http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=52085

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announces the availability of $750,000 in grant funds for three-year awards to
recruit, train, and support college students to assist state and local governments in the administration of elections by serving as
nonpartisan poll workers or assistants.

http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=2mFKLNsTGyvXpLPydJJnc4BV1ZgGpt3TmVN97SSxgyMqhLynqXGF!-1519482301?oppId=52144&mode=VIEW

The Citizenship and Integration National Capacity Building Grant Program offered through the Office of Citizenship (OoC), within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will provide up to $2,500,000 in federal funding to eligible national, regional, or state-wide organizations with multiple sites to build capacity among their local affiliates/members to promote immigrant integration through direct citizenship services to legal permanent residents (LPRs). An anticipated five (5) competitively awarded grants of up to $500,000 each will fund national, regional, or state-wide organization program management activities, as well as organizational capacity building and technical assistance to local affiliates/members to build or strengthen local citizenship preparation programs.

http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=2mFKLNsTGyvXpLPydJJnc4BV1ZgGpt3TmVN97SSxgyMqhLynqXGF!-1519482301?oppId=52147&mode=VIEW

The Citizenship and Integration Direct Services Grant Program offered through the Office of Citizenship (OoC), within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will provide federal funding to eligible organizations to promote the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Competitive grants fund of approximately $4,500,000 will support the expansion of citizenship services in communities nationwide.Grant activities shall focus on promoting the rights and responsibilities of citizenship through citizenship education and naturalization preparation programs for legal permanent residents (LPRs). Proposed activities must include a citizenship education component consisting of citizenship or civics-focused English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction and citizenship instruction (U.S. history and government) to prepare LPRs for the civics, English reading, writing, and speaking components of the naturalization test. In addition to the mandatory citizenship education component, grant funds may be used to provide naturalization application preparation services, including legal services (within the scope of authorized practice of immigration law) and case management services to support the naturalization application and interview process. Grant funds may be used for outreach to inform LPRs of services offered through this grant-funded program and for staff professional development and volunteer training. Grants will be awarded to organizations proposing citizenship education services only, as well as to organizations proposing both citizenship education services and naturalization application preparation services.

…the national technology contest was developed by North Carolina Campus Compact to highlight and increase college student volunteerism on MLK Day, one of two federal holidays designated as a day of service.

>> Read the full article at Appalachian State University News

Effective management and leadership in the nonprofit sector requires both an understanding of the basic principles of nonprofit organization and associated management challenges (covered in PAFF 551) and familiarity with current debates that are changing how they operate (PAFF 552).

The purpose of PAFF 552 is to introduce students to a range of challenges facing nonprofit organizations and to identify approaches that nonprofit practitioners and academics have proposed for addressing those challenges.

PAFF 552 is an “Issues” course, intended to introduce students to a range of topics. This year, as last year, I have organized the course to address the role philanthropy plays in the nonprofit sector. The course has a central service learning component, the distribution of grants to local nonprofit organizations, with funding from Campus Compact/Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, South Central New York Community Foundation and fundraising by students and alumni.

The course will involve close collaboration with the Social Work course, Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities, which also meets on Tuesday afternoons. The two classes will meet together periodically for discussions and presentations by outside speakers. One team assignment and organization site visits will involve members of both classes working together. In addition grantmaking decisions will be a shared process involving both classes.

Course Goals

1. To review the role of nonprofit organizations in the United States and the context within which they operate (theoretical explanations for nonprofit organizations, tax and legal setting, etc).
2. To introduce students to various forms of institutional philanthropy, how they operate and their strengths and limitations.
3. To review strategies and concerns related to grant making, including accountability, performance measurement, capacity building and relevant data analysis.
4. To introduce students to innovative approaches to nonprofit work, emphasizing marketization and social entrepreneurship.
5. To expose students to similarities and differences in the approach to nonprofit organizations in social work and public administration.

Course Knowledge & Skill Objectives

Upon successful completion of PAFF 552, students should be able to:

1. Discuss theories that explain the reason for a nonprofit sector and the implications of those theories for management;
2. Demonstrate critical thinking and writing skills;
3. Identify current and historic approaches to philanthropy, their strengths and weaknesses and their impact on nonprofit organizations.
4. Assess what information is useful in evaluating nonprofit organizations and requests for funding, with particular attention to accountability, capacity and data analysis.
5. Identify emerging debates in philanthropy and nonprofit management and relevant sources of information about them.
6. Identify and discuss differences in approaches to nonprofit organizations in social work and public administration.

I have organized the course content to cover this material in several blocks or units:

Week 1-2: Nonprofit Sector Role and Context and the Philanthropy Incubator
Weeks 2-6: Philanthropy, its Institutional Mechanisms, Strategy
Weeks 6-10: Management Issues in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations.
Weeks 11-14 Emerging Approaches to Philanthropy and Nonprofit Work

Course Timeline

The distribution of funds to local nonprofit organizations is central to this course. To complete the process of assessing organizations and making grants requires careful adherence to deadlines. I have summarized below key course milestones:

Timeline for Key Philanthropy Incubator Milestones

• Feb 9: Focus Area Selected
• Feb 23: Draft RFP
• March 2: Finalize and Distribute RFP
• March 23: RFP Due, Final Proposal Evaluation Rubric Developed
• April 6: Initial Review of Applications
• April 6-20 Site Visits
• April 20 Funding Decisions
• May 4 Awards Ceremony

Required Texts

I require two books for purchase. Other reading will be available through the BU library (e-journals), on electronic reserve, from websites (links provided) or handed out.

Texts for Purchase:

Fleishman, J. (2007). The Foundation, A Great American Secret: How Private Wealth is Changing the World (Paperback Ed.). New York: Public Affairs

Frumkin, P. (2006). Strategic Philanthropy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press:

Discussion expectations:

In pursuit of critical thinking, students are strongly encouraged to adhere to the following principles:

• Recognize the difference between reason and emotion, thinking and feeling;
• Build arguments with evidence, not feelings.
• Realize that reason and critical thought are necessary inside and outside of the classroom.

Given these principles, the goal for this class is to emphasize civil discourse, establish fact-based viewpoints, and engage in focused discussions, rather than win arguments or engage in verbal altercations.

Assignments

1) Class Participation (20 points)

Because students must work together in this class to accomplish a collective goal, class participation in this class is a more significant portion of your final grade than in other courses I teach. Participation is essential for creating an effective grants program.

Reading assigned material and participating in class discussion is central to success in this course. Readings are to be completed in preparation for class on the date listed. These are to be read by ALL students. The readings will serve as the starting point for lecture, discussion, the application of concepts, and the practice of essential skills. Readings and assignments have been selected to introduce students to issues in philanthropy that will make it possible for students to act as effective grantmakers. Students are expected to come to class having read the assigned readings and prepared to discuss those readings. Students may be called upon to lead discussions or explain sections of the readings without prior warning.

Class participation will be evaluated based on the contribution you make to class sessions and the work of the Philanthropy Incubator. I will assign participation grades at four points during the semester (after weeks 4, 8, 10 and at the end of the semester).

2) Team Work (30 points total—15 team, 15 individual)

Students will work in teams across classes. The teams will be responsible for the major elements of the Philanthropy Incubator project: choosing a focus, designing an RFP, establishing criteria for evaluating proposals, conducting and reporting on site visits and analyzing proposals. Team members will receive both individual and team grades. Each team member will be responsible for one component of the team project; however, the full team will have responsibility for providing input and feedback to that team as he/she develops that element.

At each point in the semester when one of the components is due and the class must make a decision about its grantmaking process, three teams will present their recommendations (I expect there will be six to seven total teams). Teams that do not present will be asked to respond to the team presentations, adding any ideas that are substantially different from those presented. Each team will be responsible for two formal presentations over the course of the semester.

At the end of the semester students will assess the contribution of their team members to the work of the group and determine the distribution of five points of the other team members’ grade.

Team work will involve the following components:

• Each member of the team will be responsible for making recommendations for one elements of the Philanthropy Incubator. (15 points):
  • Focus Area Recommendation. Develop a recommendation for the area on which the Philanthropy Incubator should focus. Use data about community needs to make your recommendation. (Due February 9th)
  • Request for Proposal. Design an RFP for the Philanthropy Incubator; provide a rationale to accompany it that explains your choices. (Due February 23rd)
  • Evaluation Tools. Develop a rubric for evaluating proposals. Provide a rationale to accompany that explains your choices. (Due March 23rd)
  • Site Visit Report. Provide an analytic report about what you learned on your visit(s) to grant applicants. (Due April 20).
• Analyses of Final Proposals. (10 points). Each group will be assigned a set of final proposals to review and analyze. (Due April 20th)
• Team Participation (5 points)

3. Course Reflection Papers (50 points)

Every week, students will be responsible for a one-to-two page, single-spaced reflection on the reading for the week. Questions for the reflection will be posted the week before. Reflection papers will be due at the beginning of each class session.

To generate a dialogue about course issues, I have set up a course blog. The address for the blog is: http://buphilanthropyincubator.blogspot.com. Students will be responsible for posting all or parts of their reflections on the course blog, This blog is private and only available to students in PAFF 552, SW525, CCPA faculty and administrators and selected stakeholders (such as project funders). I will enter your names as blog authors to allow you to post.

Students may post on the blog at ANY time; however, you must post to the blog at least three times during the semester. In addition, ALL students must comment on the blog at least once a week. I will provide you with a posting schedule at the second week of class. If you are scheduled to post on the blog, you must make your post by the Saturday before class to provide other students with the opportunity to respond to your post.

I intend the reflection papers to provide you with an opportunity to engage with the course reading material and reflect on how those concepts relate to the issues we discuss in class. Your primary sources for your reflection papers are course readings, discussions, presentations from outside speakers, and if appropriate other scholarly writing or current events related to philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. I will evaluate reflection papers based on how well they address the reflection question, their engagement with the course reading, the use of evidence (based on experience, data or other reading) to support arguments and how well they demonstrate the ability to apply theoretical concepts to the practical work of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy.

Class Schedule, Reading and Assignments

Date Topic Reading P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment Possible Speaker

Jan 26 Nonprofit Sector Overview

Philanthropy Incubator Overview

Public Administration/ Social Work Values and Ethics Students4Giving Materials
Review Students4Giving Application, available under course materials on BlackBoard.

