National Nonprofit Organization Research Articles

Pathways to Partnerships: Building Sustainable Relationships Through University-Supported Internships

Relying upon the work of a nonprofit, Food Security for America, this snapshot report explores how internships with undergraduate and graduate students offer opportunities to establish trust and understanding between university partners and community partners, particularly at the start of a relationship or project. The goal of this piece is to provide a framework for reciprocity, as well as exploration of projects for practitioners and stakeholders initiating relationships or interested in ways to incrementally expand existing partnerships with organizations and communities addressing critical food and environmental justice issues. It places the voices of graduate and undergraduate interns and leaders within a national nonprofit in conversation to better understand issues of activism and social justice that can be served through community writing and research initiatives connecting students and nonprofits. Approaches to assessing specific projects and participant engagement set forth a model for measuring the value and impact of internships in community-engaged work.

Exploring the Psychosocial Impact of a Mindfulness Workforce Development Program on Instructors of Color: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

A growing body of literature supports the use of mindfulness-based practices to increase resilience and reduce emotional and behavioral problems of low-income youth of color who are exposed to chronic trauma. The current study, the first of its kind, addresses existing gaps in the literature by examining the social and emotional effects of mindfulness on instructors of color, a largely understudied population. All trainees (n = 25) in a year-long, mindfulness-based workforce development program in Baltimore were invited to participate in this qualitative descriptive study that involved semistructured interviews regarding the personal emotional impact of participating in the program, as well as possible changes in the subjects' perceptions of yoga and the potential role of yoga in their communities. We applied a transcript-based analysis approach to the data from the individual interviews and derived themes using the constant comparative method. Twenty-one trainees (84%) participated in semistructured interviews. Participants were between the ages of 18 and 29 and were predominantly male (71.4%) and African-American (85.7%). We identified four key themes related to participating in the program: (1) changes in emotional functioning and self-perception, (2) changes in interactions with others, (3) changes in perception of yoga and mindfulness, and (4) perceived real-world application of yoga and mindfulness. The current study adds to the literature by exploring the public health implications of mindfulness, particularly in addressing effects of chronic trauma in low-income communities of color. The workforce development program also merits further evaluation as a potential model for enabling local and national nonprofit organizations to offer low-income youth and youth of color employment options that enhance resources in trauma-affected communities.

Using marketing for good: An experiential project on cause-related marketing in a principles course

Cause-Related Marketing (CRM), defined as profit motivated giving, is an effective strategy that can be used to demonstrate to students the “good side” of marketing. This paper outlines an experiential project that allowed students to gain a better understanding of marketing principles while also gaining an appreciation for corporate citizenship. Students were able to generate $11,796.11 in total profit, and collaborate with 34 unique local, national, and international nonprofits. Qualitative data indicated that students gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of marketing, market research, and marketing as a tool for CRM.

Abstract IA09: How Patient Advocates can Advance Cancer Health Equity – Tales from the Frontlines

