacy of Grameen peer-group microfinance methodology in addressing barriers faced by low-income women entrepreneurs in a small metro area. Program performance metrics achieved by 284 culturally diverse, low-income entrepreneurs (almost all women) over 5 years included a program loan repayment rate of 99%, increased average client income, bank savings accumulation, and increased opportunities for improved credit scores. Client survey responses indicated program methods developed confidence and skills in finances, leadership, and teamwork. Extension professionals may play various roles in such endeavors.

Bias-Related Attitudes Towards Black Women Of Transgender Experience In Nonprofit, Community, And Government Leadership, Ebony Kirkland

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Nonprofit Studies Capstone Projects

This study examines explicit attitudes and implicit biases that are learned and perpetuated against Black women of transgender experience. These behaviors and beliefs contribute to broader impacts around policy support and community safety. Long-term discrimination against Black women of transgender experience create various disadvantages in social, educational, and economic arenas. The primary research question will explore the ways in which personal and external experiences influence how society responds to Black transgender women. An additional research tool, which will involve qualitative and quantitative data sampling, this researcher will explore the experiences, attitudes and perceived behaviors of both Black transgender women and …

Venturing Into Virtual: A Study Of The Impact Of Virtual Alumni Engagement On The Alumni- Alma Mater Relationship In Higher Education, Leah B. Downey

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Nonprofit Studies Capstone Projects

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States prompted an unanticipated change in the fundamental ways in which alumni relations offices at higher education institutions engage their alumni populations. It necessitated a transition into virtual programming and engagement efforts. The impact of this shift into operating almost exclusively online is relatively unknown, with little scholarly research currently existing on the topic. Following a comprehensive review of the existing literature, this study compared the five-year historical trends in alumni engagement at a small, private liberal arts institution to survey feedback provided by alumni volunteers. Seeking to understand the impact …

The Distribution Trends Of Labor Cost In A Government Organization, Robert Carlos

Public Administration ETDs

This study will research growth in the cost of support personnel in a government organization. It will provide a comprehensive, six-year comparison of costs from Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 to 2020. Furthermore, the study will analyze trends, and provide recommendations for best practices and optimum resource allocation.

Significant management concern has arisen due to the recent trend in rising indirect labor costs. A comparison of indirect and overhead to direct labor costs details a growth trend illustrating the uneven development and inefficiencies in the distribution of labor cost in the directorate.

The cost of labor is rising faster than the …

Research Note: The Frequency Of Third Sector Terms In English-Language Books (Shown In 31 Ngrams), Roger A. Lohmann

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This research note shows 31 Ngrams that tell us a great deal about the history of a variety of key terms used in contemporary third sector research and, in a number of cases, pinpoint the earliest published uses of the terms and their proximity to other, similar terms.

The Financial Impact Of Covid-19 On Nonprofit Organizations, Dr. Charles Harrington

SC Upstate Research Symposium

Abstract — Scholars and practitioners have argued that effective financial management, particularly the development of operating reserves, can help nonprofits survive economic shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a significant impact on the nonprofit sector, provides an opportunity to test whether nonprofits have followed that recommendation, and if so, whether nonprofits with operating reserves were better prepared for the pandemic. Using data from an original survey of more than 600 nonprofit human service and arts organizations, administered when most states had stay-at-home restrictions, we show that most nonprofits experienced an immediate impact on their programs and financing. Yet, those …

The Effects Of Lean Management In Nonprofit Operations, Brandon Diaz

Senior Honors Theses

Many nonprofits desire to serve the segment of society that is helpless or in distress, and this paper seeks to demonstrate that the implementation of Lean management into nonprofit operations aids a nonprofit in accomplishing its vision of service. The goal of this essay is to combine Lean management with nonprofit operations to develop a more sustainable method of managing nonprofit operations. This essay will be written from a Christian point of view, so partnership with the Church will be considered when discussing Lean operations. Lean management is effective in reducing waste and increasing efficiency in nonprofit operations; however, only …

Editorial - Subsistence Marketplaces: Journal, Knowledge-Practice Portal, And Organization, Madhu Viswanathan

Subsistence Marketplaces

Subsistence Marketplaces: Journal, Knowledge-Practice Portal and Organization

Building A Comprehensive Tree Index: Arbor Day Foundation Project, Coleman Cooper, Joe Dawson, Brock Wordekemper, Charlie Kramer, Evan Steinberger, Lauren Leapley

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA and the Tree Campus Higher Education programs create benefits for cities and colleges all over America by following the standards set forth in the application to the programs. The Arbor Day Foundation can use the insights received from this application to capitalize on this data and create value for the partner organizations.

Our recommendations to create value for the Arbor Day Foundation are:

1) Create a uniform Arbor Day Foundation Tree Index to apply to college campuses in Tree Campus Higher Education

2) Expand the use of the Arbor Day Foundation Tree Index …

Exploring Shared Leadership And Multi-Organizational Collaboration In Sport For Development And Peace, Seungmin Kang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Although multi-organizational collaborations have become a trend in the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) sector, existing research remains limited to collaborations between two organizations. Further, researchers continue to report managerial challenges of the multi-organizational collaborations and emphasize leadership as a key component for achieving desired outcomes in SDP collaborations. Thus, the purpose of this research was to explore the role of shared leadership in multi-organizational SDP collaboratives. Three research questions guided this study to explore the role of shared leadership through the lived experiences of SDP practitioners: (a) How is leadership shared between members in multi-organizational SDP collaboratives?, (b) …

How Billionaires Explain Their Philanthropy: A Mixed-Method Analysis Of The Giving Pledge Letters, Hans Peter Schmitz, George E. Mitchell, Elena M. Mccollim

School of Leadership and Education Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

This study investigates a discourse about billionaire philanthropy established in letters submitted by 187 of 209 signatories of the Giving Pledge. The philanthropy of the wealthy is gaining increasing public attention and is subject to growing criticism, which demands additional study of how the wealthy collectively explain their generosity. The mixed-method analysis finds a strong emphasis on education and health causes and identifies two distinct and coherent rationales for being generous. The majority of letters express a social–normative rationale, consisting of two prevailing explanations: an expressed gratitude and desire to “give back” (1) and references to family upbringing as a …