Review Fidelity charitable gift fund website: www.charitablegift.org

“The Nonprofit Sector in Brief.” Use hyperlink or available at: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411664_facts_and_figures.pdf

Read: The Looking Glass World of Nonprofit Money: Managing in For-Profits Shadow Universe, Clara Miller, http://www.nonprofitfinancefund.org/docs/The%20Looking%20Glass%20World%20of%20Nonprofit%20Money.pdf

Fleishman, Chapter 2: The Third Great Force: America’s Civic Sector

Recommended (for students who have not had PAFF 551):

Salamon, Nonprofit Sector Overview (on e-reserve). List of Eligible Grantees

Feb 2 What is philanthropy?

Landscape of American Philanthropy

Selecting a Focus Area Frumkin, Introduction

Fleishman, Introduction and Preface

Video: The Grantmakers Role: http://www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageID=608

Shared Reading/Discussion: Scanning the Landscape: Finding Out What’s Going on. Available at: http://www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?pageId=627. (Free registration required.)

Feb 9 Role of Philanthropy

Selecting a Focus Area
Frumkin, Chapter 1

Fleishman, Chapters 1, 3
Focus Area Selected

Feb 16 Institutional Philanthropy

Foundations
United Way Complete foundation tutorial “Foundations today” available (with free registration) at the Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org):

After registration, access tutorial at: http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/ft_tutorial/

Boris, E. (1998). Foundations. In J. Shafritz (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Public Policy and Administration (pp. 928-935). Boulder, CO: Westview.

Frumkin, Chapters 2-3

Ostrower, F. Limited Life Foundations: Motivations, Experiences and Strategies. Available at the Urban Institute website: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411836_limitedlifefoundations.pdf

Feb 23 Strategy and Effectiveness in Philanthropy
Fleishman, Chapters 4-6
Frumkin, Chapters 4-5

Center for Effective Philanthropy Beyond the Rhetoric: Foundation Strategy, at http://strategy.effectivephilanthropy.org

Using Competitions & RFPs, available at: http://www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?pageId=631 (registration required).

Draft RFP

March 2 Emerging Forms of Philanthropy and Approaches to Strategy

Donor Advised Funds, Giving Circles Frumkin, Chapters 6-8

Review “Giving Circles Network” website (www.givingcircles.org), particularly “About Us,” “Knowledge Center” and “Giving Circle Central.”

“Donors Turn to Giving Circles as Economy Drops,” available at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104151828

Review Fidelity charitable gift fund website: www.charitablegift.org

Kramer, M. (2009). Catalytic Philanthropy. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 7(4), 30-35
RFP Finalized and Distributed

March 9 Accountability
Fleishman, Chapter 9

BBB/Wise Giving Alliance Standards
Review the assessment for two to three nonprofit organizations. Select at least one that does not meet the standards

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Standards of Excellence

Recommended:
Benjamin, L. (2008). How accountability requirements shape nonprofit practice. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 37(2), 201-223.

March 16 Organizational Data Analysis and Grant Making

Review Charity Navigator website. (www.charitynavigator.org) and article “Six Questions to ask Charities Before Donating,” available at: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=28

Charity Navigator: Methodology (all navigation bar elements) Available at: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=33

Tuckman, H. & Chang, C. (1991). A methodology for measuring the financial vulnerability of charitable nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 20, 445-460.

Greenlee, J. & Trussel, J. (2000). Predicting the financial vulnerability of charitable organizations. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 11(2), 199-210

Lammers, J. (2003). Know your ratios? Everyone ELSE does. Nonprofit Quarterly, 10 (1), 34-39.

“Five Questions for Tom Pollak” available at: http://www.urban.org/toolkit/fivequestions/TPollak.cfm

March 23 Performance Measurement and Effectiveness in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations
Frumkin, Chapter 10

Fleishman, Chapter 15

Herman, R. & Renz, D. (2008). Advancing nonprofit organizational effectiveness research and theory: Nine theses. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 18(4), 399-415.

Easterling, D. (2000). Using outcome evaluation to guide grant making: Theory, reality and possibilities. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 29, 482-486.

Carson, E. (2000). On foundations and outcome evaluation. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 29, 479-481.

Campbell, D. “Provider Perceptions of Feedback Practices in Nonprofit Human Service Organizations.” (On Blackboard). Proposals Due

Criteria for Evaluation Presented and Discussed

March 30 No Class: Spring Break

April 6 Making Site Visits

Collaborative Decision Making “Developing a Site Visit Program,” available at https://www.cof.org/templates/311.cfm?itemNumber=16027

“Why We’re Sold on Site Visits,” available at: http://www.cof.org/files/Documents/Family_Foundations/Site%20Visit%20Companion/Why_We’re_Sold_on_Site_Visits.pdf

“The Truth About Site Visits,” MN Council on Foundations, available at: http://www.mcf.org/Mcf/forum/1999/sitevisit.htm

Site Visit Worksheet: available at: http://www.cof.org/files/Documents/WebNotebook/July2003/Grants/Sample_Site_Visit_Worksheet.pdf

Sample Site Visit Evaluation: http://www.cof.org/templates/311.cfm?ItemNumber=16518

Sample Site Visit Checklist:
Available at: http://www.cof.org/templates/311.cfm?ItemNumber=16517
Initial Evaluation of Proposals

Proposed sample site visit evaluation forms.

Site Visits Assigned

April 13 Social Enterprise and Innovation in the Nonprofit Sector Eikenberry, A. (2009). Refusing the Market: A Democratic Discourse for Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 38(4), 564-581.

Phills, J., Deiglmeier, K., & Miller, D. (2008). Rediscovering Social Innovation. Stanford Social Innovation Review, available at: http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/rediscovering_social_innovation

Review the Rockefeller Foundation’s Initiative: Advancing Innovation Processes to Solve Social Problems. Available at: http://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/what-we-do/current-work/advancing-innovation-processes-solve

Select and listen to two Social Innovation Podcasts

“Scaling a Social Enterprise through Crowdsourcing” available at: http://sic.conversationsnetwork.org/series/socialEntrepreneurship.html

“Patient Capital and the Solution to Poverty” available at: http://sic.conversationsnetwork.org/series/philanthropy.html

April 20 Site Visit Reports and Analyses

Collaborative Decision Making Award Decisions Completed

April 27 Debates and Discourse in Philanthropy
White House Social Innovation Fund. Review draft “Notice of Funding Availability,” on reserve.

Philanthropy Blog Analysis. Select two of the blogs listed earlier in the syllabus and read through the posts from January 1 through this class day. Come prepared to discuss: a) What are the primary concerns of this blogger over the recent four months and how have readers responded; b) How does that content related to the issues we’ve discussed in this class; c) How do you evaluate the arguments made by the blogger and his/her respondents?

May 4 Dinner and Reflection Awards Ceremony

The serious philanthropist must think and work strategically —building a deep understanding of the specific social issues of interest and community context and dynamics, identifying the highest potential leverage points and relevant resources, building relationships with a range of stakeholders, negotiating the intersections between donor interests and community need, balancing innovation and experience, understanding legal issues, creating a robust investment strategy with clear goals and aligned actions, considering long-term exit strategies, designing and implementing impact evaluations, assessing potential partner organizations and plans, and monitoring and supporting grantee organizations.

This course will engage students in the conceptual frameworks and research regarding philanthropy, social change, and organizational dynamics; as well as concrete practice in designing and implementing a philanthropic strategy. Students will work in teams to investigate a particular community concern, design an investment strategy, recommend the investment of grant dollars, and set up the means to evaluate the outcomes of that investment.

Course Goals

• Engage in the sociological, social, cultural/moral, organizational, political, strategic, and other dynamics of social change and philanthropy.
• Build students’ understanding of how to engage with a local community, including cultural context and diversity, community-defined needs, relationships, and capacity.
• Deepen students’ understanding of a particular content area and its expression in the community (e.g., education, health care, poverty, etc.).
• Develop skills in designing, implementing, and articulating strategies and initiatives and measuring the impact of those strategies; and practice the basic tools and processes of philanthropy.
• Further students’ ability to synthesize theory and practice, and integrate academic knowledge and community experience.

Course Requirements/ Criteria for Success

• Class attendance, participation, and leadership
• Full engagement in and contribution to one of two issue teams
• Full participation in community visits as scheduled
• Integration of content from readings into class discussion and assignments
• Rigorous completion of assignments listed below

Assignments and grading

Your course grade will be determined through the following items, with relative weighting as shown.

Individual work

• Class presentation and participation (15%). At least once during the semester, you will be asked to open the class with a 10 min. analysis of the reading assignment and its relevance to the work of the class.
• Individual paper on impact of $10,000 in funding (10%).
• Final individual reflective essay (10%): three page paper showing evidence of learning from the course, taking one of the following forms:
  • Reflection on the assumptions you brought into the class—how did your thinking change as a result of the readings, discussion, and grant work?
  • Reflection back on the RFP that was developed—what worked, what you would do differently
  • Examine what you have learned about philanthropy from the standpoint of nonprofit community-based agencies. What new insights have you gained from the class? What pros and cons can you identify to seeking money from foundations?

Team work

• Best practices presentation (5%)
• Team paper (20%): synthesizing the research base on the social issue the team is investigating and its context in Providence—how is the issue being addressed and by whom, and what are the gaps in terms of programs, policies, etc. You might think of this as a briefing paper on the issue, which would frame the strategy your team will take (approx. 10 pages).
• • Team-based grant strategy (40%):
  • logic model—description of goals to be addressed, research base informing the strategy components, specific types of actions to be funded, intermediate outcomes, and long-term outcomes;
  • “request for proposals,” with structure and content modeled on best practices identified by the team;
  • list of organizations to be invited to apply, or plan to communicate funding opportunity;
  • evaluation plan to measure impact of grants to be made;
  • “board” presentations at mid-semester and end of semester;
  • “diarist” role reflecting on the work of your team.

Required Texts

• Fleishman, Joel L. The Foundation: A Great American Secret. New York: Public Affairs, 2007.
• Frumkin, Peter. Strategic Giving: The Art and Science of Philanthropy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006.
• Healy, Kieran. Last Best Gifts: Altruism and the Market for Human Blood and Organs. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006.
• King, Samantha. Pink Ribbons, Inc.: Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006
• Other readings as assigned.

Note: Specific class schedule may subject to change based on guest speaker availability.

