The Capstone Program
A Sampling of Past Capstone Projects
The Capstone Program was started with a generous grant from the Ford
Foundation. Since 1995, more than 2,600 students have participated in
over 500 projects for approximately 400 organizations. Listed below is
a sampling of projects NYU Wagner students have worked on during the
2008-2009 academic year.
Agricultural Missions
Organizational Transition
Agricultural Missions, Inc. (AMI) is a 79-year old faith-based
ecumenical organization that accompanies rural peoples around the world
in their efforts to address the structural causes of impoverishment and
injustice in their communities. AMI's leadership requested a Capstone
team to assist in evaluating the organization's current capacity and
future potential to fulfill its mission. This resulted in
recommendations on how best to reach that potential in a changing world.
Through interviews with AMI staff and an online survey of AMI partners
around the world, it was determined that the critical areas of focus
were board capacity, marketing, and fundraising. The Capstone team
gathered data and compiled various resources for AMI in these areas of
focus through literature reviews and examinations of similar
organizations. The team thereby provided recommendations for next steps
and a compendium of resources for AMI to consider as it strives to
efficiently expand its impact, achieve financial security, and increase
its public profile.
Asphalt Green
Asphalt Green Expansion
Asphalt Green is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting
individuals of all ages and backgrounds achieve health through a
lifetime of sports and fitness. Asphalt Green's programming has outgrown
their 5.5 acre campus and the organization is looking to grow their
program off-site in order to increase their impact on underserved
communities. The goal was to develop a strategy for a new growth phase
that includes additional off-site collaborations, space rentals,
partnerships, and continued expansion of programs for underserved
communities. This process involved considerable research, identification
of potential stakeholders, relationship development, and planning. The
team made recommendations on opportunities for collaboration based on
ease of implementation, strategic relevance, and mission alignment. The
Capstone team identified strengths and weaknesses that relate to program
development and replication through a SWOT analysis. The team also
provided a keen understanding of the political landscape in New York
City and recognized the potential challenges and opportunities presented
by collaboration with other organizations.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City
Evaluation Plan for Youth Development Training Center
The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of New York City's Center
for Training and Professional Development is to train organizations in
developing formalized mentoring programs; to provide resources to assist
youth-serving organizations in developing, expanding, and improving
their organizations; and to provide professional workshops to enhance
personal and organizational goals. BBBS asked a Capstone team to create
an evaluation plan for three of its Training Center's programs:
Professional Development Workshop Series, Borough Mentoring Networks,
and Technical Assistance. In order to do this, the Capstone team first
created definitions of success for each program through in-depth
conversations with external capacity-building experts and BBBS staff.
Next, the team conducted a literature review of evaluation models, with a
particular focus on the Donald Kirkpatrick model and its criticism. The
team also spoke with comparable training and technical assistance
agencies about their best-practices. The final deliverable resulted in a
viable evaluation plan that will enable BBBS to facilitate long-term
program development while responding to funder needs.
Bronx Nutrition and Fitness Initiative for Teens (B'N Fit)
Evaluation of an Adolescent Clinical Weight Loss Program
The Bronx Nutrition and Fitness Initiative for Teens (B'N Fit) is a
comprehensive weight-loss intervention program within the Division of
Adolescent Medicine at Montefiore Children's Hospital. The B'N Fit staff
has initiated a program evaluation and requested that the Capstone team
assess the progress of program participants and develop a model to
evaluate improvements in risk of obesity-related co-morbidities. The
staff also enlisted the team to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis to
determine if the results seen thus far justify the current use of
resources. The team compiled and analyzed changes in metabolic and
anthropometric outcomes after the program intervention, and created a
mediation model to evaluate the effect of these changes on overall risks
for obesity-related co-morbidities. The team also organized financial
data from the program and developed a ratio to compare total weight lost
or maintained to program cost. A qualitative review was conducted of
other adolescent weight-loss programs throughout the country to
ascertain best practices. The results will be used by B'N Fit as part of
its program evaluation, to continue funding sources, and to shape
future program design.
Brooklyn Arts Council
Brooklyn Arts Council Through a Kaleidoscope: Assessing Perceptions From an Artistic Community
The Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC), a long-standing presence in the
Brooklyn arts community, has recently experienced significant growth.
Due to this development, BAC sought an impartial understanding of its
role within the Brooklyn arts community, integrating perspectives of
both internal and external stakeholders. The Capstone team provided BAC
with insights concerning its role in the Brooklyn arts community by
utilizing surveys and informal interviews targeted at BAC's current and
untapped constituencies. The resulting data highlights BAC's strengths,
constituents' unmet needs, and potential areas for organizational and
programmatic development. This information will enable BAC to clarify
its purpose and position itself effectively within the Brooklyn arts
community.