Abstract In the early days of the SARS CoV-2 Coronavirus pandemic, volunteer Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) patient advocates, affiliated with SHARE Cancer Support, launched a podcast dedicated to exploring life with MBC from the perspective of us, the people living with this disease, and the experts who partner with us to help make our lives better. The “Our MBC Life” Podcast was launched on July 27, 2020 and our inaugural episodes were focused on disparities in MBC healthcare for black women. SHARE Cancer Support started in 1976 as an organization of women helping women, and peer support remains central to SHARE’s work today. It has now grown into a national nonprofit support organization for women affected by breast cancer, MBC, ovarian and uterine cancer. We meet the needs of women wherever they are, especially in medically underserved communities. Our African American Ambassador and Latina SHARE programs are grassroots efforts designed to empower medically underserved communities of color and reduce outcomes in health disparities. In addition, the “Our MBC Life” Podcast team signed onto the #inclusion pledge, the new health equity initiative focusing on diversity and inclusion to eliminate disparities for black women. Black women are often diagnosed at later stages of their breast cancer when treatments are more limited, costly and the prognosis is poor. Black women are often diagnosed at younger ages, have more aggressive breast cancer and have a 40% higher mortality rate. Furthermore, Black women have a 39% recurrence rate of breast cancer versus an approximate 20% recurrence rate found in the total breast cancer population. The #inclusionpledge, launched by the Tigerlily Foundation at the December 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, provides a transparent and tangible framework across stakeholders to identify and track equity actions, holding all involved accountable with measurable and improved equity and outcomes for women of color. Two of the founding members of the pledge are co-hosts with the “Our MBC Life” Podcast. The “Our MBC Life” Podcast team is made up of a diverse group of ten individuals living with MBC with 3 Black Co-hosts, 1 Latinx Co-host, 1 male MBC Co-host and an LGBTQ producer. We cover racial disparity issues in healthcare in every interview with research stakeholders, oncologists and foundation leaders. This presentation will cover the work being done by the “Our MBC Life” podcast to change racial disparities in healthcare for black women and provide an overview of the impact of the #inclusionpledge initiative. Citation Format: Lisa Laudico. How Patient Advocates can Advance Cancer Health Equity – Tales from the Frontlines [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr IA09.

Cancer information overload and multiple prevention behaviors

Abstract Background Many people feel overwhelmed by the increasing amount of cancer-related material available in the information environment. Our aims was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the brief version of the cancer information overload (CIO) scale and to examine the association between CIO and multiple cancer prevention behaviors. Methods A large survey using a self-administered online questionnaire was proposed to all adult members of the Seintinelles, a French national non-profit organization. The psychometric properties of the CIO scale were evaluated. Measurement invariance across French and English languages was studied using an additional sample of 224 Australian cancer survivors from Register4. We also collected functional, communicative, and critical health literacy (FCCHL), deprivation (EPICES index), current smoking, alcohol misuse, frequent sunburns, and rare skin self-examination. Results Between June 16th and 30th 2016, 2 363 French participants answered the online questionnaire. The five-item CIO scale demonstrated the best balance between psychometric properties and number of items. It showed satisfactory internal consistency and adequate fit. No measurement invariance issue was found across age, gender, education level, and language groups. CIO was increased among people with higher deprivation, lower education and a cancer information avoidant profile. In multivariate analyses, CIO was associated with tobacco use (OR = 1.05, 95%CI [1.00-1.10]), rare skin checks (OR = 1.05 [1.01-1.08]) and frequent sunburns (OR = 1.04 [1.01-1.07]), but not with alcohol misuse. Conclusions The 5-item CIO scale is ready to be used in French and English-speaking countries. The links observed between CIO and multiple prevention behaviors encourage further research in order to better characterize the psycho-cognitive and environmental phenomena at play. Efforts are needed to communicate adequately and empower citizens to limit the growing burden of cancer. Key messages The 5-item CIO scale is ready to be used in French and English-speaking countries. Efforts are needed to communicate adequately and empower citizens to limit the growing burden of cancer.

National trends in free public sunscreen dispensers

National trends in free public sunscreen dispensers

Walk with a Doc-a Call to Action for Physician-Led Walking Programs.

