Additional Funding Research Articles

Potential donors’ gender and prosocial behaviour: a brand anthropomorphism lens

This study explores the role of potential donors’ gender in prosocial behaviour, using an anthropomorphic lens. Its findings could aid non-profit organisations (NPOs) in eliciting individual charitable donations and thus accessing additional funding. A gender-neutral brand spokes-character was used as the stimulus in a survey questionnaire distributed via an online panel of 200 respondents, from which actual donation behaviour towards a South African NPO was captured. The data was analysed using multi-group moderation structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings indicated that potential donors’ gender plays a role in the relationships between brand anthropomorphism and prosocial behaviour in South Africa, highlighting the importance of context-specific considerations when exploring gender differences. Thus, contributions are made to understanding the role of gender in prosocial behaviour through a brand anthropomorphism lens. Practical context-specific insights related to actual donation behaviour in a developing country are also provided.

Allocation of Funds in Bilevel Subsidy Welfare Programs

Problem definition: Most subsidy welfare programs operate in a bilevel hierarchical structure, wherein a funding agency allocates funds to multiple service organizations. These service organizations invest in activities within their areas to generate societal impact for beneficiaries by enhancing the quantity and quality of services at local providers. The funds allocation decisions in such programs are complicated by the funding agency’s equity consideration, intricate relationships among contextual factors in societal impact generation, and information asymmetry between different entities about availability of additional funds for an agency. Methodology/results: We propose a model to analyze how the funding agency should allocate funds to generate the most societal impact equitably across areas. We show that the funding agency should direct more funds toward an area with a relatively balanced mix of subsidy-accepting and nonaccepting providers, or with fewer nonaccepting providers, and outreach activity is more likely to yield a higher investment return. Further, comparing the inequity levels and total societal impact under the proposed equity-ensuring method with those under other methods, we find that an efficiency-focused method enhances total societal impact, but can result in greater inequity, especially when there is a large across-area disparity in the size of beneficiaries. A simple formula-based method could achieve greater total societal impact, while not severely sacrificing equity in certain situations. Conversely, the equity-ensuring method always eliminates inequity by not severely sacrificing the total societal impact under a wide range of parameter values. Managerial implications: Given the growing impetus to consider equity within their operations, our equity-ensuring method helps the funding agencies adjust their allocation strategies to generate the greatest equitable impact. Finally, using a case study based on Massachusetts’ child care subsidy program, we illustrate that the proposed method achieves equity while enhancing the overall societal impact by approximately 3% versus the current formula-based method. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.0474 .

Pengaruh Pinjaman Online Terhadap Kesehatan Mental Mahasiswa

This study investigates the impact of online lending on the mental health of information systems students at Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta class of 2022. The rapid advancement of financial technology (fintech) has introduced online lending as a popular financial option among students who need additional funds for daily needs or academic activities. However, easy access to online loans is often accompanied by significant financial stress, leading to psychological distress, high debt burden, and tight deadlines. This study aims to explore the long-term effects of online loan usage on college students' mental health. Using qualitative methods, data will be collected through a digital questionnaire distributed through Google Forms. This study hopes to provide valuable insights for the development of policies and educational programs that support the healthy and responsible use of financial technology.

THE NEED TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL RESERVE FUND OF ASSETS IN TIMES OF INFLATION / ՍՂԱՃԻ ՊԱՅՄԱՆՆԵՐՈՒՄ ԱԿՏԻՎՆԵՐԻ ՀԱՎԵԼՅԱԼ ՊԱՀՈՒՍՏԱՅԻՆ ՖՈՆԴԻ ՍՏԵՂԾՄԱՆ ԱՆՀՐԱԺԵՇՏՈՒԹՅՈՒՆԸ

The object of study of the article is scarcity and the replaceability of depreciable/depreciated assets with similar assets and the goal is the acquisition of new assets during the inflation conditions and the neutralization of the poverty effect of the inflation by creating an additional reserve fund of assets. In Armenia, as in every developed and developing country, the permissible rate of inflation is fixed by law, with its deviations. For example, in RA, according to Article 4 of the RA Law "On the State Budget of RA 2024" (previous years similarly) and until these last years as well, the permissible amount of inflation is 4% ± 1.5%. In UK - 2%, in the USA - from 5%-1/4 to 5%-1/2, etc. Given that price stability or the restoration of price stability does not, in fact, mean a return to a fixed price or point, but rather a state of slow and steady price growth, this raises the question of when inflation deviates from the legally defined above the permissible limit, how it relates to the context of substitutability of real sector assets. In other words, during the useful life of assets, in addition to the effects of obsolescence and physical depreciation, there is a certain difference between the current value and the amount of accumulated depreciation at the time of acquisition of a similar asset, as a result of which the acquisition of a new or modern asset requires additional expenses. In this context, the article raises the issue of replaceability of depresiable fixed assets with new ones and the creation of an additional reserve fund during inflation in the form of an expense, as a deduction from the tax base in a given year. As a scientific result, it is proposed to define the amount of the reserve fund as a deduction from the tax base, and the calculation methodology as presented in the point of scientific result.

