Public Policy Commons^™

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Projecting The Roles Of The Indonesian State Revenue Authority Toward Tax Administration's Performance, Nidya Hapsari, Adhy Kusuma Putra

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

This study analyzes the impact of the Indonesian State Revenue Authority (SRA) on tax ratio and/or tax administration performance. The upcoming establishment of SRA, which is projected to take the semi-autonomous form under the direct command of the President, is part of tax reform in Indonesia. Using interpretive analysis and comparative research methods, the study finds that the idea of merging the Directorate General of Taxes, Directorate General of Customs and Excise, and Directorate of Non-Tax State Revenue into the SRA may contribute positively to increased state revenue and tax administration performance in Indonesia, which fiscal system is characterized by …

Extremely Low-Income Renter Households In The Mountain West, 2023, Anthony Arroyo, Yiselle Olivas Ruiz, Mia Tschan, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Housing & Real Estate

This fact sheet examines data from the 2025 National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) report, “The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Rental Homes,” which reported annual rental housing shortages in the United States. This fact sheet focuses on the number of extremely low-income renter households, affordable and available rental homes, and associated cost burdens in the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

How Can The Adoption Of Biodegradable Packaging In The Beverage Industry Specifically Contribute To Reducing Single-Use Plastic Waste, And What Regulatory Or Cost-Related Challenges Hinder Its Widespread Implementation In Developing Countries?, Rebecca Aba Gaisie

2025 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents

This research investigates the potential of biodegradable packaging to reduce single-use plastic waste in the beverage industry and explores the regulatory and cost-related barriers to its adoption in developing countries. The beverage sector is a major contributor to global plastic pollution, and biodegradable alternatives offer a promising path toward sustainability. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study combines qualitative interviews with industry experts and case studies of businesses implementing biodegradable solutions, alongside quantitative survey data from 100 manufacturers and 200 consumers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Findings reveal that while biodegradable packaging significantly reduces plastic waste and appeals to environmentally …

Turning Farm Waste Into Energy: Pragmatic Approaches For Cleaner Midwestern American Communities, Rebecca Gaisie

Selected or Submitted Student Research Papers/Projects

Mismanagement of farm waste in the Midwest of the United States has resulted in significant methane emissions, water contamination, and public health concerns. The present manure management rules are still inconsistent, underfunded, and insufficient to motivate individuals to behave in a way that benefits the environment, despite increasing concerns about the environment. This policy study investigates anaerobic digestion as a potential means to convert waste into energy that could support rural and environmental development. Some of the problems with the federal and state legislation examined in this study under an EPI framework are a lack of incentives, inadequate technical support, …

The Role Of Affordable Housing In Enhancing Tenants' Economic Stability In Connecticut: A Focus On Income, Employment, And Housing Stability, Osaid Zubi

Dissertations

This study examined the role of affordable housing in promoting economic stability among low- and moderate-income households in Connecticut. Focusing on income security, employment opportunities, and housing retention, this research highlighted the significance of affordable housing as a means to alleviate financial strain, support job retention, and foster community resilience. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, the study gathered insights from tenants, policymakers, and developers through conducting interviews and a focus group. Connecticut was chosen as the study site due to its high cost of living and affordable housing shortage, exacerbated by its proximity to New York City. Findings underscore the economic …

Leading Nonprofit Success Through Collaboration And Partnerships, Lakell Archer, Erica Bassett

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Abstract

Nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in addressing societal challenges, yet they often operate in a competitive environment with limited resources. To maximize impact and long-term sustainability, strategic partnerships and cross-sector collaborations have emerged as essential approaches. This paper explores the benefits of nonprofit collaboration, emphasizing its role in creating strategic advantages, improving service delivery, fostering innovation, and ensuring long-term resilience. The discussion highlights how collaborative leadership is key to overcoming barriers such as competition for funding, misaligned objectives, and trust deficits among partners. By examining real-world examples, the paper illustrates how effective partnerships enhance resource sharing, streamline operations, …

Community Centered Funding Models For Maine, Timothy Atkinson, Jillian Foley, Jane Rooks

Justice Policy

This report is an exploration of literature and frameworks for local community-driven funding strategies to improve Maine’s public health outcomes. The authors present a number of community-led funding theories such as place-based funding models and participatory grant making, examine lessons learned from recent public health events, and discuss reflections from interviews with key stakeholders. The report looks at examples of community-led models and makes recommendations for next steps such as improving collaborative relationships, strengthening peer-to-peer networks, expanding availability of flexible funding that includes backbone support, and conducting a cost-benefit analysis of collaborative community health capacity investment options.