Overview of philanthropy, strategy, and local context

Thurs., Sept. 10 – First class meeting

Lecture/discussion: Course overview and expectations; History and landscape of philanthropy

Tues., Sept. 15
Lecture/discussion: Philanthropic strategy development and logic models

Readings:
• The Foundation, chapters 1-6
• Strategic Giving, chapter 6 (Logic Models)
• Bernholz, Lucy. “Flying Over Philanthropy,” Stanford Social Innovation Review, January 8, 2008. http://www.ssireview.org/opinion/entry/802/ (LINK/OCRA)
• Foundation Center. “Foundation Giving Trends,” http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/nationaltrends.html (LINK/OCRA)

Assignment: Group best practices assignment: look at foundation guidelines, RFPs, principles, and compare across the range of philanthropic types – private, family, community, large corporate, government, social entrepreneur/”new philanthropy.” Each group will present their findings at the next meeting (5-7 mins. each).

Thurs., Sept. 17
Lecture/discussion: Discussion of foundation best practices

Readings:

• The Foundation, chapters 10-11
• Porter, Michael E. and Mark R. Kramer, “Philanthropy’s New Agenda: Creating Value,” Harvard Business Review, November-December 1999 (OCRA)
• Singer, Peter. “What Is a Human Life Worth,” New York Times Magazine, December 17, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/17/magazine/17charity.t.html (LINK/OCRA)

Tues., Sept. 22
Community visit: Making Connections Providence

Assignments — to be discussed:

• Team Research Paper, due October 1
• Individual Paper on ‘What can $10,000 do?’ due September 29

Thurs. Sept. 24
Lecture/discussion: Demographics, issues and dynamics in Providence

Readings:

• Mayor’s Poverty, Work, and Opportunity Task Force report (OCRA)
• Providence Plan website, www.provplan.org (LINK)
• RI Kids Count 2009 Factbook (OCRA)

Tues., Sept. 29
Individual Paper Due

Lecture/discussion: Nonprofit capacity building and impact

Readings:

• McKinsey & Company. Effective Capacity Building in Nonprofit Organizations. Reston, VA: Venture Philanthropy Partners, 2001 (familiarize yourself with their capacity framework and capacity assessment grid). http://www.vppartners.org/learning/reports/capacity/full_rpt.pdf (LINK/OCRA)
• “Organizational Development,” Chapter 3 in R.J. Chaskin, P. Brown, S. Venkatesh and A. Vidal (eds.), Building Community Capacity. Aldine de Gruyter, 2001, pp. 61-91 (GOOGLE BOOKS/OCRA)
• Huang, Judy, Phil Buchanan, and Ellie Buteau. In Search of Impact. Cambridge: Center for Effective Philanthropy, 2006 http://www.effectivephilanthropy.org/images/pdfs/CEP_In_Search_of_Impact.pdf (LINK/OCRA)

Assignment: Logic model/RFP, due October 6.

Thurs., Oct. 1
First Draft of Team Paper Due

Lecture/discussion: Measurement and Evaluation

Readings:

• Urban Institute Outcome Indicators Project, http://www.urban.org/center/cnp/Projects/outcomeindicators.cfm (LINK/OCRA)
• Kramer, Mark R. Measuring Innovation: Evaluation in the Field of Social Entrepreneurship. Boston: FSG, 2005, http://www.fsg-impact.org/app/content/ideas/item/353 (LINK/OCRA)
• Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. Random Assignment in Program Evaluation and Intervention Research: Questions and Answers. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, 2003. (OCRA)

Tues., Oct. 6
Lecture/Discussion: Class presentation of logic models and RFPs
Revise for Thursday class presentations.

Thurs., Oct. 8
Board Presentation of Logic Models and RFPs

Fri., Oct. 9
Grantmaking Note: RFPs issued – proposals due back to teams Nov. 6.

National context, trends, and approaches

Tues., Oct. 13
Discussion: National trends and highlights; media coverage and disclosure

Readings:

• Ten Questions for Philanthropy, SSIR Blog, http://www.ssireview.org/opinion/entry/ten_questions_for_philanthropy/ (LINK)
• Reich, Rob, “A Failure of Philanthropy,” Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2005 (OCRA)

Thurs., Oct. 15
Lecture/discussion: Philanthropic impact through policy

Readings:

• Greene, Jay P., Comments from American Enterprise Institute conference, “With the Best of Intentions: Lessons Learned in K-12 Education Philanthropy,” April 25, 2005. (TBD)
• Young, Dennis R. “Complementary, Supplementary, or Adversarial? Nonprofit-Government Relations.” Pp. 37-79 in E.T. Boris and C.E. Steuerle (eds.), Nonprofits & Government Collaboration & Conflict. The Urban Institute Press, 2006. (GOOGLE BOOKS/OCRA)

Tues., Oct. 20
Final version of Team Paper due

Community visit to Making Connections Providence

Thurs., Oct.22
Lecture/discussion: Philanthropy and Activism

Readings:

• •King, Samantha. Pink Ribbons, Inc.: Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006 (BOOK)

Tues., Oct. 27
Lecture/discussion: Community foundations: community voice, transparency, and impact

Readings:

• The Foundation, chapters 9 and 13
• The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector’s “Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice: A Guide for Charities and Foundations” – reference edition. http://www.nonprofitpanel.org/ (LINK/OCRA)
• Strom, Stephanie. “Charity’s Share From Shopping Raises Concern,” New York Times, December 13, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/us/13giving.html (LINK)
• Packel, Amanda & Rhode, Deborah. Ethics and Nonprofits. Stanford: Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2009 (OCRA)

Thurs., Oct. 29
Lecture/discussion: Social construction of need

Readings:

• Healy, Kieran. Last Best Gifts: Altruism and the Market for Human Blood and Organs. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006.

Tues., Nov. 3
Lecture/Discussion: Technology and the next generation of philanthropy

Reading:

• Packel, Amanda & Rhode, Deborah. Ethics and Nonprofits. Stanford: Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2009 (OCRA)
• Haven, Cynthis. “Small Change, Big Payoff”. Stanford: Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2007. http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2007/novdec/features/kiva.html#topofpage (LINK/OCRA)
• Braiker, Brian. “Facebook-ing Philanthropy”, Newsweek, 2007. http://www.newsweek.com/id/62168 (LINK/OCRA)
• “Contribute’s Tech 10: Reshaping Altruism”, MSNBC 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22652656/ (LINK/OCRA)
• http://www.globalgiving.com/
• Flannery, H et al. “Online giving Trends 2008”. Target Analytics, 2008. (OCRA)
• Kramer, Mark. “Catalytic Philanthropy”. Stanford: Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2009. (OCRA)
• Kramer, Mark and Sarah Cooch. “The Power of Strategic Mission Investing,” Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2007. (For full report including extensive data, see: Cooch, Sarah and Mark Kramer. Compounding Impact: Mission Investing by US Foundations. Boston: FSG Social Impact Advisors, 2007. http://www.fsg-impact.org/app/content/ideas/item/485) (OCRA)
• Sirull, Beth. “Private Equity, Public Good,” Stanford Social Investment Review, Fall 2007. (TBD)

Thurs., Nov. 5
Lecture/discussion: Perspectives on Philanthropy

Readings:

• Strategic Giving, chapters 5 and 8
• Bailey, Jeff. “Daddy Givebucks”. FastCompany, 2009. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/138/daddy-givebucks.html (LINK/OCRA)

Fri., Nov. 6
Grantmaking note: Organization proposals due back to teams

Tues., Nov. 10
Lecture/discussion: Class discussion of proposals

Teams prepare follow up questions for organizations.

Thurs., Nov. 12
Lecture/discussion: Social Entrepreneurship

Readings:

• Drayton, Bill. “15 minutes with Bill Drayton”. Stanford: Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2004. (OCRA)
• Light, Paul. “Social Entrepreneurship Revisited”. Stanford: Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2009. (OCRA)
• http://www.ashoka.org
• http://www.echoinggreen.org/
• http://www.genv.net/

Tues., Nov. 17
Lecture/Discussion: Philanthropy, Policy and Government

Readings: TBD

Assignment: Final Individual Paper, due 12/10

Thurs., Nov. 19
Lecture/Discussion: Corporate Citizenship
Guests: Kathleen Finn, New England Program Manager, IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs; Cheryl Kiser, Managing Director, Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship

• IBM corporate citizenship report, http://www.ibm.com/ibm/responsibility/ibm_crr_downloads/pdf/2008_IBMCRR_FullReport.pdf
• GE Corporate Citizenship Report, http://www.ge.com/files_citizenship/pdf/reports/ge_2008_citizenship_report.pdf
• Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship site, http://www.bcccc.net
• Davis, Gerald F., Marina V.N. Whitman, and Mayer N. Zald. “The Responsibility Paradox,” Stanford Social Innovation Review, Winter 2008. http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_responsibility_paradox/
• Foundation Center. “Key Facts on Corporate Foundations,” http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/keyfacts_corp_2007.pdf
• Epstein, Gene. “Charity Has Its Rewards for Generous Companies,” Wall Street Journal Sunday/Providence Journal, Jan. 7, 2007.
• http://independentsector.org/mission_market/index.html

Global context, Proposal review process

Fri., Nov. 20
Grantmaking Note: Organizational responses due back to teams, prep for board

Tues., Nov. 24
Team presentations on site visits

Tues., Dec. 1
Grantmaking/discussion: class discussion of board materials

Assignment: Prepare board presentation and materials

Thurs., Dec. 3
Board materials due in hard copy and electronic form, ready for circulation to board

Lecture/Discussion: Global Public/Private Partnerships

Readings:

• Center for Strategic and International Studies – Seven Revolutions: http://7revs.csis.org/sevenrevs_content.htm
• http://www.worldchanging.com/about/
• NGOs and the Millennium Development Goals, chapter 6 –The Politics of Global Partnership (TBD)

Tues. Dec. 8
Team presentations to Board, class debrief, follow up with all applicants

Thurs. Dec. 10
Final Class Session
Individual reflective essay due
Resources on RI and Providence issues:

• General Providence data: www.provplan.org, www.mcprovidence.org (research, maps, and resources link)
• Global issues: http://7revs.csis.org/sevenrevs_content.html
• Arts & culture: www.providenceri.com/ArtCultureTourism/
• Children/youth: www.rikidscount.org, http://www.dcyf.state.ri.us/
• Community development/resident leadership: www.mcprovidence.org
• Economy/jobs: www.riedc.com/riedc/ri_databank, www.dlt.ri.gov/lmi/data.htm
• Government/public sector: www.providenceri.com, www.ri.gov
• Housing/homelessness: www.housingworksri.org
• Poverty/policy: www.povertyinstitute.org
• Public Health: http://www.health.ri.gov/data/index.php
• Public Schools: www.ride.ri.gov/RIDE/Data.aspx, www.infoworks.ride.uri.edu/2007/default.asp, www.providenceschools.org
• General advocacy and policy resources, particularly related to adult education but including other issues: www.brown.edu/lrri/advocate.html.