Carbon Disclosure Project
Corporate Carbon Emissions: Recommendations for Increasing Disclosure and Evaluating the Changing Regulatory Framework
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is a nonprofit organization which
holds the world's largest database of corporate climate change
information in the world. The data is obtained from responses to CDP's
annual Information Requests, issued on behalf of institutional
investors, purchasing organizations, and governmental bodies. CDP
requested a Capstone team to investigate reasons for non-response in the
United States and to conduct research surrounding governmental
legislation and United States greenhouse gas registries. The Capstone
team interviewed representatives from S&P 500 companies to ascertain
how CDP can improve their yearly questionnaire. The legislative and
registry research was obtained from scholarly journals, websites, and
other current publications. The Capstone team's report issues
recommendations for how CDP can improve the response rate to the yearly
Information Request, and maintain its position at the forefront of
environmental reporting as the United States considers new regulations
to combat climate change.
City of Stamford - Solid Waste and Recycling Division
Raising Residential Recycling Rates in Stamford, Connecticut
The Department of Solid Waste and Recycling in the city of Stamford,
Connecticut is a municipal agency that manages waste collection and
recycling. Despite efforts to increase participation in residential
recycling, Stamford reached only a 9% recycling rate, far from
Connecticut's statewide goal of 40%. The City of Stamford requested a
Capstone team to assess barriers to recycling among residents and to
make recommendations for improving rates. The Capstone team employed a
grassroots data collection method, surveying hundreds of residents in
community meetings, recycling centers, neighborhood business
establishments, and through Stamford blogs. Concurrently, the team
identified best practices for recycling through literary research and
meetings with various neighboring municipalities and recycling
organizations. The team matched this information with findings from the
field surveys to compile a report of recommendations for the City.
Additionally, each recommendation was paired with a suggested
implementation plan, and the City will use this report to inform
recycling policies.
Community Wealth Ventures
Social Franchising: A New Pathway to Financial Independence for International NGOs
Long-term sustainability and financial security have become matters of
grave concern for many nonprofit organizations as government support,
private donations, and foundation grants declined. Community Wealth
Ventures LLC (CWV) provides a solution to this pressing social problem
through unique consultancy services currently offered to US-based
nonprofit organizations. Entrepreneurial nonprofits can generate stable
revenue streams by working with CWV and launching social franchises.
These novel ?business-in-a-box' solutions can generate largely
unrestricted funding streams and offer a pathway to long-term financial
independence. The goal of the Capstone project was to investigate the
feasibility of adapting CWV's domestic social franchise model to
international settings in order to provide a potential new funding
stream for international non-governmental organizations. The final
deliverable was a findings report detailing the feasibility of
international social franchising. The report will be available to
organizations around the world and will serve as an assesment tool of
the risks and benefits of entering the international social franchise
marketplace.
Congregation B'Nai Jeshurun
Community Building Initiative
The Capstone team supported Congregation B'nai Jeshurun's Community
Building Initiative, which was established in 2008, to create a more
welcoming environment for the synagogue's membership. With over 3,000
members, the synagogue faces the challenge of promoting a strong sense
of community for its large membership base. In partnership with B'nai
Jeshurun staff, the team conducted external research, exploring relevant
literature and interviewing other large congregations. The team also
conducted internal research, including a synagogue-wide survey, house
meetings, and one-on-one interviews. Results from the external and
internal research helped the team propose infrastructural, programmatic
and small adjustment changes to help the synagogue promote feelings of
connection and community for its members.
Congressional Research Service - Asia
The Environment and Security in Asia
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) requested that the Capstone
team provide critical information and analysis to members of Congress in
order to guide U.S. environment and security policy in the Asia region
and beyond. The team collected and aggregated research and analysis on
the major environmental issues and their corresponding drivers affecting
five regions across Asia and the south Pacific. The background and
context, scientific data, drivers, and responses involved in each
environmental issue are presented through narratives, matrices and
visual diagrams. After a survey of all conflict situations across the
regions, the team analyzed specific cases within each sub-region,
focusing on the intersection between three major components of each
conflict: existing and potential human security dynamics, environmental
issues and their drivers, and the governmental and non-governmental
actors involved. The causal, compounding, and intervening relationships
between the three major components of each case are analyzed and
presented through graphic models and case reports. Cases with similar
environmental or security characteristics across all sub-regions are
also considered in comparison and contrast to the specific cases.
Congressional Research Service - Veteran
Current Trends in Veteran Disability Compensation
By July 2007, approximately 787,000 service members left active military
duty and became eligible for benefits administered by the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA). As the veteran population ages,
service-connected conditions may arise or worsen. Congressional Research
Service (CRS), a support agency of the United States Congress, asked
the Capstone team to investigate reports of veterans facing lengthy
delays in the adjudication of their disability compensation claims. CRS
intends to use this report to supplement their current research and
analysis on public policy issues, which are distributed to
Congressmembers and their staff. The Capstone team investigated trends
in veteran populations and disability compensation using the Annual
Benefit Reports compiled by the Department of Veteran's Affairs,
interviews with key informants, and analyses of available veteran survey
data. Areas of interest include the aging veteran population, medical
innovation, and legislation pertinent to disability compensation.