Sweet Lies: Influence Of Food Marketing On Childrens’ Health And The Need For Reform, Mollie M. Warrington

Honors Theses

Markedly, there is heavy marketing of unhealthy food to children. This has become a significant public health concern because of escalating rates of child obesity, which have long-term consequences for physical health and severe mental health repercussions, such as body image concerns and low self-esteem. This thesis explores how food marketing strategies, historically rooted in television ads and evolving through digital platforms, are linked to children's dietary choices and broader public health implications. It analyzes various manipulative tactics, such as digital advertising, influencer endorsement, and gamification, showing how companies take advantage of the cognitive vulnerabilities of children to propagate unhealthy …

Amidst The Frenzy Over Deepseek Ai, Us Federal Science And Tech Policy Is A Mess Of Internal Contradictions, Yujia He

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

The release of the R1 model by the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company, DeepSeek, shocked the US tech industry. Yujia He writes that while DeepSeek’s model may not be quite as superior compared to its competitors as originally thought, the Trump administration has responded to its innovations by further pushing for US leadership in AI. Taking a close look at US research and development policy under the second Trump administration, however, shows the significant disconnect between rhetoric and policy. Federal funding freezes and reduced funding for the National Science Foundation could have dire long-term consequences for research and international cooperation …

The Jamaica Now Leadership Council: A Study Of Stakeholder Participation In The Revitalization Of Downtown Jamaica, Queens, Melva M. Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Urban revitalization in the United States has often been characterized by uneven community development, where marginalized communities bear the costs while receiving limited benefits. This dissertation examines how the dynamics of stakeholder participation impacts the practice of Community Economic Development (CED), focusing on the Jamaica Now Leadership Council (JNLC) as a case study. Formed to oversee the Jamaica Now Neighborhood Action Plan, the JNLC represents a model of inclusive, stakeholder-driven urban development aimed at addressing historical disinvestment and promoting equitable economic growth in Downtown Jamaica, Queens.

The study explores how power dynamics, stakeholder histories, and role expectations shape participation in …

Bolstering The Startup Sector In Palestine And Its Potential Impact On Public Finance, Rabeh Morrar, Rand Jibril

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Objective: This study aimed to analyze of the ecosystem surrounding startups in Palestine in general, with a particular focus on public finance; specifically, how public authorities can enhance the regulatory framework and adopt incentive policies for startups and entrepreneurship to create a positive long-term impact on both the overall economy and public finance. Methodology: The study's methodology primarily involved conducting in-depth interviews with a sample of all stakeholders related to the Palestinian startup ecosystem. This included government entities, relevant public bodies, startups, entrepreneurs, accelerators, incubators, venture capital funds, universities, innovation centers, and legal entities. Results: The study reached several important …

Navigating The Academic Terrain: Examining The Challenges And Success Factors Of Student Veterans In Higher Education Institutions, Katherine Reyes, Corey Idleburg

Education Division Scholarship

This study investigates the academic experiences of student veterans, addressing specific challenges they face in higher education. Using Schlossberg’s adult transition theory, it explores the effects of invisible barriers, enrollment trends, and institutional factors on veteran student success, leveraging the VA’s GI Bill Comparison tool to examine public versus private school support. Findings underscore the need for targeted resources, faculty training, and institutional awareness to foster a supportive and inclusive environment that enhances veteran students' academic success and sense of belonging.

Finding Our Way: Three Studies On The Evolving Role Of Arts Nonprofits In Contemporary Society, Trevor Meagher

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

Arts nonprofits play vital roles in defining the character of a community. However, our collective relationship with these organizations is evolving. This article-based dissertation leverages mixed methods to explore arts nonprofits’ evolving relationship with society.