ТЕХНОЛОГІЧНІ ІННОВАЦІЇ ЯК КЛЮЧОВИЙ ЧИННИК КОНКУРЕНТОСПРОМОЖНОСТІ НА ГЛОБАЛЬНОМУ РИНКУ

Technological innovations today are becoming not just a key, but an essential success factor for modern enterprises on the global market. The level of competitiveness today is determined not only by the quality of products or services, but also by the speed of their implementation, adaptability to changes and improvement of processes. The article is aimed at studying the role of technological innovations in enhancing the competitiveness of enterprises in the global market. The study found that the introduction of advanced technologies, such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, etc., plays a significant role in improving the efficiency of modern enterprises and ensuring the competitiveness of enterprises. The article also analyzes the impact and benefits of technological innovations for entrepreneurship, including production, logistics, marketing, and customer service. It was found that such innovations help companies reduce costs, improve the quality of products and services, and accelerate the development of new products and markets. In addition, the key factors of success in the implementation of technological innovations, such as openness to change, flexibility in solving problems, and the ability to respond quickly to market and technological trends, are highlighted. The author summarizes that innovative activities allow enterprises not only to strengthen their positions in existing markets, but also to create new opportunities for the development of a new digital environment. The author analyzes the current state and prospects for the development of technological innovations in Ukraine, in particular, in the context of Industry 4.0 and technoglobalization. The study showed that Ukraine has the potential to develop technological innovations, particularly in the field of information technology, but needs additional funding and integration into the global scientific space.

State Implementation of Congregate Care Reforms for Children in Foster Care.

The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) allows states to use federal Title IV-E funds to provide time-limited, clinically appropriate use of congregate care, including Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs), for youth in foster care. October 1, 2021 marked the deadline for states to begin implementing these FFPSA congregate care reforms. From June to September 2022, we conducted a mixed-methods study to obtain a baseline understanding of implementation barriers, successes, and recommendations to inform congregate care policy and practice. We fielded a national survey with state child welfare agency directors and conducted focus groups with youth with QRTP experiences, child welfare agency administrators, and QRTP executive leaders. We integrated a descriptive analysis of survey data with focus group themes to summarize state implementation progress. A total of 47 states (90%) responded to the survey. Most states reported ongoing congregate care reforms aligned with FFPSA, reducing the use of congregate care and increasing kinship foster care. QRTPs have become the primary congregate care setting. Top implementation barriers concerned workforce resource and capacity constraints, funding, and access to therapeutic foster care models and foster families. Focus group themes converged on the lack of tailored treatment, quality staff, coordinated aftercare, and a need for QRTP outcome evidence. Early implementation lessons of FFPSA congregate care reforms call for additional funding and technical assistance, oversight of congregate care, professionalization and investment in QRTP staff, youth advisory boards to promote youth-driven treatment, and performance- and outcome-based monitoring of QRTPs.

Factors Affecting Return on Assets in the Renewable Energy Sector during Supply Chain Disruptions

Return on assets (ROA) is a critical metric in assessing a company’s sustainability, especially in light of supply chain disruptions. Within the renewable energy sector, such disruptions often lead to a decline in ROA. Through the utilization of a within-between random model, this study uncovers the necessity for distinct strategies both prior to and during supply chain disruptions to maintain a high ROA. Pre-disruption, emphasis should be placed on securing additional funding for research and development (R&D) initiatives and expanding market reach. However, amid disruptions, sustaining a high ROA demands a strategic pivot. Specifically, renewable energy firms should scale back expansion efforts, redirect cash toward R&D, and exercise caution when venturing into new international markets, particularly in the absence of substantial government subsidies. Notably, this paper focuses solely on large-scale listed companies, overlooking potential innovative strategies employed by smaller-scale companies—an area ripe for future investigation. Despite this limitation, our findings offer valuable insights into enhancing sustainable performance within the renewable energy sector.