CUNY School of Law
Blueprint for Growth: Staff Transitions, Program Expansion and Enterprise Resource Planning at the CUNY School of Law
As a state-funded institution with an outstanding track record for
graduating students who work in Public Interest Law, the growing success
and planned expansion of CUNY School of Law will impact future staffing
needs. The Law School asked the Capstone team to develop a staffing
needs projection based on three major upcoming changes: the move to a
newer, larger facility; the addition of an evening program that will add
more students; and CUNY Law's implementation and maintenance of a new
CUNY-wide administrative software system. The Capstone team's report
provided the CUNY Law Administrators with staffing recommendations based
on literature reviews as well as interviews and surveys conducted at
CUNY Law, Queens College (the current administrative service provider
for CUNY Law), CUNY Central, and other law schools relevant in size and
structure.
DUMBO Improvement District
Developing Short-Term and Long-Term Fundraising Strategies for DUMBO Improvement District
The DUMBO Improvement District is one of 60 Business Improvement
Districts (BIDs) in the City of New York. The BID is funded by local
commercial property owners, and its budget is used to provide
improvements to DUMBO, Brooklyn, such as keeping the streets clean,
advocating on behalf of the community to public and private
stakeholders, helping DUMBO go green and bringing more public art to the
neighborhood. The BID's provision of services and role in bringing
capital improvements to the neighborhood exceeds the organization's
primary revenue source ? the annual special assessment. Accordingly, the
BID sought the assistance of the Capstone team in articulating a
development and fundraising agenda. The team researched various
corporate, foundation, and governmental grants suitable for the BID,
analyzed the feasibility of increasing the annual assessment, and
conducted a peer group analysis of New York City BIDs. The report
details the Capstone team's findings and recommendations on how the BID
could expand its fundraising strategies to achieve its goals.
Education Development Center
Expanding Global UR's online presence
Global UR, developed by the Education Development Center (EDC), is an
online learning network for international development practitioners all
over the world. The website has several features including a quarterly
magazine, job postings, a calendar of events, publications, links to
related websites and book reviews. EDC aims to increase Global UR's
online presence by expanding its membership and awareness among faculty
and students in international development. The Capstone team's task was
to assist EDC by making strategic recommendations to help Global UR to
achieve its goals. This involved the team's involvement in: 1)
identifying new university partners; 2) performing a needs assessment
survey of potential new users; 3) identifying additional strategic
marketing partnerships; 4) developing and facilitating an online
teach-in to energize and attract Global UR members; and 5) designing
fundraising strategies, materials and research potential funding sources
to support the future growth of Global UR. In addition to this hands-on
involvement, the team observed and evaluated the results of these
activities in order to make recommendations for subsequent improvement
of this initiative.
Education for Employment Foundation
A Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation System
The Education for Employment Foundation (EFE) works in the Middle East
and North Africa to provide disadvantaged youth with the skills needed
to improve their economic future and that of their countries. EFE
accomplishes this objective by providing unemployed youth with
cutting-edge professional training that directly leads to job
opportunities. The Capstone team was commissioned by EFE to test and
refine a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework.
The team first undertook a review of the existing M&E techniques and
elicited feedback from EFE staff as to its functionality and
practicality. The Capstone team then conducted extensive research and
traveled to Jordan and Morocco to interview key EFE staff and pilot the
tools with students, alumni, employers, and partners. In its final
written report, the team produced an updated series of M&E tools, a
user's guide, and recommendations on how EFE can tailor the M&E
system to individual program and country needs.
Environmental Grantmakers Association
Assessing and Improving EGA's Efforts in Diversity and Inclusive Practices
The Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA) provides its more than
220 member organizations with networking and learning opportunities to
make them more effective in their work supporting environmental
organizations and issues. For the past 10 years, EGA has been educating
its members on issues around diversity and inclusive practices and
created an Inclusive Practices Committee to implement organizational
curriculum on these issues. The Capstone team worked with EGA and the
Inclusive Practices Committee to design a member wide survey assessing
EGA's efforts in this area from a member perspective. In addition, the
team conducted interviews with Inclusive Practices Committee members,
survey experts, organizations dealing with similar issues, and experts
on the issues of diversity and leadership. The team also completed a
literature review to investigate best practices in the field. Based on
this research, the final report includes recommendations on how EGA can
further enhance its efforts and serve its members in diversity and
inclusive practices, as well as a communications plan and financial
forecast for implementing these suggestions.