Purpose of ReviewAn abundance of data supports the health benefits of physical activity, social connectedness, and spending time outdoors. Yet, a majority of Americans are living lives that are sedentary, lonely, and not connected with nature. We have three primary goals in writing this paper. First, we will review the well-documented health challenges arising from a sedentary, isolated lifestyle. Second, we will discuss the benefits of walking as a primary means of increasing physical activity. Finally, we will shine a light on the exponential success of Walk with a Doc, a national non-profit organization. Walk with a Doc focuses on bringing physician-led enthusiasm into our communities by organizing regular doctor-led walks in the outdoors; as well as Walk with a Future Doc, which encourages medical students to start their own Walk with a Doc programs.Recent FindingsThe Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans share that physical activity is an important action that people of all ages can take to improve their health. These guidelines recommend that adults partake in at least 150 min of moderate aerobic physical activity. Currently, only 23% of Americans are achieving this amount of aerobic activity. In addition, recent data suggest that 3 in 4 people are lonely, a significant social determinant of health. Finally, over half of all Americans spend fewer than 5 h outside each week. Walk with a Doc and Walk with a Future Doc are having an enormous impact on combating the negative effects of these health challenges. An evaluability assessment was completed in 2018 showing Walk with a Doc attendees felt the program increased their physical activity and their social connections, with a majority of Walk with a Doc gatherings occurring in nature. Physicians and other Walk with a Doc program leaders also reported high levels of satisfaction with their participation in Walk with a Doc.SummaryAs teammates in this healthcare fight, we are all painfully aware of the crisis on our hands. Of our patients, 70% are overweight or obese, nearly 80% of us are not getting enough physical activity, with all of this leading to billions of dollars in healthcare costs. Adding fuel to the fire, our doctors are burning out because of it. Today, we want to share what we have learned to be an extremely viable solution. The solution has the capacity to save 5 million lives and $68 billion dollars per year. Additionally, it is bolstering the job satisfaction and happiness of our providers. Personally, it turned my life around in 2005, and since then, it is now greater than 560 communities around the USA (and 34 other countries). We call it, simply, Walk with a Doc.

Digital Messaging to Improve College Enrollment and Success

We investigate the efficacy of text messaging campaigns to remind students about and support them with key steps in the college search, application, selection and transition process. First, in collaboration with the College Board and uAspire, both national non-profit organizations, we implemented text-message based outreach and advising to students in over 700 US high schools that primarily serve large shares of low-income students. Second, we collaborated with several school districts in the state of Texas to implement a school-based version of the intervention. In the national sample, treatment students received outreach approximately once per month from uAspire counselors, whereas in the Texas sample, treatment students received outreach once every one to two weeks from their high school counselors. In both samples, outreach began in Spring 2015 and continued through September 2016. We tested these interventions with concurrent cluster randomized control trials with randomization at the school level. In contrast to the national version of the intervention, which tended to produce null effects, the school-based intervention yielded positive and significant impacts on several college-going steps and on college enrollment for certain subgroups. We discuss key differences between the two versions of the intervention that may have contributed to these divergent results. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.

Telehealth: An Opportunity for State and Territorial Health Agencies to Improve Access to Needed Health Services.

Telehealth: An Opportunity for State and Territorial Health Agencies to Improve Access to Needed Health Services.

Examination of the Responsiveness of the Great Recess Framework-Observational Tool.

The purpose of this study was to test the responsiveness of the great recess framework-observational tool (GRF-OT) to detect changes in recess quality. GRF-OT data were collected at two time points (fall 2017 and spring 2018) in four geographically distinct regions of the United States. Following recommendations by Massey et al. (2018), a three-day average of recess observations was used for each data point. Data analysis was conducted on nine schools contracted to receive services from Playworks, a national non-profit organization specializing in recess implementation, for the first time; eight schools with returning Playworks services (i.e., multiple years of service) and five schools with no intervention services. Analysis of the change in GRF-OT scores from fall to spring revealed a large effect for first-year intervention schools (g = 1.19; 95% CI 0.13, 2.25) and multi-year intervention schools (g = 0.788; 95% CI −0.204, 1.78). GRF-OT scores decreased for schools not receiving an intervention (g = −0.562; 95% CI, −2.20, 1.07). New intervention schools (odds ratio= 21.59; 95% CI 4.27, 109.15) and multi-year intervention schools (odds ratio= 7.34; 95% CI 1.50, 35.97) were more likely to meet the threshold for meaningful positive change than non-intervention schools. The results of the current study suggest that GRF-OT is a responsive tool that researchers, practitioners, and policy makers can use to measure and assess changes in the quality of the recess environment.