Interested Parties in Medical Malpractice Claims

The participation of interested persons in medical malpractice claims depends on the disputed material and legal relations and the specifics of the actual relationship.The main difficulties regarding the plaintiffs are related to the identification of interest in medical malpractice claims. The practical importance of detailing the material and legal interest in terms of the grounds for its occurrence is emphasized for persons who are in actual marital relations with the patient; young children of deceased patients; persons who meet the criterion of «having close ties with the patient», including those who are not relatives. It is substantiated that the circle of persons entitled to compensation for moral damage due to fetal death should be determined situationally and may not be limited to the child’s married parents.The interested parties on the defendant’s side in resolving disputes as to compensation for damage caused to the life or health of a citizen depends on the status of legal entities that provided medical services.The practice of involving medical workers in the case, due to whose actions the person was harmed, as third parties who do not file independent claims on the subject of the dispute, is criticized. Procedural complications due to an additional participant in the first proceeding do not create a clear advantage in comparison with the consideration of two disputes with ordinary parties. The practice of involving in the process entities whose competence includes additional financing of the defendant’s obligations; administrative and managerial personnel of a medical institution who did not participate in the treatment of the patient is erroneous and legally pointless.

Budgetary responses by the USA to support Ukraine during and after the war

IMPACT The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a major threat to the stability of Europe and the free world. The authors explain why the state of the Ukrainian military at the point of invasion in 2022 necessitated substantial international military and economic assistance. The USA has been the largest contributor, providing almost US$175 billion in defence of Ukraine between March 2022 and April 2024. While the USA provided almost two-thirds of this assistance early in the conflict, political disagreements in the USA stalled additional aid for almost two years. After a six-month hiatus, the Congress approved additional funding for Ukraine on 20 April 2024 at the total amount tof $65 billion (H.R. 8035, 2024). The aid that has been provided combines military, economic and humanitarian assistance. Potential future political disagreements in the USA make prospects for further aid uncertain due to opposing views on Ukraine aid by the two US presidential candidates before the November 2024 election. For practitioners, this study reviews the federal budget process in the times of extreme geopolitical uncertainty, analyses the role of US–Ukraine military and humanitarian assistance aimed at holding Ukraine’s front and securing European capacity for self-defence.

Variability in Practice of Buprenorphine Treatment by Emergency Department Operational Characteristics.

We sought to describe emergency department (ED) buprenorphine treatment variability among EDs with varying operational characteristics. We performed a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with opioid use disorder discharged from 12 hospital-based EDs within a large healthcare system as a secondary data analysis of a quality improvement study. Primary outcome of interest was buprenorphine treatment rate. We described treatment rates between EDs, categorized by tertile of operational characteristics including annual census, hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates, ED length of stay (LOS), and boarding time. Secondary outcomes were ED LOS and 30-day return rates. There were 7,469 unique ED encounters for patients with opioid use disorder between January 2020-May 2021, of whom 759 (10.2%) were treated with buprenorphine. Buprenorphine treatment rates were higher in larger EDs and those with higher hospital and ICU admission rates. Emergency department LOS and 30-day ED return rate did not have consistent associations with buprenorphine treatment. Rates of treatment with ED buprenorphine vary according to the operational characteristics of department. We did not observe a consistent negative relationship between buprenorphine treatment and operational metrics, as many feared. Additional funding and targeted resource allocation should be prioritized by departmental leaders to improve access to this evidence-based and life-saving intervention.

NEFT SƏNAYESİNDƏ TEXNOLOJİ İNKİŞAF

The role of oil in the world economy is known to everyone. For this reason, the application of more advanced technologies in the production of black gold can be considered a forced measure. Improvement of existing production methods is a great driving force for the development of scientific and research works in this field. It can be said that the most important trend in the development of scientific achievements in all fields is the creation of new environmental technologies. Of course, this trend has not bypassed the oil industry. To this end, in 2020, most countries began to allocate additional funding for research projects in the field of lowcarbon energy. Thus, due to the crisis of the time, there was clearly a decline in R&D spending by private organizations. The International Energy Agency estimates that by 2030, the amount of funding allocated to research on large-scale low-carbon energy technologies by various countries will be $50 billion. Of particular note is Japan's planned investment of about 20 billion dollars. The article will discuss the main directions of the mentioned research and development activities and new technologies.