The first article conceptually analyzes historical trends in arts advocacy in the United States. It explores how the arguments organizational supporters make in the hopes of securing financial and public support have developed and shifted in popularity over the past half-century. These streams are thematically connected through an emphasis on utilitarianism and value-extraction, and they have historically been employed in almost completely static proportion to …

The Causes And Impact Of Evictions In Southern Nevada, Mohit Pande

Student Research

As the Southern Nevada region continues to quickly grow, evictions have become a structural feature of the region’s rental market. The region has one of the highest eviction filing rates in the country and this trend has continued to increase in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. This paper examines the availability of market-rate affordable housing and the expansion of subsidized affordable housing to understand how the local housing conditions contribute to the number of evictions in Southern Nevada. Additionally, the paper studies local legal processes, such as the summary eviction system and habitability procedures, to understand the relationship between …

Assessing Local Public Officials' Roles, Challenges, And Opportunities Encountered When Integrating Newcomers: A Case Study To Evaluate The Cities Of Rochester And Worthington., John Dassou

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

Immigrants’ integration plays an important part in policy concerns and goals in many local governments since it is a major issue for local officials to integrate immigrants and incorporate them into the host community successfully. Concurrently, it is important to know the roles of local public officials, host communities, and immigrants in the process. The purpose of this study is to assess the challenges that local officials face, and how they handle these encounters effectively and efficiently. Greater collaboration between all stakeholders, social cohesion, and collective efforts implies the idea that immigrants’ integration depends on many players and factors. It …

Journey To Well-Being: An Exploration Of Thrivership Post-Domestic Violence, Kader Gumus

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Domestic violence profoundly affects multiple facets of a survivor’s life. While most existing literature on survivorship addresses the immediate aftermath of domestic violence, this study delves into the extended process following the trauma of abuse to attain “thrivership,” a new concept in the scholarly and practice literature that emphasizes enduring well-being and flourishing. This dissertation examines the journeys from surviving to thriving for 13 women who transformed themselves and their lives to achieve well-being after traumatic domestic violence. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was applied to examine the multiple layers of environmental influences on an individual’s development, including the micro, meso, …

Ethical Imperatives For Rational Paternalism In Advisor-Client Relationships, Igor A. Zey

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study seeks to understand the role of ethics and rational paternalism in the practice of financial advising. A significant amount of research examines the effects of rational paternalism on the governmental and institutional levels. Very little research has addressed the issues associated with rational paternalistic behavior by advisors toward their clients. Investopedia (2013) focuses on advisors’ ethics and moral responsibilities, underscoring the ethical standards clients should expect from their financial advisors. However, practically none of the literature examines the ethics, morals, and practical aspects of individual paternalism. In response, this study examines the concept of rational paternalism in advisor-client …

Promoting And Developing Industrial Organic Clusters In Egypt: Case Study Of Damietta Furniture Cluster, Nermen Abdelmoula

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the development of industrial clusters in Egypt, with a specific focus on the Damietta Furniture Cluster, an organic industrial cluster known for its rich tradition in furniture craftsmanship. These industrial clusters, which are primarily composed of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), are characterized by the geographical concentration of interconnected firms and institutions, play a critical role in fostering economic growth, innovation, and competitiveness, particularly in emerging economies. The research explores the key factors affecting the development of the Damietta Furniture Cluster, identifies the challenges it faces, and provides policy recommendations to enhance its growth and global …

The Heterogeneous Effects Of Cannabis Dispensaries On Crime: The Importance Of Foot Traffic, Thomas Lebesmuehlbacher, Justin Roush, Rhet A. Smith

Hunt Institute Working Paper Series

This paper pairs exact dispensary locations with city block level crime data to study the impact of medical cannabis dispensaries on crime in the state of Florida from 2016-2019. Leveraging a Florida state law that requires broadly uniform security provisions across dispensaries, we capture important dispensary heterogeneity by incorporating customer volume and local non-dispensary foot traffic with smartphone geopositional data. We use not-yet-operational dispensary locations as a control group and a geo-spatial difference-in-differences framework and find reductions in larceny, vehicle burglary, and motor vehicle theft following the opening of high-volume dispensaries. We fail to find evidence of similar deterrent effects …

Estimating The Economic Impact Of A Natural Disaster On The Workforce Resiliency: An Analysis Of The Virginia Beach - Chesapeake - Norfolk Metropolitan Statistical Area, Robert M. Mcnab, Yin-Hsuen Chen, George Mcleod

Presentations, Lectures, Posters, Reports

In this paper, we explore the potential economic impacts associated with a major hurricane making landfall in Hampton Roads. We estimate the direct damages from a Florence-like Category 3 hurricane with a 3.6 feet tidal offset are estimated at $15.6 billion, equivalent to 10% of the 2022 regional GDP. If we apply existing flood insurance rates to these projected damages, we estimate that the total economic impact would exceed $12 billion with a short-term loss of more than 76,000 jobs. The job losses are concentrated in sectors that provide services to households which would bear the brunt of damages during …

Raising The Bar: Improving How To Assess Evidence Quality In Evaluating Systems-Change Efforts, Marina Apgar, Thomas Aston, Mieke Snijder, Tom Zwollo

The Foundation Review

Facing the great scale of societal challenges, philanthropic organizations are increasingly calling for systems change. Evaluating systems change requires innovative approaches that respond to the complexities of such change in ways that support equity and multiracial democracy rather than undermining them.