Fiscal Management Associates
New York City Nonprofit Organizations: Fiscal Health Indicators Database
Fiscal Management Associates (FMA) provides fiscal consulting services
to nonprofit organizations by enhancing knowledge and skills to
successfully fulfill their missions. Currently FMA has a wealth of
experience guiding its understanding of what works to achieve or
maintain organizational fiscal health, but lacks hard data in some
areas. FMA asked the Capstone team to launch a research project aimed at
creating a database containing detailed financial and management
information from local nonprofit organizations with annual budgets equal
to $15 million or less, with particular focus on the areas of
education, health and human services, and housing and settlement. The
process of data collection included in-person interviews with several
chief financial officers, online surveys, and the retrieval of
information from F990 and financial statements. By collecting,
organizing, and storing data in one centralized location, a powerful
tool will be created for identifying specific best practices among
effective and financially efficient nonprofit organizations.
Floating Hospital
Challenge of a Non-Billable Patient Ratio
The Floating Hospital (TFH) is a Federally Qualified Health Center,
providing 57,000+ patient visits annually to homeless individuals and
families from all New York City boroughs. Wherever possible, TFH bills
the Medicaid program for medically necessary services; however, TFH
provides services free of charge to patients not eligible for Medicaid
or those covered under Medicaid managed care plans. The Capstone team
analyzed TFH's reimbursement collection processes for homeless families
with Medicaid fee-for-service coverage and discovered that TFH is unable
to submit reimbursement claims for 48% of visits provided and is denied
reimbursement for over 4% of submitted claims. To address these
figures, the Capstone team identified factors contributing to TFH's 48%
non-billable ratio, researched New York State Medicaid Policy, and
conducted interviews with similar homeless healthcare providers. The
team also conducted an assessment of intake and disenrollment processes
to maximize workflow efficiencies at TFH clinics. Lastly, to enhance
TFH's capacity to serve homeless patients, the team made recommendations
to improve reimbursement through Medicaid.
Free Arts NYC
Best Practices: Creating Diversity through Volunteer Recruitment and Retention
Free Arts NYC is an organization that delivers creative arts programs
directly to low-income, homeless, abused, and neglected children.
Volunteers act as mentors and create an environment for the children to
express themselves through art projects. The Capstone team's goal was to
advance Free Arts NYC's strategic plan of program expansion by growing
and diversifying their pool of trained volunteers. The team conducted a
demographic analysis of active Free Arts NYC volunteers; gathered
volunteers' feedback through focus groups and interviews; analyzed best
practices of similar organizations; and extensively researched new
partnerships and volunteer sources in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the
Bronx. In a systematic process for recruitment and retention of a
diversified volunteer base, the Capstone team will present a statistical
report of existing volunteers, recommendations for recruiting new
volunteers, and a list of potential new local partners in each of the
operating areas.
Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria
Improving HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy Development and Implementation at Indian BPO Firms
The Global Business Coalition is a corporate membership organization
helping corporations identify and implement programs within their
businesses to address diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Many of these
corporations utilize Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firms to achieve
maximum efficiency in their supply chain. The Capstone team discovered
that BPO firms tend to employ a young, mobile workforce that is
compensated significantly higher than the national average. Higher
levels of disposable income can allow BPO employees to engage in
high-risk behavior that can lead to an increase HIV/AIDS transmission.
Due to the immense growth in BPO industries, the Capstone team examined
the development and implementation of HIV workplace policies by
multinational corporations operating offshore firms in India by focusing
on HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank as two case studies. The team will
deliver a comprehensive written report complete with data analysis,
corporate policy analysis, best practices, and recommendations for HIV
policy implementation.
Global Relief Technologies
Barriers, Budgets, and Batteries: Organizational Decision-Making When Adopting New Technologies
How does an organization decide to adopt a new technology in its field
programs? Global Relief Technology, a producer of handheld data
collection devices, asked the Capstone team to research the barriers for
PDA adoption by emergency relief organizations. NGOs across sectors are
increasingly weighing the tangible and intangible costs and benefits of
new ways of collecting timely, mission-specific data. The team
interviewed approximately a dozen organizations in varying fields to
discover the financial, technical, and institutional barriers preventing
organizations from incorporating such types of technology. The team
also conducted case studies of two organizations (one domestic and one
international) currently piloting different PDA devices to explore the
decision making processes these groups followed in their technology
acquisition decisions. The team identified common barriers and themes in
purchasing decisions of the sampled organizations and compiled the
information in a white paper for wider industry distribution.
Hesperian Foundation
Evaluation of ?Where Women Have No Doctor? and 'A Book for Midwives'
The Hesperian Foundation publishes books and educational materials that
empower the world's poor to take greater control over their health and
their lives. The Capstone team partnered with the Hesperian Foundation
to evaluate two of their publications, ?Where Women Have No Doctor? and
?A Book for Midwives.? The evaluation consisted of an online survey
distributed to book users, and a case study of midwives who use the
books in rural and urban Guatemala. The data collected from both aspects
of the evaluation provide a thorough picture of how Hesperian
publications are used throughout the world, as well as information which
will be used to inform the development of future publications.