Reimagining the university’s role in the health and well-being of the people it serves

Academic medical centers and university extension programs remain underdeveloped collaborators, despite the complementary objectives between translational science and extension. This case study details the creation of a nationally unique interprofessional organizational structure between the University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement (MU Extension) and the MU School of Medicine to accelerate statewide reach of research and education discoveries using high-touch community health approaches. This article describes specific strategies used to systematically plan for: 1) creation and operation of the new structure, 2) routinization and institutionalizing the work, and 3) sustainability. We further outline challenges and next steps. The development of the backbone organization office of Health Outreach Policy and Education (HOPE) brings together the interprofessional expertise of five units with a common agenda to advance mutually reinforcing activities. HOPE is poised to make significant contributions to amplify MU’s land grant mission, garner additional grant funding, and advance the health of Missourians.

Financial toxicity in the background of free health care: A cross-sectional survey in a tertiary care hospital in India.

e13685 Background: The financial toxicity of cancer treatment is a known fact in low to middle-income countries due to poverty, lack of health insurance and illiteracy. We tried to estimate the financial strain and its contributing factors in an Indian population with access to free cancer treatment. Methods: All government employees and their dependents are eligible to receive free treatment including inpatient management, investigations and medicines at our institute. All cancer patients ≥18 years were invited to participate in a survey. The survey included their demographic, cancer and therapy details, the COST-FACIT questionnaire, and information about increase in expenses since cancer diagnosis and source of additional finances. Results: 300 cancer patients completed the survey. 61.3% of the respondents were females and the mean patient age was 43.14 years. Breast cancer was the most common malignancy and stage IV was the most common stage. 44% were residents of a rural area. The average duration of treatment was 8.03 months. Prior to cancer diagnosis, 37.2% of the patients had average monthly expenses between INR 10-25,000 (USD 120 to 300). The approximate increase in monthly expenditures after cancer diagnosis was between INR 5-10,000 (USD 60 to 120) for 33.4% and between INR 10-25,000 (USD 120 to 300) for 31.4% of the population. The primary income source for 65.7% respondents was the salary of the government employee while 48% had two or more earning members in the family. Cancer treatment negatively affected the earning capacity of the patient alone in 40% of the population, while in 28% it affected the earning capacity of the patient and caregiver. 51% had to utilise their savings, 39% sold fixed assets, and 31% borrowed or took a loan to cope with the additional financial strain. Commonest expenses were travel, accommodation, and food (75.7%). 34.5% spent money on other therapy-related costs (second opinion or alternative therapy). The mean COST-FACIT score was 21.38,(20-24) demonstrating mild financial toxicity. Predictors of high financial toxicity were a single-earning member, familial discord and long duration of treatment (> 6 months). Conclusions: Though all participants had access to free cancer treatment, all experienced mild financial toxicity due to non-therapeutic expenses. Despite desperate financial measures to complete treatment, most participants did not express severe financial toxicity. This may be attributed to the stigma of expected high expenditure associated with cancer treatment in India. COST-FACIT scoring may not have suitably assessed the financial strain experienced by patients with free healthcare. Additional financial information collected by the survey, (monthly expenses, earning members, source of additional funds), helped us to better understand financial impact of cancer treatment and identify gaps in our healthcare.

Региональные лотереи как механизм финансирования социальных расходов в дореволюционной России и в первые годы советской власти: проблемы организации и правового регулирования

This article examines the evolution of the mechanism of legal regulation of lottery activities in Russia, aimed at attracting additional funds for the implementation of social expenditures of the state. The powers of local authorities are studied in detail in terms of authorizing lotteries and organizing lottery activities, as well as control and supervisory powers for holding local lotteries. The article analyzes the practice of holding lotteries, and indicates that there were a large number of violations, theft of these funds, abuse, deception and other offenses, which led to a significant decrease in public confidence in this mechanism for financing social expenditures. The article provides examples of various lotteries held during the period of time under study in various parts of the state, mechanisms for resolving such lotteries, shows the purposes of their holding, as well as the organizations that carried them out. The work draws a general conclusion that both in pre-revolutionary Russia and the first years of Soviet power, lotteries acted as a universal mechanism for local authorities to generate additional income necessary to fulfill the social tasks facing them. However, the imperfection of legal regulation and the lack of proper control by the state over their implementation discredited lotteries in front of society and their implementation at the local level completely ceased by the end of the 20s of the 20th century.