Websites relevant to Nonprofits, NGOs and Philanthropy (courtesy of Prof. Stanley Katz, Princeton Univ.):

General sites:

• Idealist.org: www.idealist.org (clearing house for nonprofit ideas and news)
• NonprofitHub.com: www.nonprofithub.com (very large list of links, broken down by category; some broken, some frivolous)
• Urban Institute: www.urban.org (general social and economic policy research institute, withsection devoted to nonprofits and philanthropy)
• Guidestar: www.guidestar.org (basic data about nonprofits organization- including organization’s tax Form 990 images; free registration required)
• Independent Sector: www.independentsector.org (broad-based coalition dedicated to improving America’s third sector)
• Harvest Today: http://www.harvesttoday.org (nonprofit and philanthropy news and information service)
• Annotated Bibiliography and Resource List on “Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy, and Fundraising Publications”: http://www.fundraisingschool.it/foto/doc/TFRSbibliography.pdf.

On philanthropy:

• EPhilanthropyFoundation.org: www.ephilanthropy.org (organization dedicated to promoting online philanthropy; includes ezine)
• Ashoka: www.ashoka.org (organization supporting social entrepreneurship, with sectiondedicated to nonprofits and philanthropy)
• Philanthropy News Digest: http://fdncenter.org/pnd (Foundation Center’s online newspaper)
• American Association of Fundraising Counsel: http://www.aafrc.org (Organization dedicatedto professionalizing and ensuring ethical behavior amongst philanthropies)
• The Philanthropic Initiative: http://www.tpi.org (TPI offers strategic services tophilanthropists)
• American Institute of Philanthropy: http://www.charitywatch.org (general purposephilanthropy website, including ratings of organizations)
• Nonprofit Management Education Center: http://www.uwex.edu/li/learner/sites.htm (large listof links to a variety of third sector related sites)

On foundations:

• Foundation Center: www.fdncenter.org (database on foundations, for both students and practitioners of philanthropy)
• Foundation Center’s international philanthropy page:http://fdncenter.org/research/npr_links/npr08_int.html
• Council on Foundations: www.cof.org (membership organization of foundations providing information, expertise and advice to foundations and general public)
• Minnesota Council on Foundations: http://www.mcf.org (includes a variety of non-Minnesota links, especially under “Links of Interest”)

On NGOs, US and international:

• Duke University Non-governmental Organizations Research Guide: http://docs.lib.duke.edu/igo/guides/ngo (includes very comprehensive list of NGOs, including international ones, with weblinks)
• Boardsource: http://www.boardsource.org (dedicated to NGO development, especially ofboards and their members)
• Global Policy Forum: http://www.globalpolicy.org/ngos/index.htm (GPF monitors UN policymaking; this page relates to the UN and NGOs)

“Philanthropy can be both a potent vehicle through which public needs are met and an instrument for the expression of private beliefs and commitments” - Peter Frumkin, Strategic Giving, 2006

The roots and impact of philanthropy runs deep in American history and culture and the role of philanthropists and philanthropic organizations is pervasive in contemporary American society. The interplay and interrelationships between donors and nonprofit organizations will be the focus of this course. It will examine trends and issues impacting philanthropy. This will include a critical look at the growth and role of nonprofit institutions, their relevance and whether they are organized appropriately and have the flexibility and temperament to take on significant issues and problems. It will look at the changing relationships corporate, foundation and individual donors seek with nonprofits and the influence and impatience of the charitable donor who is asking for more accountability and documented results.

Increasingly, donors want to be engaged in their funding of nonprofits, have a role in how their contributions are used and see that their contributions have an impact on community need. Discussion will focus on what motivates donors, how results can be measured and what information matters to donors. Key questions to be addressed will be: Does the highly engaged donor have a more positive impact on the institution funded than the more passive giver? Donor rules and regulations: more or less, what works best? Why are donors impatient? Given all that has been invested in services to date, why have community conditions been slow to change? What changes do nonprofits have to make (to program, staff, boards) to meet the changing demands of donors?

Course Objectives

The course has been designed to support students’ acquisition of a range of knowledge and specific skills related to philanthropy and philanthropic practice.

Knowledge

• To understand the role of philanthropy in contemporary American society and how the history of philanthropy has helped shape current practice.
• To understand the trends and issues which are impacting philanthropy and nonprofit organizations.
• To understand the growth and impact of nonprofit institutions.
• To understand how the expectations of corporations, foundations and individual donors for concrete measurable results are impacting the management and governance of nonprofits.
• To understand those principles, standards and practices which can significantly enhance the value, role and impact of nonprofit organizations.
• To understand the value of strategic partnerships among philanthropic and nonprofits organizations.
• To understand the fundamental values and motivations which characterize different donors and philanthropic organizations.

Skills

• To acquire basic skills in building productive relationships with donors, in asking for funds and in managing fundraising appeals.
• To acquire skills in critically examining the contemporary role of nonprofits and to identify those new or modified principles, practices and strategies which could significantly improve the impact of these institutions and increase their competitive advantage in raising funds.
• To acquire basic skills in managing and distributing donated funds. This will include:
  • Setting goals, priorities, policies, procedures, forms and process for decision-making and distribution of funds received.
  • Development of a “request for proposals” and marketing this with potential nonprofit applicants.
  • Development of procedures for assessing and evaluating proposals.
  • Notifying recipients of grants.
  • Tracking and measuring impact of grants made.
  • Protocols for investing funds.

Values

• To help students define their own values, goals and roles as current and future donors and philanthropists and relate this to their own philosophies of service and to their responsibilities, not only “as productive citizens serving in their own society and the greater world community,” but also as members of the one human family “that proceeds from its one Creator.” (Quotations from the Mission Statement of Providence College)

Note on Course Content

This course will be build around a seminar format with maximum emphasis placed on developing a learning community among course participants – instructor and students. Philanthropy 470 was first offered in the spring semester 2008. Last year’s experience has shaped and refined the course for 2009. In addition, the Fidelity/Campus Compact grant (see below) adds a new practical dimension to the course. Because of this Philanthropy 470 is still a work in progress. It is anticipated during the course that syllabus changes will be made based on class discussion, student interests and the decisions made on implementing the grants program and related fund raising. In addition, adjustments will be made in the Course Outline to accommodate schedules of visiting speakers and visits to the United Way of Rhode Island and The Rhode Island Foundation.

The course will balance readings and discussions on philanthropy with practical service-learning skill-development experiences. Because of the grant from Fidelity/Campus Compact, up to $15,000 is available for student-directed grants to community-based nonprofit organizations. In turn, students will be expected to design and begin to implement fund raising plans to sustain this fund. Students will lead planning and decision-making in each of these tasks and will in fact serve as a board of directors of the Making a Difference Fund (MAD).

Required Texts

Wagner, David. What’s Love Got to Do with It? A Critical Look at American Charity. New York. W.W. Norton & Company. 2000

Clinton, Bill. Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World. New York. Alfred A. Knopf. 2007

A Readings Packet has been prepared and will be distributed to the class. In addition other articles and handouts will be handed out in class or the links to other articles and resources posted on the class website on Angel.

Course Requirements

(1.) Postings on Discussion Forms (15% of grade)

• Periodically throughout the semester students will be asked to post in discussion forms on ANGEL reflections on specific class discussions and readings and answers to specific questions which will later be discussed in class. Students may also be asked to comment on others student postings.

(2.) Essays (30% of grade)

Three essays will be required. Each should be no shorter than four full pages and no longer than six full pages (double- or 1.5-spaced, 12 point, MSWORD).

• Essay #1: Will require that each student research a particular foundation and detail its approach to distributing funds. Details to be announced.
• Essay #2: Will require that each student research a particular nonprofit organization or NGO (nongovernmental organization) and detail its approach to funds development. Details to be announced.
• Essay #3: This will be the final requirement of the course due when final exam would have taken place. Topic and details to be announced.

(3.) Class project (40% of the grade)

• There will be two-part project focuses on planning and implementing a fund distribution program and developing and beginning to implement a fund raising program for the Making a Difference Fund (MAD) in which the whole class will participate. This requirement is focused on supporting students’ acquisition of knowledge and specific skills related to philanthropy and philanthropic practice. The class will be divided into groups to accomplish these tasks.

Fund Distribution:

• Meet with community organizations and residents in the Smith Hill neighborhood.
• Determine priorities for funding, write a request for proposal, and use the network of contacts developed to promote availability of funds.
• Refine criteria and process for judging proposals.
• Determine finalists for grants. Visit these organizations.
• Announce final decisions and work with the college, Campus Compact and Fidelity to promote these decisions.

Fundraising:

• Refine fund raising plans to sustain the MAD donor advised fund.
• Review these plans with the Institute, and PC’s development office and administration and seek their advice and support.
• Meet with Feinstein/Department Alumni Group to seek their support.
• Design and launch an initial fund raising appeal.

Details on this assignment will be presented in class and shaped by class participation and decision-making.

(4.) Seminar Participation (15% of grade)

• The seminar format requires maximum participation of all involved will be required. Discussions will be informed by reading, student research, speakers and exercises in philanthropic practice. To be a true learning community, each participant has a responsibility and obligation to attend and participate fully in the course. Each should come to class every day and should be prepared to discuss the readings assigned for that date. Just showing up to class certainly is important, but active engagement of everyone is expected in discussions, presentations, and exercises, and by asking questions or providing insights.

The following factors are important:

• Attending class regularly.
• Demonstrating familiarity with, understanding of, and thoughtfulness about readings and experiences in discussion.
• Actively participating in and facilitating class discussions.
• Completing special assignments.
• Actively participating in Angel forums.
• Completing all written assignments on time.
• Cooperating fully as a group member in all group assignments.

Course Outline

Date Topic Readings & In class
(Always check Angel for updates) Out of class assignments

Week One
Jan. 20 Course Overview, & Background Syllabus
Jan. 22 - Report (to be distributed) and Presentation
- Workshop on Making a Difference Fund

• Appointment of Groups
• Design of Grants Process
• Tools & Resources
• Schedule for Grant Review and Grant Making

Week Two
Jan. 27 Perspectives on Charity and Philanthropy
Angel/Lessons/Web Links Readings
- Slate: How to Give Away a Million Dollars
Giving: Chapters 1 & 2 pp 3-31
Reading Packet:
- The Four Traditions of Philanthropy
- Big Gifts: Tax Breaks and a Debate on Charity
- Wealth and Philanthropy: Who Gives and Why Post by 8AM on Jan. 27 on Discussion Forum the answer to these questions: If you had a million dollars to give, who would get it? Why?
Jan. 29 What’s Love Got To Do With It? pp: 1-14 (Intro), 46-115 (Chapters 2, 3 & 4) Post by Jan. 28 at 8AM a reflection on Discussion Forum on this reading.