Inter-American Development Bank - Ecuador
Effective Water Management in Quito, Ecuador: Successes, Challenges, and Constraints
Looking to scale-up its funding of water and sanitation in Latin
America, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) sought a case study
of its work in the region to serve as an example from which to draw.
?The bank contracted the Capstone team to spend one month in Quito,
Ecuador to evaluate its water and sanitation company, EMAAP-Q, and write
such a case study. ?The Capstone team met with and interviewed various
actors, including members of the city and national governments and
community leaders in order to evaluate the historical precedents and
current strategies that contributed to EMAAP-Q's successes and lessons
learned. This information was used to create a case study outlining the
story of the organization, including technical addenda, for both a lay
audience and development practitioners. The case provides the IDB with
information to help understand some of the factors that will be
important to its future efforts to improve urban water management in
Latin America.
Inter-American Development Bank - Water Management
Water and Sanitation Management in Cuenca: How Ecuador's Third Largest
City Employs Strategic Partnerships and Local Ownership to Deliver
Services to its Booming Population
The purpose of this Capstone project was to create a case study on water
and sanitation development in Cuenca Ecuador, based on loans from the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to the Cuencan water utility
company called ETAPA. To evaluate these interventions, interviews were
conducted with IDB staff in Washington, DC and Quito, Ecuador. The
project involved travel to Cuenca in order to conduct research, which
included interviews with ETAPA engineers and managers, interviews with
government officials, interviews with locals in urban and rural areas,
as well as review of available documents. This case highlights the major
accomplishments that ETAPA has made in managing its environment,
building its infrastructure, and strengthening its business model as a
result of the investments financed by the IDB. ETAPA has been able to
achieve much by building local capacity and ownership and by forming
strategic partnerships, and as the city's population continues to grow
in the coming decades, the local capacity and partnerships will help
shape the continued success of the city's water system.
International Water Management Institute
Consumer Responses to Water Service Delivery in Accra: A Case Study of the Coping Mechanisms of Three Residential Areas
This Capstone project entailed exploring consumer and private sector
responses to poor water supply service delivery in Accra, Ghana.
Specifically, it compared various coping mechanisms of households in
different water supply areas and income brackets and provided
recommendations for the improvement of water service in Accra. Using
both quantitative and qualitative research methods, the team collected
and analyzed primary and secondary data including key stakeholder
interviews and a survey of 103 households in three residential areas of
Mega Accra ? East Legon, Madina, and Adenta. The team found that Accra's
residents in different neighborhoods and income brackets have developed
various and different ways to manage their water needs and cope with
poor and unequal water supply service delivery. The team's research data
showed that water source, storage, cost, and quality are all influenced
by geographic location and income level. Also, piped water service,
though unreliable, remains an important source of water for most
residents.
Jacob and Valeria Langleloth Foundation
Evaluation of the Fields of Caregivers' and Correctional Health Care
The Langeloth Foundation is a grant-giving organization centered on the
concepts of health and well-being. Caregivers' and Correctional health
have been priority funding areas for Langeloth since 2003 and 2006,
respectively. The key question the Foundation wished to have answered is
which direction they should take regarding future Caregivers' and
Correctional health care grants. The Capstone team evaluated the impact
that Langeloth-funded grants in these priority areas have had in their
respective fields and worked to develop an overall strategy for future
funding and recommendations on the most pressing policy issues of the
respective fields.?The team conducted a literature review, an online
survey, phone interviews, and focus groups of grantees and
thought-leaders in the two fields. Finally, the team developed and
recommended grant-funding goals with identified outcomes and objectives
that serve as a guide to measure a grant's success.
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning
Assessment of the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning Community Workshop Program
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL) is a nonprofit
organization that offers visual, performing and literary arts, arts
education and artists' programs to encourage participation in the arts
and to contribute to the cultural enrichment of the children and adults
of Queens and the Greater Metropolitan area. JCAL charged the Capstone
team with conducting an assessment of their largest education program,
the Community Workshop series, which provides opportunities for people
of all ages to participate in affordable arts education workshops. The
team researched and analyzed trends in the arts, competitor offerings,
program costs and structure, marketing practices, pricing strategy,
enrollment trends, and client demographics. They also conducted surveys,
focus groups, and interviews with workshop participants, instructors,
and staff. Based on findings, the team outlined a series of
recommendations on how JCAL can maximize the program's earning potential
while improving the services provided to their constituencies.
Jewish Community Project Downtown
Strategic Planning for a New York City Nonprofit Organization
Jewish Community Project Downtown (JCP) is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to meeting the needs of Lower Manhattan's diverse Jewish
population by encouraging them to connect to others through educational,
cultural, social, and artistic programs. JCP's ultimate goal is to
create a healthy and evolving community in which members have a strong
sense of personal ownership, community connections, and Jewish identity.
