Local Nonprofit Organizations Research Articles

Stakeholder engagement and chaotic narrative spaces: Singapore’s COVID-19 outbreak in foreign-worker dormitories

ABSTRACT In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, Singapore grappled with an escalation of COVID-19 cases among the low-waged foreign workers living in dormitories. Singapore responded to the outbreak by implementing increasingly strict public health measures, which included a partial lockdown and movement restrictions of over 300,000 foreign workers. Our qualitative analysis of the texts created by three key stakeholders (the Singaporean government, local news media, and local non-profit organisations) at the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in foreign-worker dormitories revealed the construction of contrasting, confusing, and collaborative narratives. These narratives manifested what our paper describes as ‘chaotic communication’, wherein conflicting and competing messages are crafted or used to build organisation-public or public-public relationships. We also propose ‘chaotic narrative spaces’ as a conceptual framework to illustrate how social, political, and organisational actors shape narratives about issues and influence the decisions made during a public health crisis.

What Can AmeriCorps Do for Local Nonprofits?

What Can AmeriCorps Do for Local Nonprofits?

Latinas in the United States Facing Healthcare Access Challenges in a Mid-Size Urban Community

This study examines the discrepancies and underlying factors in access to healthcare resources regarding breast and cervical cancer for Latinas in a mid-sized urban midwestern community. A survey was conducted at clinics hosted by a local non-profit organization, and forty participants completed surveys for this study (n=40). Bivariate correlation analysis in SPSS determined that significant positive correlations were found between the subjects’ knowledge of the signs and symptoms of cervical cancer and their knowledge of the recommended frequency of receiving pap smears (p<0.01). Additionally, significant positive correlations were found between whether a subject had a primary care physician and their awareness of the resources available to them regarding breast and cervical cancer (p<0.01). Also, this study suggests that existing discrepancies in critical healthcare screening exist within the targeted community and are similar or worse than findings from larger urban regions throughout the US.

Jon’s Heroes in Training: A Cross-Sector Collaboration Serving University and Community Stakeholders

Jon’s Heroes in Training (JHT) represents a strong cross-sector collaboration that was created and has evolved over the past five years. JHT is an after-school program where children (ages 3–22) with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis come to the local university to engage in high-quality physical education lessons designed and implemented by physical education teacher education (PETE) students currently taking a required Adapted Physical Education class. This article discusses (a) the process required to establish the shared mission and vision of JHT and the role of the Office of Civic Engagement (OCE); (b) the negotiated roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, including university faculty from PETE, PETE students, children with ASD and their families, and local non-profit organizations; (c) the impact of JHT on its stakeholders; and (d) lessons learned and future directions.

Perceptions of Tree Risks and Benefits in a Historically African American Neighborhood

An expansive body of research demonstrates the social and ecological benefits of urban forests, although urban tree canopy density tends to be lower than average in areas occupied by marginalized populations. Non-profit organizations and local governments have initiated tree-planting programs; however, some of these programs have encountered local resistance. This study took place in a historically African American neighborhood in the Southern USA with a low tree canopy where residents expressed disinterest in replanting trees following a tree hazard removal campaign led by a local non-profit organization. Employing focus groups and interviews, we explored residents’ environmental attitudes and risk perceptions by asking about the risks and benefits of neighborhood trees and barriers to the enjoyment of them. The material and emotional bonds residents have with the neighborhood informed their preferences about trees and green space. Trees were often viewed as hazards and financial risks, although they were an integral part of residents’ identities for themselves and their community. The findings suggest that neglecting to look at diverse perceptions will challenge a city’s ability to communicate about the urban forest and, therefore, sustainably address disparities in tree benefits and problems.

Attributes and Predictors of Opinion Leaders on Twitter: COVID-19 Childhood Vaccination Campaign

ABSTRACT Identifying attributes of the COVID-19 childhood vaccine message disseminators is beneficial to health campaign research. This study examines the We Can Do This COVID-19 childhood vaccination health campaign message disseminators on Twitter during 2021–2022. Guided by the diffusion of innovation theory and the theory of the two-step flow communication, we classify the disseminators (n=823) and examine their influence over the two-year period. A manual content analysis and social network analysis were conducted to measure the impact of disseminators on their networks through in-degree centrality assessment. Results revealed that experts in medical fields, industrial professionals, and social media influencers were the top three most common career titles disclosed in Twitter bios among individual accounts, whereas local nonprofit organizations, governments, and companies were the most common organizational accounts. Mann-Whitney U Tests indicated that in both years message disseminators with clinical medicine expertise were more influential than those who did not reveal such expertise. However, only in 2021 were campaign message disseminators with parental expertise more influential within the social network. We discuss the implications of disseminator classification as well as the significance of enhancing health campaigns by identifying who discusses them on social media.