Volunteer Management of Local and National Nonprofit Organisations: an exploratory study from Turkey

The present study aims to reveal how volunteer management is executed from the perspective of managers and volunteers of non-profit organisations operating in Turkey at the local and national levels. For the research design, Waikayi et al.’s in Management Decision, 50(3), 349–367 (2012) modified framework was used. Four separate focus-group interviews were conducted with managers and volunteers of local and national non-profit organisations located in Eskisehir, Turkey. The study provided insight into the motivations of volunteers, the sustainability of volunteerism, and the acquisition of volunteers through volunteer management. The design of the research was exploratory, and the assessments were made based on the data collected from four separate focus groups. Within this context, even though the research results are limited, they provide some implications for understanding the volunteer management processes of local and national non-profit organisations. Strategies and tactics that can be used in the context of the human resource approach for both local and national non-profit organisations may be deduced from this study. The present study is the first to address voluntary management in an emerging market from a holistic perspective, which will provide significant tips to both theorists and practitioners. The research contributes to the volunteer management of non-profit organisations in developing markets at local and national levels, and to the relevant literature.

Report released on global campaign to change MH conversation

Bolstering mental health awareness in schools, assessing the mental health of persons entering the criminal justice system and creating the 988 suicide hotline were among the recommendations highlighted in a new report released Dec. 17 by Give an Hour, a national nonprofit that provides free mental health services to veterans, their families and other populations.

Assessing the Effect of a Telepharmacist's Recommendations During an Integrated, Interprofessional Telehealth Appointment and Their Alignment with Quality Measures.

A growing provider shortage contributes to the widening gap in significant disparities that rural communities face. To expand access to care for rural-dwelling patients with epilepsy, a national nonprofit organization initiated an integrated, interprofessional telehealth program. To identify gaps in care based on a telepharmacist's recommendations and determine whether these recommendations aligned with Health Effectiveness Data Information Set (HEDIS) performance measures. A retrospective chart review was conducted for patients who had an appointment with an integrated interprofessional care team composed of an epileptologist, a social worker, registered nurses, and a pharmacist. This novel approach integrated provision of care by team members at geographically distinct remote locations. The pharmacist conducted comprehensive medical reviews via video conferencing and made recommendations to the epileptologist, primary care provider, and/or patient, as appropriate. The consultation was documented in the electronic health record (EHR). The pharmacist's recommendations were categorized as 1 of the 24 preselected HEDIS performance measures or as a non-HEDIS measure. The analysis used descriptive statistics to report patient demographics and pharmacist recommendations. This study included 86 participants. 86 initial and 36 follow-up appointments were conducted between April 2016 and October 2017. The majority of patients were female (52%), with a mean age of 26.2 years (SD = 14.6, range 4-76) and were taking an average of 6.1 medications (SD = 3.6). 159 comorbidities or conditions were identified in the EHR along with 306 recommendations, for an average of 3.6 recommendations per patient (SD = 3.2). 41 (13.4%) recommendations aligned with preselected HEDIS measures, including medication management for depression (31.7%), hypertension (24.4%), asthma (9.8%), and comprehensive adult diabetes care (14.6%). The remaining 265 recommendations lacked sufficient documentation for categorization or failed to align with any targeted measure. This retrospective analysis showed that only 13% of pharmacist recommendations aligned with HEDIS quality measures. While it demonstrates the added value of clinical pharmacists in novel telehealth approaches, future work is needed to develop strategies to increase the number of recommendations aligning with HEDIS measures that adhere to national consensus treatment guidelines via telepharmacist training and improved documentation. SinfoníaRx provided funding for this project through a grant to Warholak, Taylor, Axon, and Lott. Bingham, Boesen, Scovis, and Leal are employed by SinfoníaRx. Data from this study were presented at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Ambulatory Care Conference 2018; June 4, 2018; Denver, CO, and the Southwestern States Residency Conference 2018; June 15, 2018; Chandler, AZ.