Now at a pivotal point in its development, JCP requested a Capstone
team to determine how to strengthen and grow the organization. The
Capstone team decided that a 6-step strategic planning process was the
best option and facilitated this process in partnership with an eight
member committee of JCP staff, board members, and donors. The 6-step
strategic planning process involved: (1) developing an organizational
profile; (2) reviewing mission and vision statements; (3) completing an
environmental assessment and SWOT analysis; (4) developing strategies,
goals, and objectives; (5) writing the strategic plan; and (6)
implementing the strategic plan. The team utilized surveys, demographic
studies, focus groups, interviews with key stakeholders and funders, and
financial information to inform and guide the committee in developing
the strategic plan.
Jewish Outreach Institute
Men's Programming: Creating a Program Model for Men's Engagement
The Jewish Outreach Institute (JOI) is dedicated to creating a more
welcoming and inclusive North American Jewish community for all,
including unaffiliated and intermarried families through outreach,
advocacy, education, and support. In order to achieve its mission, JOI
offers a myriad of innovative programming that spans across the United
States and Canada. To address the widely known issue in the Jewish
community of men's decreasing involvement, JOI requested that the
Capstone team develop a model for men's programming with the intent of
launching the program nationally. The Capstone team conducted an
extensive literature review, researched existing programs, and
interviewed Jewish leaders to identify the qualities of a successful
program to engage unaffiliated or disengaged Jewish men or non-Jewish
men married to Jewish women. The exploration stage of the project
produced insights and best practices that the Capstone team used to
develop its recommended program model and accompanying research report.
Legal Momentum - Cervical Cancer
Preventing Cervical Cancer: Easy as 1, 2, 3?
Right now, young people ages 15-24 comprise almost half of the six
million Americans who will become infected with human papillomavirus
(HPV) this year. In addition, because of racial and economic disparities
in health care, women of color and women in poverty are more likely to
contract HPV, but are far less likely to receive treatment once they
become infected. The Capstone team's client, Legal Momentum, a leader in
establishing litigation and public policy strategies to secure equality
and justice for women, is interested in examining ways to reduce and
prevent HPV and cervical cancer. Through a multi-prong research
approach, the Capstone team developed an advocacy strategy for Legal
Momentum to pursue in New York City and nationwide.
Legal Momentum - Domestic Violence
Assessing the Costs to Employers of Domestic Violence Workplace Policies in New York City
Legal Momentum is the nation's oldest legal advocacy organization
dedicated solely to advancing the rights of women and girls with the aim
to establish litigation and public policy strategies to secure equality
and justice for women. The goal of this Capstone project was to prepare
a study to assess the costs that employers face in implementing
reasonable accommodations for victims of domestic violence. In order to
complete this assessment the team developed a valid framework for
evaluating these costs and compared it with existing cost methodologies.
The team also created a reliable employer survey to estimate the cost
impact of domestic violence policies in the workplace. The results of
the study will give Legal Momentum information that can inform policy
decisions and provide a framework for future research.
Manhattan Community Board 4
Affordable Housing Monitor
Community Board 4 (CB4) serves the Chelsea, Hudson Yards and
Clinton/Hell's Kitchen areas and involves community members in
government decisions that affect their neighborhoods. The Capstone team
assisted CB4 by developing a database of its affordable housing stock,
particularly the number of units created through multi-jurisdictional
public financing mechanisms in market-rate buildings. This information
will be used to ascertain which affordable housing has been created,
what will be created in the future, and how much more will be needed to
meet the demands and needs of the community. The Capstone team collected
data from various government agencies, real estate agencies/brokers,
and the The Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York
University. The team examined existing affordable housing stock and
proposed new construction of affordable housing in the district.
Mississippi Center for Justice - Payday Lending
Combating Payday Lending in Mississippi
Payday lenders can charge fees of $22 per $100 borrowed for a two-week
short-term loan, which is the equivalent of a 572 annual percentage
rate. Borrowers frequently cannot repay their original loan and have to
take out additional loans, trapping the borrower into a cycle of debt.
With the payday lending industry booming, Mississippi has one of the
highest concentrations in the nation. Attacking the abusive nature of
predatory payday lending in Mississippi requires a coalition of multiple
stakeholders who can energetically work together to limit the use of
payday lenders. The Capstone team developed a four-pronged strategic
plan to meet both short- and long-term needs and includes strategies for
legislation, community organizing, financial literacy, and identifying
financial resources to support alternative loan products.
Mississippi Center for Justice - Soria City
Soria City Commercial Revitalization Project
The Capstone team partnered with the Mississippi Center for Justice, a
nonprofit, public interest law firm, in an effort to strengthen the
commercial sector of Soria City, a small African American neighborhood
of Gulfport, Mississippi that continues to struggle from the adverse
impacts of Hurricane Katrina. The team provided essential tools for two
aspiring entrepreneurs whose start-ups are expected to boost the
neighborhood's overall vitality. Tools included a business plan, a
market analysis, assistance with Minority/Women Business Enterprise
certification, and a comprehensive guide of loan resources for each
entrepreneur. For the broader community, the Capstone team coordinated
with local business support organizations to plan a community workshop
and networking event. The team also conducted a public survey and
community meeting to identify local needs, and produced a community
action guide to address broader development issues such as
accessibility, street conditions, and zoning.