Week Three
Feb. 3 What’s Love Got To Do With It? pp. 117-180 (Chapters 5, 6 & 7) Post by Feb. 2at 8AM a reflection on Discussion Forum on this reading
Feb. 5 Grantmaking: The proposal process and the logic model Angel/Lessons/Web Links Readings:
- Kellogg Foundation Guide to the Logic Model Read Introduction pp 1-14
- The Foundation Center: Proposal Writing Short Course

Week Four
Feb. 10 Foundations

Angel/Lessons/Web Links Readings/The Foundation Center Readings:
- What is a Foundation?
- Highlights of Foundation Giving Trends

Feb. 12 The Nonprofit Sector Reading Packet:
- The Resilient Sector, The State of Nonprofit America.

Giving: Chapters 3,4,5,6 pp 32-87

Angel/Lessons/Web Links Readings:
- Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice: A Guide for Charities and Foundations
- Rhode Island’s Nonprofit Sector: More than Charity

In class PowerPoint: Trends and Issues in Nonprofit Sector
Week Five
Feb. 19 Perspectives on Charity and Philanthropy Angel/Lessons/Web Links Readings
Strategic Giving: The Art and Science of Philanthropy, Introduction pp 1-28

Donor Advised Funds
Week Six
Feb. 24 Workshop Workshop on Making a Difference Fund

• Group Reports
• Refine Plans for Grant-Making/Applications Process
• Review and Approve issuing Request for Proposals
• Review and Approve Lists of Invitees Essay #1 due

(Foundation Report) – Post on Discussion Forum

Post Summary Group Reports Feb 23, 8AM
Feb. 26 Corporate Giving Reading Packet:
- Survey on Wealth and Philanthropy – The Economist
- The New Powers In Giving Reading
- What’s Wrong with Profit

In class videos:
- Timberline & City Year
- Bill Gates & Warren Buffet on Charlie Rose Show

Week Seven
March 3 Foundations (continued)
&
Trends in Philanthropy Discussion of student research on foundations

Reading Packet:
The Monitor Group: Looking Out for the Future: An Orientation for Twenty-First century Philanthropists
March 5 Visit to RI Foundation (tentative)
SPRING RECESS
Mar. 7 to Mar. 16
Week Eight
March 17 Presentation by Fund Raising Professional (tentative)
March 19 Visit with United Way of Rhode Island (tentative)

Week Nine
March 24 Fund Raising Basics Angel/Web Link Readings/Joyaux Associates:
- Creating the Most Effective Fund Development Program in your Organization
- Key Roles in Fund Development
- The Donor-Centric Pledge
Angel/Lessons/Web Link/Readings
- The Secrets of Their Success

Workshop: Sustaining the Making a Difference Fund

• Review of Plans to Sustain Making a Difference Fund

March 26 Workshop Grantsmaking Workshop:

• Review of Proposals – Brief summaries presented
• Make initial rankings
• Identify potential questions for applicants
• Plan for visits with finalists Essay #2 due on a nonprofit organization and its development efforts. Post on Discussion Forum

Week Ten
March 31 Current Donor Strategies Giving, Chapters 7,8,9, pp 109-151
Reading Packet:
- Marching with a Mouse
- You, Too, Can Be a Banker to the Poor
- Extra Helping, Kiva.org
April 2 Giving, Chapters 10, 11, 12, pp 152-203
Reading Packet:
- Bracing for Lean Times Ahead
- The Sin in Doing Good Deeds

Week Eleven
April 7 Celebrities as Philanthropists: Does it work? Angel/Lessons/WebLinks/Readings:
- Bono: Commencement Speech at U Penn 5/17/04
- Traub, James. The Statesman, New York Times Magazine, September 18, 2005
- Angelina, Mia and Bono: Celebrities and International Development

Week Twelve
April 14 Grant Decisions: Report and Recommendations on Grants

April 16

Week Thirteen
April 21 Grant Decisions: Reports and Recommendations on Grants
April 23
Week Fourteen
April 28 My Role as a Philanthropist Giving, Chapter 13, pp 204-211
April 30 Learning Circle: “Take Aways”

Lester M. Salamon articulates the key educational and community challenge facing us today, “The central challenge, particularly the central management challenge, confronting efforts to solve our pressing societal problems is to prepare people to design and manage these immensely complex collaborations and networks that we increasingly rely on to address our public problems.” Salamon, L. (1998). “A field whose time has passed?” In M. O’Neill & K. Fletcher (Eds.), Nonprofit Management Education. (Pp. 137-145). Westport: Pager Publishers.

Course Description: This class is an advanced seminar in nonprofit leadership. Seminars are defined as, “a group of supervised students doing research or advanced study” (Webster’s New World Dictionary, Third College Edition). Students taking this seminar have a unique opportunity to experience grant-making. We received a grant from Campus Compact and Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund for $15,000 to regrant to nonprofits in Kalamazoo County. We also received $3,000 to execute our plan (mailings, rental of space for event, etc.) Stipulations of our grant are: we must study, determine and prioritize human needs in Kalamazoo County; we must issue requests for proposals to appropriate agencies; we must review proposals, interview and visit agencies; we must decide how next year’s students will determine whether the money was spent effectively; and we must determine who and how much money each agency/program is given and announce publicly our selections. (We do not need to give all the money away this year.) In order to accomplish this we will learn consensus decision-making; study various community indicators, learn how to read 990s and financial statements, listen how local foundations make granting decisions, research best practices in the priority areas, study grant writing best practices, as well as read and discuss ways of measuring impact.

There will be lots of choices in this seminar but the following is nonnegotiable:

1. Attendance counts. The work is sequential. You will not be able to make good decisions if you have missed crucial classes and that is not fair to other students and not fair to the people anxious for our grants. If you are not present in a seminar you not only deprive yourself of valuable information and a voice in the decision-making process but you will deprive others of your experience and expertise. More than two absences will affect your grade. There are no excused absences.
2. Respect counts. Respect means you come on time, turn off your cell phones, do not use lap tops unless it is part of the learning or discussion, do not begin to pack up before the end of class, do not leave the room during class, do not have side conversations during class, do not sleep, do not work on other projects during class. Any of these behaviors will result in your being asked to leave the class and having that class count as an absence.
3. Consensus counts. All decisions will be made by modified consensus decision-making.

Required Texts
Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers by Thomas A. McLaughlin

The Insider’s Guide to Grantmaking by Joel J. Orosz

Kids Count in Michigan Data Book 2007 by Michigan League of Human Services

Various articles that will be place in e-reserve in WMU Library.

Course Objectives
By the end of the semester, the student will:

1. understand and use consensus decision-making.
2. become a problem solver. Problem-solving involves the following key steps: defining the problem and key issues; researching the problem, issues and potential solutions; identifying the assumptions and values underlying the problem and its possible solutions; breaking the problem apart; imagining unique solutions; developing a consensus on possible solutions; creating an experiment to check out the solutions, generalizing and finally explaining the potential solution to all involved.
3. learn how to read statistical reports and tie the information to your decisions.
4. learn about the demographics in Kalamazoo County and be able to research information in other geographic locations.
5. build local and regional partnerships with the nonprofit community.
6. learn how to research best practices.
7. learn the processes that organizations use to collaborate.
8. understand the importance of financial planning, policies and monitoring and be able to read and interpret financial statements.
9. learn best practices for grant writing and how to effectively critique grants.
10. articulate theories for measuring impact.

Course Grading
10% Issue Essay-Submit a 2-3 page essay identifying the issue or organization that you would fund if the decision was yours alone. Why is this issue or organization important to you or to society? What is the data that supports your argument about the need? How will addressing this issue make a difference in the world? How would $15,000 make a difference? Be sure your essay has a thesis and support for your thesis. Essays will be read by entire class so be prepared to be called upon to share your rationale with the class. This assignment is similar to writing the problem or need statement in a grant proposal. You will be graded on whether you convince me that this is a problem I should fund.

30% Essay on why the class should or should not fund the agency assigned to you.

This essay must begin with research on your organization. Visit the website of your organization, print the information about your nonprofit from Guidestar (particularly the 990), do the ratios from the book, Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers, determine who “owns” the nonprofit (funder supplying the majority of their revenue), their overhead expenses as opposed to what they spend on program. Check Charity Navigator http://www.charitynavigator.org to see what they say about your nonprofit. Go to http://www.kpl.gov, local information, and type in the name of the organization to find out information from the Kalamazoo Public Library. If you find there are articles from past issues in the Kalamazoo Gazette you will need to go to the central library and use the microfilm to read them.

Research the best practices of programs addressing the issue of your local program, if it’s a program to prevent homelessness what practices have been shown to be successful at preventing homelessness? (Note-research librarians, agency staff, national nonprofit websites, journals, etc. may be helpful.) Use American Psychological Association Style Guide for citations.

Finally summarize your site visit and interviews with staff and participants in your paper.

Outline of paper might look something like:

1. Introduction and Thesis
2. History
3. Financial Analysis
4. Comparison of Service provided by agency to best practices
5. Summary of interviews and site visit
6. Conclusion

Use American Psychological Association (APA) manual for citations.

• 5% Agency Submitted RFP
• 15% Presentation of your agency to class
• 10% Class Preparation and Participation
• 5% Understand and Use Consensus Decision-Making
• 10% Responsible for at least five people’s (beside yourself) attendance at the grant presentation. This means at least five ticket sales.
• 15% Facilitation of one class or event assignment

Present your chapter in an interesting format, some possibilities include guest speaker, experiential exercise, role play, discussion, PowerPoint. Relate your chapter to our grantmaking. Summarize the key points especially those points relevant to our grantmaking.

If you have chosen an event assignment rather than class facilitation you will be graded on execution of your assignment i.e. number of people attending event, beauty of decorations, quality of music and its appropriateness, smoothness of event program, interaction with Senior Services staff, evaluation of participants etc.