Categories as Impact Drivers: A unique approach to scaling and change

Research on organizational approaches to social and environmental issues has focused on market-related aspects such as tensions inherent in hybrid organizing, but as nonprofit organizations become increasingly ‘rational’, and attempt to achieve impact – or progress toward social and environmental issues - at scale, there is a need to investigate and develop models that operate under different assumptions to mainstream strategy research. One area involves the dynamics around product categories. Drawing on an in-depth case study of a national nonprofit organization in the United States, we find an interlinked process by which the organization came to enable the music education category of ‘modern band.’ This process involves 1) an organizational pivot involving the tight coupling of practices and goals, which supports 2) a process of category impact creation involving four generalizable mechanisms – positioning, open-sourcing, receding and moving, which establish the category on the education system level and reorient the organization to focus on promoting the category as an impact driver and change agent. Our study contributes to research on organizational approaches to social issues and makes the case for attention to dynamics around impact models rather than business models. Our process model can be generalized to other social change initiatives that attempt to introduce a new category as a means to scale and as a mode of institutional change and to other organizations that intend to create an unowned category.

Give an Hour's Van Dahlen to lead new White House task force on suicide

The board of directors of Give an Hour, a national nonprofit that provides free mental health services to those in need, including service members, veterans, their families and other at‐risk groups, announced June 19 that the White House, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), has appointed Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D., to lead the PREVENTS (President's Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End National Tragedy of Suicide) Task Force. The task force was created by President Donald Trump's executive order signed earlier this year, a press release stated. The PREVENTS Task Force will create a comprehensive national “Roadmap” that will weave together efforts by the federal government with state, regional, business, nonprofit, faith‐based, academic and community efforts. The task force will be co‐chaired by the secretary of the VA and the assistant to the president for domestic policy. Eight cabinet members will also be involved, including the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services, as well as top officials from other key government entities, such as the Office of Management and Budget and National Security Affairs.

The evaluation of learning transfer of industry skills council (ISC) training programs using success case method

Purpose Industry skills council (ISC) in Korea is at an earlier stage in terms of its formation and incubation. As a governance model similar to sector councils in Canada and UK, it still requires training and development of talents who work for ISCs. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of training programs that are currently provided to personnel of the ISC to foster their learning systematically and to develop measures for effectiveness of the training programs. Design/methodology/approach This study evaluated the training program for the staff of the ISC secretariat as a tool to activate the councils’ main functions. In terms of methodology, we developed an effective training model to measure the training transfer and used it as an analytical framework for evaluation. Success case method was applied to identify the best case of training transfer that reinforces the role and function of ISC. Findings Learning transfer can help not only the transfer of the learning contents but also the role of the organization that the members belong to and strengthen the function of the ISC. By transferring the content matter of the learning, it can help strengthen the capacity of members to carry out the roles and functions of the ISC, and further strengthen the functions of the council and the role of key players in labor markets. Research limitations/implications An effective training model for the personnel of national sectoral bodies or non-profit organization can be further investigated. Practical implications The learning transfer evaluation model for ISC staff has unique characteristics that are different from previous studies. ISC has the characteristics of public goods that are established with government support and are active in developing human resources in each industry sector. Originality/value Incubating ISC in South Korea is at an earlier stage in terms of research and policy practice. The research findings in this study lay the foundations for further empirical explorations.

Differences by Activity Level in Barriers and Benefits of Exercise in Breast Cancer Survivors