Migration Crisis in the Andes: A Case Study of Localization and Acompañamiento from Medellin, Colombia

Abstract In this article, we explore the question: how do local nonprofits respond to migration crises? We focus on the migration context across Colombia and Venezuela, two countries situated in the Andean region of South America with histories of migratory patterns, and geographies where public goods and services by government are limited, leaving nonprofits often as primary service providers. We explore our research question through the case study of the nonprofit organization Fundación Huellas. The Fundación Huellas case study outlines a local, community-based nonprofit responding to a migration crisis in Medellín, Colombia. While micro-territorial in scope, we posit that the case helps to understand the role(s) of nonprofit organizations in migration crises and demonstrates an important dimension to localization in the provision of public goods and services in such contexts. We find that localization should be explored and understood in Latin America as including the dimension of “acompañamiento” (or accompaniment in English), which can manifest in daily nonprofit practice. We use our case study data to introduce and explain the dimension of “acompañamiento” in localization and migration crises and to call on the field and funders to better recognize and support this orientation in local nonprofit responses.

Insufficient Answer During the Public Health Emergency: A Lesson from the Persistence of Food Insecurity in Low-Income Communities

ABSTRACT Cohort study in deprived communities to investigate the persistence of food insecurity (FI) during the COVID-19 was conducted. Sample were derived from a list of mobile phone numbers provided by community leaders and local nonprofit organizations. Temporal trends and prevalence ratios of FI persistence, categorized as “never,” “occasional FI,” “consistent FI,” were calculated. A total of 302 households completed three assessments, the majority nonwhite women. During the follow-up, families covered by social assistance increased; however, their income decreased (p < 0.05). 33% were “consistent,” and 46% “occasional” FI. Permanent difficulties accessing gas canisters, hygiene products, and hand sanitizers were observed.

Which trust matters and to whom in cross-sector collaboration? Evidence from the local level in the Middle East

This article treats trust as multifaceted and compares the association of two dimensions of trust—trust in individuals and trust in organizations—with the likelihood and intensity of cross-sector collaboration between local governments and nonprofit organizations. The analysis offers evidence of the importance of trust as well as notable cross-sectoral heterogeneity in a developing country in the Middle East, a setting that is seldom the focus of research on trust in collaboration. Both types of trust correlate with the likelihood of collaboration, but trust in organizations appears to matter more for local governments while trust in individuals is more relevant for nonprofits. Both types of trust are also associated with the intensity of collaboration, but the effects vary by the degree of intensity and sector of the organization.

The impact of early direct-contact experiences on reducing mental health stigma among student pharmacists: A pilot study.

Mental health-related stigma is a barrier to treatment and recovery for serious mental illnesses (SMIs). Educational training programs demonstrate positive changes in health professional students' attitudes and stigma toward SMI; however, student pharmacists have minimal opportunity to directly engage with the SMI population. This study aims to assess and compare student pharmacists' stigma related to SMI before and after participating in a pilot series of direct-contact workshop experiences. The 15-item Opening Minds Scale for Healthcare Providers survey was administered to student pharmacists before and after the workshop experiences to measure stigma toward SMI. Five 2-hour workshops were provided to members of a local nonprofit organization serving people with SMI by student pharmacist volunteers detailing a health and wellness topic. The postworkshop survey included free text responses to obtain student feedback. Twenty-four complete preworkshop surveys were obtained, and most of them had positive attitudes and beliefs at baseline. Thirteen postworkshop surveys were obtained from student pharmacists who participated in a workshop event, and 9 were completed by student pharmacists who did not participate in a workshop event, which were used as a comparator group. Stigma decreased after participating in a workshop event, and those who participated demonstrated a lower degree of stigma versus the comparator group. Direct-contact experiences allow student pharmacists to interact with people with SMI earlier in their training and help reduce stigma toward those with psychiatric disorders. Future research is needed to identify large-scale changes in pharmacy student stigma.

Labor lacuna: Disjunctures between local climate action and workforce development in advancing just transitions

ABSTRACT U.S. cities have launched expansive climate action initiatives, often touting these efforts’ economic development and job creation benefits. However, without creating the conditions for high-quality jobs and improved access and inclusion, climate mitigation initiatives may be shaped by neoliberal labor principles that sustain inequality. Drawing upon just transition, economic development, and workforce planning literature, we examine the role of workforce development in municipal climate mitigation efforts. Using Austin, Texas, as a critical case, and interviews with local public and non-profit organizations, we illustrate robust green job growth in a range of occupations can provide access to career-building, quality jobs for economically disenfranchised residents. Our case demonstrates that when state policies hamper just transition efforts, local government actions can still shape better outcomes. These case study insights can extend to numerous urban regions where state government policies work strongly against joining climate action and equitable economic development.