A key concern in evaluating systems change is how to do so rigorously. Rigor has traditionally been equated with evaluative criteria such as independence and objectivity, and experimental methods and evidence hierarchies which sit uncomfortably with both complexity and equity. Yet when taking an alternative approach, many philanthropic organizations fear that without these standards, there are no standards at …

Forest For The Trees: Collective Accountability And Trust As Groundwork For Systems Change, Shaady Salehi, Pia Infante

The Foundation Review

Since 2020, trust-based philanthropy has gained momentum as a strategy to alleviate inherent power imbalances between funders, nonprofits, and the communities they serve. The cornerstone of the approach is a set of grantmaking practices, such as multiyear unrestricted funding and streamlined paperwork, that support nonprofit self-determination toward achieving impact goals.

At a deeper level, trust-based philanthropy is driven by core values that position funders as collaborators and supporters working alongside nonprofits to advance a more just and equitable society. This requires a radically different stance on accountability from conventional philanthropic norms. Rather than reinforcing a sense of one-way transactional accountability, …

Tfr 16.2 Full Issue

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

A Philanthropic Theory Of Systems Transformation For Advancing Equity In The Polycrisis, Michael Quinn Patton, Ruth Richardson

The Foundation Review

The term “polycrisis” calls attention to overlapping, mutually reinforcing, and potentially disastrous trends and crises that are interconnected, like climate change, increasing global inequities, widespread disinformation, pandemic dangers, the ravages of war, and pollution of land, air, and water. Vulnerable and marginalized populations are most directly affected by the intensifying problems that are manifested in the polycrisis.

This article, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of The Foundation Review, invites readers to ponder the risks posed by the polycrisis and how philanthropy might look beyond business as usual to respond to those risks. We review the evolution of philanthropic …

What Practices For Shifting Power Are Core To Advancing Racial Equity?, Kantahyanee W. Murray, Ji Won Shon, Ashley Barnes, Natalia Ibanez, Karuna Sridharan Chibber, Janelle Armstrong-Brown, Elvis Fraser

The Foundation Review

Power-shifting approaches are increasingly being recognized as practical solutions funders can employ to amplify the voice and agency of grant partners and communities, especially those historically under-resourced and marginalized.

Informed by a literature review and interviews with funders, grant partners, and thought leaders, this article describes four common practices for shifting power to advance equity: embed a racial equity lens into the process to shift power; demonstrate a genuine commitment to communities; give grant partners the power to define success; and embrace an internal systems change orientation.

This article explores the capabilities, mindsets, policies, skills, and resource considerations needed for …

Editorial, Hanh Cao Yu

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Advocacy And Bridging Strategies Are Failing On Their Own. Multifaith Nonprofits Embody Six Solutions For A Pluralistic Democracy, Allison K. Ralph

The Foundation Review

This article clarifies a strategic dilemma between bridging difference or advocacy strategies for funders and their grantees seeking social change in the context of polarization, putting it in conversation with social science research on intergroup contact theory, on which bridging strategies are based, and advocacy. Based on a set of interviews and surveys, this article explores how multifaith organizations embody strategies that navigate the contact/advocacy divide.

This article posits that multifaith organizations — those intentionally formed of people or institutions with different faith identities — embody six practices that avoid the false dichotomy of bridging and advocacy strategies: “dual identity” …

Seeding Impact: Shifting From Orchestration To Emergence, Marilyn Darling, Veena Pankaj

The Foundation Review

The 2016 Foundation Review article “Emergent Learning: A Framework for Whole-System Strategy, Learning and Adaptation” talked about what an emergent strategy promises — to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Has this prediction played out in practice? Since it appeared in 2016, what has the growing community of Emergent Learning practitioners learned about what it takes to seed and grow impact?

This article addresses those questions, drawing on interviews with Emergent Learning Community members to illustrate what EL looks like in practice and how it is producing results that are emergent in nature. It …