Implementation of Area-Specific Action Plans (ASAP) for community-based MPAs in Cagayancillo, Palawan, Philippines: funded versus not funded

The Area Specific Action Plan (ASAP) for community-based MPAs serves as an outline of the framework for the purpose, design, and implementation of MPAs. The funding from the US Department of the Interior (USDOI) through Tanggol Kalikasan (TK) was used for the planning, training, and implementation of the Area-Specific Action Plan (ASAP) through Tanggol Kalikasan (TK). Two barangays from the Municipality of Cagayancillo were chosen as beneficiaries of the funding. This study aimed to assess the level of implementation of the ASAP on coastal resource management (CRM) and law enforcement in the community-managed MPAs in Cagayancillo Island, Palawan, through a comparison of the results of the perception survey interviews of the respondents from the control sites and funded sites. Four marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Cagayancillo region were selected as study areas: the MPAs in Barangays (Bgy.) Sta. Cruz (C1) and Nusa (C2) which did not receive additional funding from TK served as control sites; while Bgy. Mampio (F1) and Bgy. Talaga (F2) which received funding from TK, served as the funded site. The results showed that all CRM indicators were fully implemented (4.0) in C1, C2, and F2. The F1, on the other hand, had moderate implementation (2.0) of conducting seminar-workshops on MPA and poor implementation (1.0) of posting tarpaulin, signage, and other infographics. In terms of law enforcement, I1 had significantly moderate implementation (2.0) compared to other barangays. The implementation of ASAP in F1 was badly affected by Typhoon Odette in December 2021. Taking all factors into consideration, personal interview results revealed that the key to the effective implementation of MPAs’ CRM and law enforcement activities significantly depends on the leaders of a barangay. Well-established leadership can efficiently and responsibly implement projects within their areas.

Main Principles and Solutions for Acceleration of Energy Efficient Renovation in Latvia

The European Renovation Wave aims to at least double the annual energy renovation rate by 2030, especially promoting deep renovation. In order to achieve this goal, EU member states need to overcome the existing obstacles in the whole chain of the building renovation process by using certain policy measures and finance instruments. According to the Ministry of Economics of Latvia, the current necessity is to renovate around 26 thousand multi-apartment buildings. Therefore, not only the problem of the lack of additional financing should be solved but also the pace of implementation should be significantly increased. This study starts with an overview of the main obstacles of the building renovation in Latvia and gives an insight into the main challenges in the achievement of the goal. The study includes the review of existing support programmes and financing schemes, designed to improve the energy efficiency of multi-apartment buildings in Latvia. Moreover, the study analyses the existing support mechanisms in Latvia, and reviews different policy measures for regulatory requirements, fiscal and economic incentives and information campaigns in Europe. In addition, the study proposes an assessment of the availability of financial support for the low-income households, and analyses energy poverty solving tools. As a result, the study defines basic principles and examines the solutions for energy efficient renovation in Latvia – including tax incentives, regulatory framework, development of financial schemes and models for acceleration of building renovation. The solutions have been evaluated considering country specific economic, technical, and social aspects, and defined as a set of recommendations for decision makers.

Implementation of Village Fund Allocation Policy to Realize Village Self-Reliance

Introduction: The welfare of rural communities in developing countries such as Indonesia is a significant concern for the government. Therefore, the government's implementation of policies related to village fund allocation is expected to enhance the welfare of village communities. However, in practice, this policy has not yet brought about significant changes in the local communities, particularly in achieving village self-reliance. Literature review: Policy implementation from the Triangle Model perspective is an approach developed by Walt & Gilson, (1994) which emphasizes four main stages in the policy process, namely agenda setting, formulation, implementation and evaluation. The agenda setting stage involves the selection of various problems faced by society to become the focus of decision makers. Next, in the formulation stage, legislative and decision-making bodies design and ratify policies. The implementation process is carried out by the government, followed by an evaluation stage that assesses the impact of the policy. Method: This article aims to examine the process of implementing village fund allocation policies using the triangle analysis model (Buse et al., 2005) .The research informants comprised 23 individuals. Result and Discussion: The results of this study indicate that the objectives of implementing village fund allocation in the Semangga district are known to the implementers/actors, as well as the benefits of village fund allocation being perceived by the village communities. However, the policy implementers lack effective communication to convince and educate the village communities. Additionally, there is a need to enhance human resource commitment and allocate additional funds to advance the villages towards self-reliance. Conclusion: The findings of this study specifically demonstrate the real conditions in the research location regarding village fund allocation. This article presents opportunities for further research using the triangle analysis model in the implementation of village fund allocation policies.

Advocacy, experience sharing and action planning toward raising additional financing for primary health care: spending more and spending better towards universal health coverage.