Implementing a provisional overarching intervention for COVID-19 monitoring and control in the Brazil-Colombia-Peru frontier.

he challenge was to provide comprehensive health resources to a remote and underserved population living in the Brazil-Colombia-Peru border, amid the most disruptive global crisis of the century. In August 2021, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz Amazonia (FIOCRUZ Amazônia) and partner collaborators implemented an overarching provisional program for SARS-CoV-2 detection and lineages characterization, training of laboratory personnel and healthcare providers, donation of diagnostic supplies and personal protective equipment, and COVID-19 vaccination. The expedition was conducted at the Port of Tabatinga, a busy terminal with an intense flux of people arriving and departing in boats of all sizes, located in the Amazon River basin. Local government, non-profit organizations, private companies, and other stakeholders supported the intervention. The expedition was accomplished in a convergence point, where migrant workers, traders, army personnel, people living in urban areas, and people from small villages living in riversides and indigenous territories are in close and frequent contact, with widespread cross-border movement. Using a boat as a provisional lab and storage facility, the intervention provided clinical and laboratory monitoring for 891 participants; vaccination for 536 individuals; personal protective equipment for 200 healthcare providers; diagnostic supplies for 1,000 COVID-19 rapid tests; training for 42 community health agents on personal protection, rapid test execution, and pulse oximeter management; and hands-on training for four lab technicians on molecular diagnosis. Our experience demonstrates that multilateral initiatives can counterweigh the scarcity of health resources in underserved regions. Moreover, provisional programs can have a long-lasting effect if investments are also provided for local capacity building.

Проблема рекрутинга и студенческого контингента

Recruitment and retention of diverse student groups contributes to achieving the goals of fairness and efficiency in public administration. Recruiting is also important because it will keep many departments afloat, i.e. be viable academic units in their home universities and serve the needs of local governments and non-profit organizations in local communities to create a future qualified employee. This article examines the importance of student recruitment and details four strategies that will help higher school administrators in their recruitment efforts. There are also problems that foreign students face while studying in another country, as well as moments. Which allow them to gain a foothold and stay in the host university. &#x0D; The state of recruiting in the Republic of Belarus will be slightly sanctified.

Evaluating the Feasibility of a Novel Firearm Injury Prevention Program for Pre-adolescent Children Through Health Care and Community-Based Partnerships: The Future Healers Program Pilot Study.

Firearm violence is an American public health crisis that negatively impacts children and disproportionately affects Black youth. Few firearm injury prevention programs have been described in pre-adolescent children. The Future Healers Program is a novel collaboration constructed via partnership between the medical school, trauma center, academic surgery department, and local non-profit community organization. Our study sought to evaluate if (1) partnering with community organizations facilitated recruitment of children with prior exposure to firearm violence and (2) the health care community was a potential trusted partner appropriate for program delivery. Children aged 4-13 were recruited to join the program via news outlets and social media and in partnership with a local non-profit organization. Of the children and parents participating in the program, 48% (44/92) and 59% (38/64), respectively, completed an IRB-approved survey study. Pearson's chi-square, percentages, and 95% confidence intervals evaluated differences between children and caregivers on sociodemographic characteristics, firearm exposure (FE), firearm violence exposure (FVE), and perception of health care. Participant's residence was geocoded in relationship to incidents of firearm injury (2008-2021) in the same region. Caregivers (95%) and children (84%) reported substantial exposure to firearm violence and resided in areas with frequent firearm injury incidents. Notably, 82% of caregivers and 66% of children reported having a family member injured by gunfire. A high percentage of caregivers (79%) and children (91%) self-reported trust in the health care system. Partnerships between community organizations and health care systems can develop prevention programs that effectively recruit and engage pre-adolescent children impacted by firearm violence.