1/6 No Class (Most of us will be a AHMI)

Consensus Decision Making
1/8 Introduction to Eachother
Read Syllabus
Sign up for class facilitation
Introduction to Consensus Decision Making (CDM)

1/13 Introduction to CDM
Reading that must be completed by today: Kid’s Count Executive Summary, Introduction, and Selected Healthy People 2010 Focus Areas, Data Notes, and Kalamazoo County (pps.2-27,106-107, 198-200)

Needs in Kalamazoo County
1/15 Basic Statistics Presentation
Reading for today: Maps of Kalamazoo County (found in library electronic reserves) on Physical/Mental Health, Self-Sufficiency, Strengthening Community, Strengthening Families and Youth. Emergency Service Guide, Youth Out-of –School Time Guide, Youth Mentoring Guide all found at (http://www.gryphon.org/)

1/20 Panel on Needs in Kalamazoo County
Bev Riley, Planning and Program Development Director, Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Jeffrey H. Brown, Executive Director, Poverty Reduction Initiative Denise Hartsough, Community Investment Director @ GKUW, Linda Vail Buzas,
Reading for today: Poverty in Kalamazoo County 2006 and 2008 Update

1/22 Narrow funding focus
Issue Essay Due Today-Bring enough copies for everyone in the class.

1/27 Decide Priorities-Research Agencies fulfilling those priorities
Bring Laptops
For today read classmates issue essays

1/29 Send out Requests for Proposals
Overview of Foundations
Carrie Picket-Erway?
For today read prologue and chapter 1 (pps1-37) in Insider’s Guide

Grant Analysis
2/3 Building Relationships Presentation
For today read Chaps 2 & 3 in Insider’s Guide (pps 38-65)

2/5 Proposal Review Presentation
For today read Chaps 4 – 6 in Insider’s Guide (pps 66-129)

2/10 Site Visit Presentation
For today read Chap 7 in Insider’s Guide (pps 130-142)

2/12 Writing the Funding Document and Managing the Project Presentation
For today read 8, 10, 11 in Insider’s Guide (pps 143-195)

2/17 Beyond the Money (Leveraging and Policy) Presentation
For today read Chap 12 and 13 in Insider’s Guide (pps 196-231)

2/19 Grant-Making Ethics Presentation
For today read Chap 15 and Epilogue in Insider’s Guide (pps 252-280)

2/23 RFPs DUE TODAY at 5 P.M.

Financial Analysis
2/24 Financial Management Presentation
For today read Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers, Chap 3-4

2/26 Financial Management Presentation
For today read Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers, Chap 5

2/27-3/8 Spring Break

3/10 Financial Management Presentation
For today read Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers, Chaps 6-7 Chaps 11-12
Read all RFP’s

Decision-Making
3/12 Agency Programs, Financials, and Management Presentations

3/17 Agency Programs, Financials, Management Presentations

3/19 Interview with Finalists

3/24 Decision Making

3/26 Decision Making

3/31 Financial Management Presentation
Finalize Plans for Program and Food
For today read Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers, Chap 11-12 and 17

4/2 No class during regularly scheduled time. Meet at Senior Services at 3 p.m. to set up. Plan on staying until 7 p.m.

Evaluation
4/7 Evaluation of Event

4/9 Evaluation for Grantees
E-reserves: Using Logic Models (McLaughlin & Jordan)

4/14 Evaluation for Grantees
Readings to be announced

4/16 Evaluation for Grantees
Readings to be announced

Exam week-Individual appointments to evaluate semester’s work.

Class Deliverables:

1. Issue Essay
2. Agency research, interview, paper and presentation.
3. Recruit at least five people to come to the presentation and sell five tickets.
4. Fulfill individual responsibilities at the workshop.
5. Read and participate in class discussions.
6. Lead 20-30 minutes of class or work on specific area of event.

Event Deliverables:
Food, Set Up and Clean Up
Entertainment (Quiet Music)
Decorations
Speaker (Short) and Short Program
Big Check
Ticket Sales
Evaluation of Event and Class Presentation
Write Request for Proposal (RFP)
Classroom Deliverables:
Classroom set up and break down

The WiCC AmeriCorps*VISTA programs enrolls 35 passionate AmeriCorps*VISTA members each year in our program. Our VISTAs are placed on college campuses and in community organizations working on projects that are addressing poverty issues in a variety of ways. Our two (2) VISTA Leaders are crucial to the success of our VISTA members. The VISTA Leaders help to plan trainings (in-person and through the use of technology), recruit members, solve problems, connect VISTA members to resources and best practices, among other things. The VISTA Leader positions are housed in the WiCC main office centrally located in Madison. The VISTA Leaders travel on a regular basis to visit the 35 VISTA members across the state. The VISTA Leaders work closely with the WiCC VISTA Program Director to create a successful experience for all 35 WiCC VISTA members.

WiCC is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering civic engagement and service-learning among college students and their campuses. Our VISTA projects all work to build a bridge between the campus and community. They do this through a variety of projects such as: Campus Kitchen which gets otherwise unused food to those that desperately need it, developing community gardens to provide fresh food to food pantries and community members, developing after school science clubs to expose youth to fun science activities, creating mentoring and tutor projects, and engaging faculty and students in service-learning projects that train students to prepare taxes for low-income families. This is just a small sampling of the projects are VISTAs engage in. If you are passionate about national service, volunteerism, service-learning apply today!

The VISTA Leaders will have office space in the heart of Madison, WI, a free bus pass, a living stipend of $1091 a month and a choice of $5,350 education award or $3,000 cash stipend. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the positions will be filled as appropriate.

An ideal VISTA Leader will be innovative, patient, people-person, who loves to solve problems and feels comfortable working on a computer. Applicants MUST have one year of experience of VISTA prior to starting the position. The position start date is flexible. Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter explaining why they want to serve as a VISTA Leader to:

Francesca Smith
WiCC AmeriCorps*VISTA Program Director
432 N. Lake St Rm B121B
Madison, WI 53706
francesca.smith {at} uwex(.)edu

www.wicampuscompact.org

To acknowledge the time and effort involved in the preparation of applications, the minimum award amount to nonprofits is $1,000. Faculty members receive additional support through the Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement. The Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project involves students in systemic evaluation efforts and has been collecting data since its inception in 1999.

Through a competitive process, $5,000 grants are awarded to college courses infused with a philanthropy component to provide students with the intellectual knowledge and practical experiences needed to manage philanthropic funding. Each course awards $4,500 to local nonprofits (501(c)3) as chosen by the class and $500 may be used by the course for administrative expenses.

Students in the course identify community needs and research the nonprofit sector through interviews and site-visits in an effort to select local nonprofit organizations that meet that need. Students issue and evaluate RPFs and engage in a group decision-making process to award funds. In addition, students are required to serve at least 15 volunteer hours with a nonprofit agency during the course.

Participating campuses can apply for funding for up to 4 courses and must demonstrate institutional commitment through the formation of a campus team. The campus team is made up of the following roles: the campus liaison, a development officer, a community liaison, and all participating faculty. At the end of each term, participating students, faculty, and community partners complete an assessment in an effort to advance knowledge and practice in the area of student philanthropy.

Funding for Pay it Forward is made possible through the generous support of the Corporation for National and Community Service: Learn and Serve America.

Students have the ability to designate investment pools for the money and make recommendations for grant awards. Only Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)3 public charities are eligible to receive funding. The Gift Fund provides general account maintenance services and services related to verification of tax exemption for recommended nonprofits free of charge.

Students determine the philanthropic mission for DAFs, conduct community needs assessments, design and issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and make award determinations. Each class is asked to distribute between 50-75% of the fund, with a focus on retaining some funds for additional cycles and on replenishing accounts. The intention of the program is to provide colleges with a vehicle for charitable giving that can be used as an educational tool for the long term. To acknowledge the additional resources necessary to successfully incorporate a giving component into a course and administer a grant competition, the Gift Fund also provides colleges with a $3,000 administrative stipend.

Participating colleges have a team of people involved in the project including campus communications directors, development directors, faculty, and students. Each college is also required to provide a letter of support from the president. Colleges participate in common evaluation efforts and efforts to collect and disseminate best practices.

Other Readings
Spradley, James. 2000[1970]. “You Owe Yourself a Drunk” (optional text)
**There will also be readings and other resources posted online which you can access via Blackboard

Course Objectives and Learning/Service Learning Expectations

• Examine American culture from an anthropological perspective
• Identify the relation between ideals of American culture and people‘s diverse realities as Americans develop strategies and tools for researching American culture on a community and neighborhood level apply research tools and strategies for studying American culture to addressing specific research
• Questions and needs as defined and articulated by the designated community partner develop a portrait of American culture and/or an American cultural experience as an ethnographic and/or ethnohistorical research paper for public presentation.

In this course we will examine American culture from an anthropological perspective. The aim of the course will be to develop profiles of American culture that reflect everyday realities of living in America
as articulated by specific community partners engaged in researching social-cultural; social-economic; and/or social-historical issues specific to their communities. Various sources will be consulted and methods used in formulating community specific profiles and portraits of American culture including readings, films, archival research, ethnographic fieldwork, ethnographic interview, and personal experiences. Throughout this process and our analysis we will strive to research, examine, and interpret American culture‘ in a way that juxtaposes our ideals and assumptions regarding what America‘ is against the many diverse experiences of Americans as articulated on a community level.

At the conclusion of the course, students will produce a final research project including a research paper and presentation profiling an aspect of American culture from an anthropological perspective as derived
through active participation in a community partner defined and mutually agreed upon cultural research and/or historic preservation project in a designated community (i.e., the Tampa Bay area community of Sulphur Springs). The expectation is that in completing this exercise in researching and studying American culture on a community level, students will take important insights into whatever profession they go on to pursue in the future. Additionally and equally important, at the conclusion of this course, community partners will be able to advance their articulated cultural research and historic preservation agenda in specific and quantifiable ways. Overall, my desire is that this course will be a win-win for both students and community partners.