Municipal Development Partnership for East and Southern Africa
Citizen Engagement and Revenue Generation in Uganda
The Municipal Development Partnership for Eastern and Southern Africa
(MDPESA) engages in capacity building to promote civic engagement and
ensure effective self-governance in 25 African nations. The Capstone
team was enlisted to study citizen engagement and local government
revenue generation in Uganda. The abolition of Uganda's graduated tax
coupled with limited implementation of participatory mechanisms has
contributed to the inability of local governments to meet citizen demand
for services. Because most citizen engagement studies have focused on
the technical aspects of participatory expenditure budgeting and not on
revenue generation, the team conducted fieldwork in Uganda to explore
the links between citizen engagement, revenue generation, and service
delivery. The team held interviews with local and central government
officials, as well as informal focus groups with local opinion leaders.
MDPESA will use the final report to enhance their knowledge of the ties
between citizen engagement and local government revenue generation in
Uganda and to develop an agenda for further work.
New York City Business Improvement Districts Association
Building Public Art into Business Improvement Districts' Menu of Services
In New York City, property owners and commercial tenants have the
opportunity to form a Business Improvement District (BID), a
public-private partnership responsible for promoting local economic
development and improving an area's quality of life. There are more than
60 BIDs citywide, and each supplements the City services for property
and business owners within the BID boundary. These services include
sanitation, security, sidewalk maintenance, and neighborhood marketing.
Public art is increasingly viewed as an economic development tool that
drives foot traffic to commercial corridors and cultural districts by
creating a visually interesting streetscape. The New York City Business
Improvement District Managers Association (NYCBA) ? the umbrella
organization for the BID Executive Directors ? recognizes the nexus
between public art and economic activity, and believes that
incorporating public art programming into the BIDs' menu of services is
in line with its mission. The NYCBA enlisted a Capstone team to create a
framework, implementation strategy, and toolkit for the pilot public
art program. The team designed the program based on key informant
interviews and surveys on public art programming, economic impact
studies, and existing public art programs within New York City agencies.
New York City Department of Education's Office of School Leadership
Exploring the Feasibility of Pursuing the Registration of Alternative School Leadership Training Programs
The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is the largest public
school system in the country and serves over 1 million students in
nearly 1,500 schools. NYCDOE's Office of School Leadership asked the
Capstone team to explore the feasibility of pursuing the registration of
alternative school leadership training programs by the New York State
Department of Education. The team researched which organizations provide
alternative training/certification for school leaders in the United
States and identified each state's rationale in granting alternative
routes, and the challenges and lessons learned throughout the process.,
The team interviewed program administrators and evaluated best practices
for achieving state recognition for alternative certification programs,
including a description of the process to attain state recognition. The
final paper includes recommendations on how NYCDOE and its partners can
best pursue state recognition of alternative training programs for
school leaders given this national context.
New York City Department of Probation
Evaluating Two Innovative Employment Programs for Individuals on Probation in NYC
This Capstone project is an implementation evaluation of two innovative
employment programs for individuals on probation in New York City. The
programs, Employment Works and the New York City Justice Corps, are
mayoral initiatives funded through the Center for Economic Opportunity.
Eligible probationers are referred to specialized services designed to
help them obtain better paying and more meaningful employment. The
project evaluates Department of Probation's role in the programs'
assessment and referral process, and analyzes how closely this process
matches the original design. The evaluation involves a series of key
informant interviews with agency leadership, program managers, probation
officers, and probationers, as well as an online survey, quantitative
analysis, literature and document review, and in-person observations.
The team will specify an audit protocol that outlines the procedures for
replicating the program evaluation in the future, and will deliver a
report that highlights successes and concerns, and makes recommendations
for improvements.
New York City Department of Youth and Community Development
Youth and Runaway Services TIL Program Assessment
The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) funds programs
designed to protect runaway and homeless youth and whenever possible,
reunite them with their families. DYCD's Transitional Independent Living
(TIL) Programs provide homeless youth (16-20 years of age) with support
and shelter for up to 18 months, as they work to establish an
independent life. The goal of the Capstone project was to examine youth
who utilize TIL programs and evaluate circumstances after they are
discharged from the programs. The team also provided recommendations for
how DYCD can better tailor its discharge planning process in
conjunction with the TIL sites to meet the needs of runaway and homeless
youth. The Capstone team reviewed client files for youth discharged
during Fiscal Year 2008 and interviewed TIL providers regarding their
discharge policies and services utilized by clients. An in-depth
assessment of this information, together with recommendations, will
contribute to a better understanding of the outcomes for youth who
participate in TIL programs, help DYCD to make informed policy
decisions, and direct limited resources more effectively.