Mobile service delivery in response to the opioid epidemic in Philadelphia

BackgroundThe harms of opioid use disorder (OUD) and HIV infection disproportionately impact marginalized populations, especially people experiencing homelessness and people who inject drugs (PWID). Mobile OUD service delivery models are emerging to increase access and reduce barriers to OUD care. While there is growing interest in these models, there is limited research about the services they provide, how they operate, and what barriers they face. We characterize the capacity, barriers, and sustainment of mobile OUD care services in a large city with a high incidence of OUD and HIV.MethodsFrom May to August 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with leadership from all seven mobile OUD care units (MOCU) providing a medication for OUD or other substance use disorder services in Philadelphia. We surveyed leaders about their unit’s services, staffing, operating location, funding sources, and linkages to care. Leaders were asked to describe their clinical approach, treatment process, and the barriers and facilitators to their operations. Interview recordings were coded using rapid qualitative analysis.ResultsMOCUs are run by small, multidisciplinary teams, typically composed of a clinician, one or two case managers, and a peer recovery specialist or outreach worker. MOCUs provide a range of services, including medications for OUD, wound care, medical services, case management, and screening for infectious diseases. No units provide methadone, but all units provide naloxone, six write prescriptions for buprenorphine, and one unit dispenses buprenorphine. The most frequently reported barriers include practical challenges of working on a MOCU (e.g. lack of space, safety), lack of community support, and patients with substantial medical and psychosocial needs. Interviewees reported concerns about funding and specifically as it relates to providing their staff with adequate pay. The most frequently reported facilitators include positive relationships with the community, collaboration with other entities (e.g. local nonprofits, the police department, universities), and having non-clinical staff (e.g. outreach workers, peer recovery specialists) on the unit.ConclusionsMOCUs provide life-saving services and engage marginalized individuals with OUD. These findings highlight the challenges and complexities of caring for PWID and demonstrate a need to strengthen collaborations between MOCU providers and the treatment system. Policymakers should consider programmatic funding for permanent mobile OUD care services.

Exploring Social Entrepreneurial Activities at a Community Sport Event in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Community sport events are uniquely positioned to engage in social entrepreneurial activities. This engagement can help navigate challenges facing the event sector. Therefore, this study explored the social entrepreneurial activities in which community sport event managers engaged amid COVID19. Qualitative data were collected via semistructured interviews with five event managers and 10 nonprofit managers involved in the Illinois Marathon in the US. Findings showed that event managers engaged in social entrepreneurial activities through 1) leveraging a corporate partner to facilitate long-term relationships with local nonprofits, 2) delivering an impactful alternate event, and 3) hosting postevent banquets. These activities addressed social problems through 1) listening to and responding to immediate community needs, 2) raising awareness about social issues, and 3) shining a positive light on the community. Findings contribute to the literature on events and social entrepreneurship and provide implications for how event managers partake in effective social entrepreneurial activities.

From Crowdfunding to Crowd Mobilization: The Impact of Digital Philanthropy on Grassroots Organizations and Local Politics in China

Abstract The recent emergence of online crowdfunding campaigns has transformed the charitable landscape in China. This paper examines the participation of one county-level grassroots nonprofit organization (SW) in Tencent's 99 Giving Day to reveal a paradox of organizational success in online crowdfunding, namely that local nonprofits have to wage corresponding offline campaigns with the support of the local government, and thus must co-evolve with local politics. While the online charitable campaign played a crucial role in the founding and professionalization of SW, the successful campaign was soon co-opted by the local government as a source of welfare soft-budgeting and performance management. To ensure the ongoing success of the three-day campaign, the online crowdfunding was transformed into a large-scale offline mobilization. We find that although crowdfunding creates new opportunities for rural grassroots organizations, these organizations must balance dual pressures from both the platform and the local government to successfully crowdfund online.

What contributes to the development of local non-profit organizations in China? A configuration analysis of the industrial development paradigm

ABSTRACT The extant research has underexplored how combinations of causally relevant contextual factors relate to the development of local non-profit organizations (NPOs), especially in developing countries. Based on an industrial development analytical framework, this study explores how combined contextual factors (market substrate, institutional environment and network interface) can explain the cross-provincial development imbalance of NPOs in China. Using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to examine NPO development across 31 Chinese provinces, the results identify four configurations that contribute to high-level NPO development and can aid policymakers and NPO shareholders in tailoring differentiated NPO development practices.

Community philanthropy in South Africa: a case study of grant distribution in the Western Cape

How funding is distributed is an important question in philanthropy. But limited work has asked this question about philanthropy originating on the continent of Africa. This article explores the effective distribution of grants by a community-based South African non-profit organisation through the lens of transaction cost economics. Instead of needs-based indicators, this study finds that internet access is the main indicator of funding, with areas with lower internet access receiving fewer funds than those with higher internet access. This indicates that funding by community-based non-profits may not always be reaching the areas with the highest amount of need, but areas with lower search costs. Overall, community-based organisations may deal with issues similar to international organisations in reaching local non-profit organisations and disenfranchised communities. Targeted outreach, specifically to areas with lower access to the internet, can help to ameliorate these differences.

The University’s Third Mission in Russia’s “Land of Nightingales”

The regional university’s third mission is closely intertwined with the pursuit of cultural and social development goals within the region, fostering productive collaborations with local authorities, businesses, and nonprofits. At the forefront of the academic landscape in the “Land of Nightingales” is Kursk State University (KSU), which has integrated these goals into its strategic development program. This article highlights the key ways in which the university actively engages in the growth of the Kursk Region. Drawing on a sociological study conducted in March-April 2023, we highlight various properties of the university’s organizational culture that empower it to effectively fulfill its missions.