Service Learning as an Applied/Directed Research Project
This is course is being conducted as a service learning as a directed research project. Students will be partnered with a lead researcher (i.e., faculty and/student mentor) and will participate in an ongoing community cultural heritage research or historic preservation project This approach focuses on teaching students to critically analyze American culture from an anthropological perspective through classroom learning and through direct application of qualitative research methods, such as ethnographic and ethnohistorical research. Students work with a designated Community Partner and are expected to actively participate in helping the community conduct research and/or implement specific research initiatives as defined by the community partner. Projects could include but are not limited to:

1. Sulphur Springs Heritage Project – active participation in an ongoing community and heritage research project including: collecting oral histories using a range of ethnographic techniques and audio visual options; creating multi-media educational materials; participating in community heritage preservation meetings &activities; website design; collecting and preserving historic photographs; participating in historic building designation fieldwork, and doing library & other archival research in support of the Sulphur Springs Museum and Heritage Center. *Student research will be directed by: Dr. Antoinette Jackson (USF), Dr. Susan Greenbaum (USF), and tbd graduate student researchers/mentors. Community partner, Mrs. Norma Robinson will define and review the research products as service learning deliverables.
2. Collaborative Research and Community Empowerment—active participation in community partner directed research projects focused on heritage preservation and quality of life activities through folk art and youth programs; capacity building activities; and community engagement and empowerment initiatives s aimed at facilitating cohesion among diverse population segments (i.e., DARE). Alternatively, students may participate in community heritage research projects, including conducting ethnographic and ethnohistorial research outside the Tampa Bay area as defined/determined by the Instructor and designated Community Partner.

What other kinds of activities do you envision?
Tampa has a rich and varied history consisting of many cultures and cultural influences. Much of Tampa‘s history and heritage remains to be researched, documented, and/or preserved. Join us as we work directly with the the Sulphur Springs Museum and Heritage Center as they lead their community in a variety of heritage research and preservation activities. This project will give students a chance to:

1. Participate in a community project;
2. Learn about American culture from an anthropological perspective
3. Potentially earn research dollars through the Office of Undergraduate Research;
4. Gain qualitative research methods experience and
5. Apply research skills and knowledge to helping address Community partner defined/articulated research needs.

Possible activities include: collecting oral histories and interviewing long term residents of the historically African American community of Spring Hill—a neighborhood of historic Sulphur Springs, Florida which remains to be documented and included in the history and heritage of Tampa in the public forum using previously collected ethnographic and oral history data to create multi-media educational materials including website and/or curriculum design perusing historic and/or private photo collections in order to find and catalog historic photographs of significance to the community searching old newspapers, city directories, and census data records to help build previously undocumented profiles of Sulphur Springs and/or communitiesparticipating in historic building designation fieldwork by finding, researching, and cataloging buildings/houses/churches with possible historic significance working with GIS experts to create community maps and cultural resource inventory profiles participating in heritage preservation and quality of life activities through folk art and youth programs developing grant proposals.
1) Class Participation (25%)

• Lead at least one class discussion
• In-class exercises
• Field trip(s)
• Attendance
• Readings/film reviews – tbd by instructor
• Extra Credit

2) Final project paper plus presentation (50%)

• Final written research paper
• Public delivery/presentation of final project research paper and deliverable to community/community partner

3) Cultural heritage and/or historic preservation directed research project participation (25%)

• Develop proposal outlining agreed upon final project deliverables with Community partner
• Participate in a qualitative research project/study
• Commit to 6 hour minimum research activity per week with/for community partner (i.e., fieldwork, archival work, ethnographic interview, oral history, participant observation, genealogy/kinship work, …).
• Maintain a research journal
• Turn in weekly field reports (be prepared to share your weekly experiences with the class via the class discussions area of blackboard or during our class discussions)
• Complete final project deliverables per agreed upon proposal

Class Participation

• Written synopsis/analysis of assigned readings (10 pts each)
• Each assigned review should be 1-2 pages (typed and double-spaced) in length. For each review in addition to stating the main point of the article, you should list/discuss specific aspects or traits of American culture described/presented in the article/book and reference at least two other sources in support of your analysis. Conclude your review by providing your opinion of the article (i.e., did the author articulate his/her point clearly and did you agree or disagree).
• No late reviews will be accepted.
• Note: There will be at least 1 mandatory review of either the Lynd or Lassiter reading.

Lead a Class Discussion-15 pts

• Students will be assigned a reading and will be expected to lead the class in a discussion/analysis of the reading at least once. Discussion leaders should come prepared with a written review of the reading, an outline of what you plan to discuss, and at least two questions for the class. Presenters will be allocated a maximum time of 10 min/per reading unless otherwise stated. Note: Everyone is expected to read all assigned readings and come to class with a least 2 prepared questions per reading.
• You may be called upon to pose your question to the class or questions maybe collected prior to the start of class. Additionally, in-class exercises and quizzes will be given at the discretion of the instructor. Be prepared and stay current with the readings.

Field Exercises/trips (10 points each)

• Field exercises/trips will be assigned at the discretion of the instructor and requirements and due dates will be announced in class.

Extra Credit Readings/Projects/ (points vary)

• These will assigned throughout the semester at the discretion of the instructor and requirements and due dates will be announced in class.

Cultural Heritage and/or Historic Preservation Directed Research Project Participation (100 points total)

• This is a mandatory component of this course—a service learning as a directed research exercise. You will not pass the class unless you are actively involved in a directed research project per tasks and deliverables defined by the designated community partner. Your participation in this aspect of the course will be evaluated by the course instructor(s), your assigned mentor, and the designated community partner. You should commit to spending a minimum of 3 hours per week participating in qualitative research activities and/or onsite ethnography and fieldwork specific to your assigned project outside of classroom meetings.

Service Learning and Community Partner defined Deliverables:

• During the first 2 weeks of class, students will develop a project proposal outlining specific project deliverables and a specific research focus per consultation with the community partner or a designated representative. Students will also be instructed on IRB requirements and will take online courses as needed for appropriate certification.

Final project research paper and presentation of Service Learning project deliverable to Community Partner (100 points total)

• This is a mandatory assignment. You will not pass the class unless you complete this assignment. Each student is expected to develop a portrait of American culture or an American cultural experience as an ethnographic or ethnohistorical exercise (i.e., use ethnographic and/or ethnohistorical field methods to collect data for your topic). In this exercise each student will research/profile/interpret/critique an aspect of life in America based on active participation in a community partner defined and mutually agreed upon cultural research and/or historic preservation project in a designated community (i.e., the Tampa Bay area community of Sulphur Springs). Ethnographies read and/or discussed in this course such as Middletown; The Other Side of Middletown, and You Owe Yourself a Drunk, should serve as models.
• At the conclusion of the course students will present the specified and agreed upon project deliverables to the community partner as well as complete an 8-10 page research paper (typed, double-spaced). In addition, each student will be required to give a 15 minute formal presentation of his/her research and project deliverables to the class and community partner in a public forum. This will take place at the conclusion of Summer B session. Students may work in teams, however each student is expected to turn in a paper and participate in the presentation of the project. The format and style of presentation are open. Creativity is encouraged. Student presentation dates will be provided at the start of the semester.

Attendance is required by all for final project presentations and final grade will reflect attendance.

• 6/28 and/or 7/26—Student Presentations of Summer A/B final project deliverables/Public presentations of final projects. [*Note dates are subject to change per discretion of Community partner. Additional details and instructions will be provided at the start of Summer A semester. Students are required to discuss their final research project/proposal with the instructor and/or assigned mentor prior to beginning the research and write-up.
• 8/2—Final project research papers due

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES
I believe that we are all learners and teachers. Learning involves more than just getting good grades. Learning can also be expressed by how well you use your skills, knowledge, and experiences to educate
those around you. The class is a combination of lecture plus active learning and participation on your part. If you do not want to actively participate in the learning process, then please consider other options.

Lectures and/or class discussions will be based on the scheduled material as outlined in this syllabus. I expect you to read assigned materials before class. Additionally, we will view films and I will use exercises and projects to help illuminate particular concepts. All material presented or assigned in class are considered fair game for testing purposes. Please come to class prepared to listen, to think critically, and to participate.

Weekly Readings and Activities
SUMMER A
Week 1: American Culture from an Anthropological perspective
5/17 Introductions and review of syllabus

• Overview of service learning as a directed research exercise and learning objective concept
• oWhat is culture/what is anthropology of American culture

Analyzing American culture

• Reading: DeVita text-―The American Culture Configuration‖ (by: Holmes and Holmes/Blackboard posting)
• Reading: Middletown book (Introduction + Chapter I- Getting a Living)
• Reading: Blackboard postings of community and project specific materials

Cultural anthropology research tools/methods/ethics – General overview

• Reading: Wolcott (Chapters 1&2)
• Reading: Weinreich article: Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Social Marketing
• Film (opt.)

5/19 Experiencing American Culture

• Reading: A Different Mirror‖ (Chapter 1) by R. Takaki (Blackboard posting)
• Reading: Baker text-Introduction (Blackboard posting)
• Reading: Middletown book (Chapter IV- Using Leisure; Chapter V - Engaging in ReligiousPractices)
• Reading: Blackboard postings of community and project specific materials
• Reading (opt): Middletown book (remaining chapters)
• Reading (opt/EC): Middletown Interviews (online postings)
• Film: (opt.)

Culture and Ethnography. How is it studied and what does the study produce?

• In-class exercise: IRB Exercise/Workshop
• Go to/peruse - http://www.loc.gov/folklife
• Reading: Wolcott (Chapters 3&4—Blackboard posting)

Introduction to Service Learning as a directed research project expectations and requirements

• Meet with Community Partner
• Mentor team introductions

Week 2: An ethnographic look at American culture
5/24 Reading: The Other Side of Middletown (all chapters)

• In-class activity: tbd
• Film (opt)

Research tools

• Read/review: Chapters 1, 2, & 3 from book ―The Ethnographic Interview, by: J. Spradley
• RESEARCHING AMERICAN CULTURE-Summer 2010
• Page 10 of 13
• Read/review: Spradley book (Ethnographic Interview)-Part II, Steps 1-4

5/26 Reading: The Other Side of Middletown (all chapters)

• Reading: Blackboard postings of community and project specific materials
• Film (opt)

Research tools

• Review: Chapters 1, 2, & 3 from book ―The Ethnographic Interview‖ by: J. Spradley
• Review: Spradley book (Ethnographic Interview)-Part II, Steps 1-4
• Reading/review: R. Bernard readings (see blackboard posting): #2 (Participant Observation); #3(Field Notes); #4(Interviews)
• *Lab/Field exercise –Intro to USF Library and/or other archival research tools/resources
• [Special Collections/Sanborn maps/City directories/Census data/…]

Week 3: Our cultural ideals of America and people‘s everyday realities
5/31 NO CLASSES—HOLIDAY

6/2 Reading: ―Emigrants from Erin: Ethnicity and Class within White America‖ by R. Takaki

• Reading: ―White Privilege: UnPacking the Invisible Knapsack‖ -by: P. McIntosh
• Reading: Blackboard postings of community and project specific materials
• Reading (opt/EC): ―Writing a Place in American Life: The Sensibilities of an American-born
• Chinese as Reflected in Life Stories from the Exclusion Era‖ by: Xiao-Hung Yin (online posting)