Physical activity is a critical component of treatment for breast cancer survivors that prevents additional cancer recurrence, comorbid chronic disease and body composition changes. However, recommended physical activity guidelines are rarely met. PURPOSE: This study examined how barriers and benefits of exercise differ between breast cancer survivors who are not engaging in any moderate or vigorous physical activity, those doing physical activity but not meeting physical activity guidelines, and those meeting recommended physical activity guidelines. METHODS: 392 breast cancer survivors were recruited through the Susan Love/Army of Women, a national non-profit breast cancer organization, and completed the Exercise Barriers and Benefits Survey, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and questions on resistance exercise activities. RESULTS: Multivariate ANOVAs examined whether exercise groups differed in types of exercise benefits and barriers they reported. 267 of the women (69.6%) did not meet recommended guidelines (150 minutes/week of aerobic activity and twice per week resistance exercise). The greatest perceived benefits were for physical performance and the lowest were for social interaction. There were significant differences between groups on benefits (F= 18.981; df = 2, 16; p=.000; ŋ2=.090). Exercise benefits were not significantly different between the some exercise and exercise guidelines groups. The greatest perceived barriers were for physical exertion and the lowest were for the exercise milieu. There were significant differences between groups on barriers (F= 54.807; df = 2, p=.000; ŋ2=.222). The some exercise group had significantly higher barriers than the exercise guidelines group (p=.047). CONCLUSIONS: Despite recommendations, the majority of breast cancer survivors do not meet physical activity guidelines. Understanding which barriers and benefits are relevant to different groups of exercisers is an important avenue to prescribing exercise in an at risk population. Personalized approaches may promote exercise initiation in those not currently exercising; while targeting different barriers may help those already exercising to meet recommended physical activity guidelines. Supported by Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust (PI: Thomas)

Reasons Why Post–9/11 Era Veterans Continue to Volunteer After Their Military Service

A myriad reasons exist as to why individuals volunteer to serve in the U.S. military. However, less is known about why these same veterans who have returned home choose to serve again in their communities. We aim to describe the lived experience of post–9/11 era veterans who shared their reasons for joining a civic service program after the completion of their military service. Narrative data from an observationally designed study of veterans ( N = 346) who completed a leadership and civic service program administered by a national nonprofit, was qualitatively analyzed. Findings reveal 15 distinct personal and professional reasons why veterans engage in civic service following the completion of their military service, with 84% of the veteran sample reporting wanting to continue to serve while 41% reporting that participating would aid in their employment transition from military to civilian life. Other personal reasons include wanting a sense of purpose (20%) and wanting to integrate and participate in a community (20%). The motivation to continue to serve is strong among those who have served in the military and offers implications for conducting research with community-based and federal programs for veterans, military service members, and their communities.

Federal Clinical Guidelines on Preventive Vaccination Against Pneumococcal infections in Adults

The Federal Guidelines on preventive vaccination against pneumococcal infections in adults were developed by experts of Russian Respiratory Society and National Non-profit Association of Specialists for Control Healthcare-Associated Infections. Studies published during the previous 5 years were selected from EMBASE, MEDLINE , and PubMed databases and the Cochrane library and were reviewed by independent experts with consideration of practical physicians’ opinions. The results of this analysis underlay the guidelines. Quality of evidence and strength of recommendations were assessed according to widespread criteria. The guidelines include epidemiology, social burden, pathogenesis, and clinical course of pneumococcal infections, characteristic of vaccines used to prevent pneumococcal infections and special considerations of preventive vaccination in patients with comorbidity and in risk groups. The experts discussed efficacy of preventive vaccination and postvaccinal reactions. The guidelines meet the requirements of Healthcare Ministry of Russian Federation.

Campus Food Movements and Community Service-Learning: Mobilizing Partnerships through the Good Food Challenge in Canada

This paper addresses the growing collaborations among students, faculty and community-practitioners attempting to build healthy, equitable and sustainable food systems within post-secondary institutions and the ensuing implications for food movements. Specifically, we investigate the role of Community Service-Learning (CSL) in fostering food systems change through a case study of Planning for Change: Community Development in Action, a graduate CSL course at the University of Toronto and a partnership with Meal Exchange, a national non-profit organization, to develop the Good Food Challenge on college and university campuses across Canada. Using CSL to support social movements is not uncommon; however, there has been little application of these pedagogical approaches within the field of food systems studies, especially in the area of campus food movements that engage diverse groups in mutually beneficial and transformative projects. Our description of the case study is organized into three categories that focus on key sites of theory, practice and reflection: classroom spaces, community spaces and spaces of engagement. Through reflection on these spaces, we demonstrate the potential of CSL to contribute to a more robust sustainable food movement through vibrant academic and community partnerships. Together, these spaces demonstrate how campus-based collaborations can be strategic levers in shifting towards more healthy, sustainable and equitable food systems.