Reallocation of funding to respond the covid-19 pandemic, against a backdrop of longstanding underfunded health systems and high out of pocket expenditures for health, affected access to health services for households, especially those without social protection. These highlighted the urgency in curbing the impact of disruptions on progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals. Strategic investments in Primary Health Care (PHC) can help spur the necessary momentum. Under the collaborative platform of the Harmonization for Health in Africa's Health Financing Technical Working Group; UNICEF Regional Office for East and Southern Africa and WHO Regional Office for Africa convened the first PHC financing forum for 21 countries across the Eastern and Southern Africa Region. The three-day forum engaged key health and financing decision makers in constructive dialogue to identify practical actions and policy changes needed to accelerate delivery of UHC through improvements in PHC financing mechanisms and arrangements. The forum was attended by over 130 senior policy makers and technicians from governments, United Nations agencies and nonstate actors drawn from within country, regional and affiliating headquarter institutions. The Regional Forum engaged participants in meaningful, and constructive discussions. Five themes emerged (1) regular measurement and monitoring of PHC services and spending (2) increasing investments in PHC (3) enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and equity of PHC spending, (4) ensuring an enabling environment to invest more and better in PHC, and (5) better partnerships for the realization of commitments. An outcome statement summarizing the main recommendations of the meeting was approved at the end of the forum, and action plans were developed by 14 government delegations to improve PHC financing within country-specific context and priorities. The aims of this meeting in augmenting the political will created through the Africa Leadership Meeting (ALM), by catalyzing technical direction for increased momentum for improved health financing across all African countries was achieved. Peer exchanges offered practical approaches countries can take to improve health financing in ways that are suited to regional context providing a channel for incremental improvements to health outcomes in the countries.

"We're one small piece of the puzzle": evaluating the impact of short-term funding for tier two weight management services.

Overweight and obesity are a global health epidemic and many attempts have been made to address the rising prevalence. In March 2021 the UK government announced £100 million of additional funding for weight management provisions. Of this, £30.5 million was split across local authorities in England to support the expansion of tier two behavioural weight management services for adults. The present work aimed to explore how this funding was used within the Yorkshire and Humber region to consolidate learning, collate best practice, and provide recommendations for future funding use. One-hour semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 weight management service commissioners representing 9 of the 15 local authorities in the region. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using an established health inequality framework. From this, recommendations were co-developed with the commissioner group to establish best practice for future funding use. Commissioners recognised that targeted weight management services were only one small piece of the puzzle for effectively managing obesity. Therefore, recommendations include targeting underserved communities, focussing on early prevention, addressing weight management in a whole systems context, and embracing innovative and holistic approaches to weight management. Current short-term funding and restrictive commissioning processes of tier two services prevents sustainable and innovative weight management practice which is detrimental to patients, falls short of addressing health inequalities and negatively impacts staff health and wellbeing.

Dollar store policy opportunities in Baltimore City: community member and policy maker perspectives.

There are currently over 50 dollar stores in Baltimore City, Maryland. Community perceptions of over-saturation and resulting neighborhood impacts have garnered recent attention. A Maryland State Senate Bill required further study of dollar stores in Baltimore City to inform future policy. Therefore, the over-arching goal of this study was to generate community-informed policy recommendations for the Baltimore City Council. Three methods of data collection were used: (1) in-depth interviews with community members, retail staff/owners, dollar store staff, and policy makers; (2) an online survey of Baltimore City residents; and (3) workshop with community members and one with policy makers. Triangulation across data sources, discussion amongst the research team, and member checking were used to generate the top four policy options: a conditional use ordinance, a community benefits agreements, a dispersal ordinance, and a staple foods ordinance. There was strong support for policies that encourage dollar stores to better align with community priorities (e.g., improving store cleanliness and appearance, increasing availability of healthy foods), as opposed to closing or banning dollar stores entirely. There was also strong support for policies that would empower communities to participate in determining the role of dollar stores in their neighborhoods, for example through a conditional use ordinance or community benefits agreement. Key concerns included policy enforcement, given the additional funding required, and current limited capacity at the city government level. Strategies to address such challenges were generated including implementing business licenses at the city level, linking new ordinances to dollar store leases and permits, and encouraging dollar store participation in federal and local programs to more feasibly stock healthier food items (e.g., fresh produce). Dissatisfaction was expressed regarding a lack of policy options to address the existing dollar stores, not just new dollar stores entering the City. This study is the first of its kind to assess community support for dollar store policies at the local level, and serves to inform policies that improve dollar stores. A report of these findings was provided to Baltimore City Council to inform new, community-supported dollar store policies.