Research tools

• Review: Spradley book (Ethnographic Interview)-Part II, Steps 1-4
• Review R. Bernard readings—#2 (Participant Observation); #3(Field Notes); #4(Interviews)—(Blackboard posting):
• *Lab/Field exercise –Intro to archival research tools/resources
• [Tour/overview of general library resources/tools/available databases]

Week 4: Researching American culture—qualitative research tools/methods
6/7 Reading: Spradley book (You Owe Yourself a Drunk excerpt) – Blackboard posting

• Reading: Blackboard postings of community and project specific materials

6/9 In-class activity/ open discussion

• Review/discuss final project deliverables and research paper
• Film (opt)

Research tools/ research methods (i.e., ethnographic interview)

• Review: Spradley book (Ethnographic Interview)-Part II, Steps 1-4
• Read/review: Spradley book (Ethnographic Interview)-Part II, Steps 11 and 12
• Read/review: R. Bernard readings (see blackboard posting): #1(Literature Review); #4(Interviews); #5(Questionnaires & Survey Research)
• Reading (s): M. Angrosino readings (see Blackboard posting—optional)
• Reading: US Holocaust Museum Oral History Guidelines (optional)

Lab/Field exercise –Multimedia/Podcast training session

Week 5: Researching American Culture

• 6/14 Readings: to be assigned
• Guest Speaker(s) – tbd
• *Lectures will focus on community based research projects in the Tampa Bay area; Anthropology
• of American Culture; qualitative tools ; ethics; oral history

6/16 Readings: to be assigned

• Guest Speaker (s) – tbd
• *Lectures will focus on community based research projects in the Tampa Bay area; anthropology
• of American culture; qualitative tools ; ethics; oral history

Week 6: Researching American Culture

• 6/21 Service Learning/Final Project research discussion day
• Mentor meetings
• Film (opt)
• Guest Speaker (s) – (opt)

6/23 NO CLASS – Service Learning/Final Project research day

6/25 Summer A Classes end

• Final Papers due—option 1 (*this is first date that students can turn in final project research papers; second and final date is 8/2)

6/28 Public Presentation of Student Summer A/B Final Project deliverables—option 1 [time/location tbd— subject to change per discretion of Community partner]

SUMMER B
Weeks 1-4:
6/28 Summer B starts

6/29 –7/23 Student directed research projects/no formal class meetings/informal meetings with
mentors and instructor

Week 5-6: Summer A/B Final Project Deliverables due
7/26 Student Presentations of Summer A/B Final project deliverables; Public presentations of final
projects—option 2
[*time/location tbd—Note this date is subject to change per discretion of Community partner]

8/2 Final project research papers due

8/6 Summer B ends

The person in this newly created position will help further cultivate and promote a campus culture that respects human dignity and encourages and recognizes service, diversity, and social justice through expanded opportunities for student learning, leadership, and civic engagement. The Assistant Director will report to the Director of the Department of Service, Diversity and Social Justice, be an active member of the Student Affairs Division, and collaborate with campus and community constituencies.

The Assistant Director will help:

• Identify service and social justice resources and opportunities for integration into campus activities and coursework
• Assist faculty in incorporating service learning into the curriculum
• Coordinate campus-wide service projects
• Establish/strengthen community partnerships
• Coordinate local, national, and international service trips
• Organize informational, analytical, and reflective discussion series on social justice topics and issues

Additional administrative duties may include, but are not limited to, advising selected student organizations and generating departmental reports.

Qualifications:

Master’s degree required in one of the following, or a closely related field: Social Justice, Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Social Work, Sociology, Education, Counseling, Psychology or Cultural/Ethnic Studies. Knowledge of program models for service, service learning, and civic engagement. Experience implementing dynamic social justice education and advocacy programs, preferably in a college or university setting, as well as building and maintaining effective coalitions and collaborative partnerships. Experience coordinating, planning, promoting and leading service projects and trips, preferably in a college or university setting. Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; group facilitation and conflict management skills; organizational skills. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals and groups from a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds and ideologies.

This is a full-time, 11 month position, with a start date of July 1, 2010. Some evening and weekend hours required. Application deadline is March 8, 2010. Please send a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references to:

Linda Pipitone
Director, Human Resources
Fontbonne University
6800 Wydown Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63105

Electronic resumes may be submitted to lpipitone {at} fontbonne(.)edu. If applying via email, please indicate the position in the subject line of the email.

EOE

Purpose of this Position:

Direct and manage both the Northfield Reads and Counts tutoring program in Northfield Public Schools and the work study program through community non-profit organizations for St. Olaf and Carleton. This is a .830 FTE position working 10 months of the year from mid-August until mid-June.

Responsibilities:

Manage the Northfield Reads and Counts Program

• Manage relationships with Northfield School District.Lead monthly site specialist meetings to facilitate tutoring placements within the schools. Collaborate with Northfield Community Services Division for after-school tutor programming. Partner with the Youth Coordinator from Community Services to provide strategic vision and direction for program, ensuring educational workshops and logistics are outlined for academic year. Attend Teacher Appreciation Breakfast at five schools with St. Olaf and Carleton Educational Studies departments.
• Manage placement of tutors. Develop and deliver annual tutor orientation and provide ongoing individual and small group orientation sessions. Receive and review tutoring needs from 5 schools; post positions and provide necessary information as students select tutor assignments. Develop and coordinate support systems to manage administrative aspects of the tutoring program.
• Develop programming to enhance and enrich students’ experiences within the program. Work with the Northfield Community Services Division to develop meaningful training opportunities to enhance tutors’ understanding of the Northfield system’s philosophical approach to education and hands-on training for tutoring in specific content areas. Partner with Healthy Community Initiative to support tutor training and to offer other educational opportunities related to youth issues.
• Gather feedback from teachers through semester evaluations and/or surveys to ensure that district needs are being met. Gather feedback from tutors through various means: on-going communications, required meetings, and evaluations/surveys.

Manage the work study in nonprofits component of the program

• Create new partnerships and maintain existing ones with local non-profit organizations. Reach out to community organizations to introduce the program. Collaborate with organizations to identify their needs and specific ways to fulfill them through the CBWS program. Introduce various work study position models to stimulate thinking about various ways to structure CBWS positions.
• Facilitate ongoing communication with sites through check-ins, site visits, and updates. Represent all ACT and St. Olaf department programs appropriately to ensure that community partner needs are being met.
• Introduce and orient students to the work-study program in nonprofits. Supervise all off-campus work study students, conduct periodic check-ins and advising with work-place issues that arise.
• Facilitate the learning and development of students working in nonprofit settings. Partner with Career Connections at St. Olaf and the Career Center at Carleton to facilitate workshops (2-4 per academic year), providing a forum for students to reflect on their community work experience and how it enhances their college experience and impacts personal and professional goals.
• Gather feedback from site supervisors and students using various forms of evaluation, including surveys, to ensure effectiveness of program.

Manage administrative and procedural components of the Community-Based Work Study Program

• Work in collaboration with the financial aid offices on both campuses to standardize and complete mandatory institutional forms and documents for program eligibility. Identify policy changes to enhance the program and work with financial aid to implement.
• Work with business/payroll offices on both campuses to review and administer policies relevant to CBWS payroll. Manage time sheet collection and reporting.
• Advise and guide students as to their roles and responsibilities as participants of the program.
• Implement new technology-based services/procedures as appropriate. Identify and develop improvements to the CBWS website, facilitating effective and efficient dispersal of information through attention to structure and content, and enhancing interest in the program through creative additions, such as students’ stories of off-campus work experiences.

Contribute to the goals of both the ACT Center at Carleton and the offices of Financial Aid and Student Activities at St. Olaf College

• Collaborate with staff at both campuses when appropriate.
• Participate in weekly staff meetings and annual retreats as appropriate.
• Act as liaison between ACT and St. Olaf.
• Attend professional development workshops and conferences both on and off-campus.
• Participate in community events related to ACT and service programs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in a related field
• Understanding of and commitment to liberal arts education and to the role of experiential learning in a liberal arts environment
• At least one year of significant experience with educational programming and/or community work
• Clear evidence of program planning and implementation
• Excellent individual and group interpersonal communication skills; well-developed written communication and oral presentation skills
• Strong organizational skills and detail-orientation
• Excellent time management skills; ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities
• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Able to adapt to changing work environments; flexibility
• Willing to work as a member of a team

To apply, please submit an application please apply online through St. Olaf’s employment website, https://jobs.stolaf.edu.

The award was presented by Jackie Norris, policy adviser for President Barack Obama to the Corporation for National Community Service.“Through her continued leadership, Cheri Doane has been integral in developing and sustaining civic engagement and service-learning initiatives on college campuses in the state of Iowa,” said Rachel Manuel, executive director of Iowa Campus Compact.…

»Read the full article in The Central College.

The Corporation for National and Community Service oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education.…

»Read the entire article in The Abington Journal.

Application deadline is May 5, 2010. Technical Assistance Conference Call is from noon to 1 p.m. on March 10, 2010

California Campus Compact, with support from the Corporation for National and Community Service, Learn and Serve America Higher Education, is pleased to announce the second phase of  our Social Innovation Generation: Student Leadership Initiative. This 15-month grant program encourages and supports change-making student-led service and service-learning projects that will not only aid those hardest hit by California’s economic crisis, but also help California emerge from the crisis with a more innovative, green and sustainable economic future.

Up to six successful applicants will be selected to receive one subgrant each of up to $10,000. The grant requires a 150 percent match (cash or in-kind). The grant period is from September 1, 2010 through December 31, 2011. Only one proposal per campus will be accepted. To be eligible to receive a grant, student leaders must work with their service-learning or student affairs center. Proposals must be submitted to California Campus Compact by a campus’s service-learning director or student affairs director. Read more information about the opportunity here.

Deadline to Submit: May 5, 2010 at 4 p.m.

The proposal deadline is Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 4 p.m. Please note that current California Campus Compact subgrantees are not eligible to apply.

Technical Assistance Conference Call: March 10, 2010 from noon to 1 p.m.

A technical assistance conference call regarding this grant opportunity will be held on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, from noon to 1 p.m. Please email Sheena Ansarinia to register for the call and receive the call-in number and password.

For complete application guidelines and instructions, a press release and other information about this grant opportunity, click here. If you have questions about this grant opportunity or wish to discuss a project idea, please contact Piper McGinley.

Read the entire article in The Chattanoogan.