New York City Economic Development Corporation
Marketing Strategy for Biosciences Industry in New York City or New York Metropolitan Region
The Capstone team partnered with New York City Economic Development
Corporation (NYCEDC) and the New York Biosciences Association to
determine if New York City and the surrounding metropolitan region will
benefit from uniting and marketing itself as a regional entity. Using
existing biosciences clusters around the United States as case studies,
the team researched and identified relevant successes and failures
within the industry. The team also identified and interviewed key
stakeholders who would need to be involved in such a regional strategy.
In addition, the team conducted stakeholder analyses and identified
barriers to collaboration both within New York City and throughout the
region. Based on this comparative analysis and assessment of options,
the team recommended a future plan of action for NYCEDC to effectively
market the bioscience industry in New York City and the region.
New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
Improving Community Patient Access to Specialty Healthcare Services
The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is the largest
public hospital system in the country, serving 1.3 million patients
annually. The Capstone team was asked to identify barriers to specialty
care access for community-referred patients at select HHC facilities
(Bellevue, Elmhurst, Kings, Lincoln, and Woodhull) and to develop an
implementation plan for strategies to improve access. Phase I of the
project focused on interviewing stakeholders at the participating
hospitals, root cause analysis, data analysis, and literature review.
Phase I ended with recommendations and strategies that could be
implemented across facilities to better manage the specialty care
access. Phase II included interviewing stakeholders at the participating
hospitals for best practices associated with the recommended strategies
and the prioritization of identified strategies with HHC leadership.
The final product was a customized implementation plan for each
participating facility to address specialty care access and the
development of metrics to measure efficacy of the recommended
strategies.
New York City Housing Authority
Leveraging NYCHA's Purchasing Power: A Feasibility Study of a Purchasing Collaboration Among Public Housing Authorities
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), along with other public
housing authorities throughout the country, has seen a major decrease in
subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
since 2001. Now, with a deficit of $198 million, NYCHA has requested a
Capstone team to investigate the feasibility of a purchasing cooperative
with the goal of creating a new revenue stream. An in-depth literature
review and extensive research was conducted on the various models of
purchasing partnerships, both in theory and practice, to see what best
suits NYCHA's needs, size, and what can best leverage its sophisticated
supply chain operations. The team designed and administered an online
survey to 200 regional housing authorities to gauge interest and
financial feasibility. Complementing the survey, the team conducted
phone interviews with potential vendors and self-selected public housing
authorities. Additionally, an evaluation of potential issues and
barriers to implementation was also conducted with the team and NYCHA's
legal department. The report synthesizes survey data and qualitative
research yielding a detailed cost-benefit analysis and recommended next
steps for NYCHA.
New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
Analysis of the Current Print Media Coverage of Domestic Violence in the New York State Area
Media coverage of domestic violence cases has long been a source of
concern for those who work to end domestic violence. In order to make
stories attractive to readers, it is not unusual for cases to be
sensationalized by reporters who have a limited knowledge of the
dynamics of domestic violence. The New York State Office for the
Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) is an executive level state
government agency that was created by a provision of the New York State
Executive Law in 1992, and the mission of OPDV is to reduce domestic
violence in New York State by improving the State's local response to
and prevention of domestic violence, ensuring that everyone can feel
safe in their personal relationships. The three main objectives of this
Capstone project are to research and analyze current print media
coverage of domestic violence throughout New York State, conduct a
literature review of other jurisdictions' findings, and to make
recommendations as to how OPDV could improve the State's media coverage
of this issue.
New York University Abu Dhabi - Car Sharing
Car Sharing and Parking Management at NYU Abu Dhabi
New York University is developing a campus on Saadiyat Island in Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. As part of the campus planning and
development efforts, New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) tasked the
Capstone team with researching and developing a plan to implement a car
share program on the campus. The team researched car share programs and
conducted interviews with leading businesses and service providers in
the United States and around the world. The team also spent a week in
Abu Dhabi talking with key stakeholders to learn about existing
conditions in Abu Dhabi as well as regulatory and insurance issues, and
cultural limitations for implementing a car share program on NYUAD's
campus. The team will deliver a set of recommendations to NYUAD for
implementing a car share program. Such recommendations will include a
business analysis, advice on partnerships, necessary parking management
requirements for the campus, and potential challenges and limitations.
New York University Abu Dhabi - Recycling
Recycling in NYU Abu Dhabi
New York University is developing a full scale campus in the Emirate of
Abu Dhabi that will admit its first class of students in the fall of
2010. The development and operation of New York University Abu Dhabi
(NYUAD) will embody the values of New York University, one of which is
to be a responsible ecological citizen. The team was tasked with making
recommendations for the creation of a comprehensive recycling program
for both the permanent and interim campuses of NYUAD. NYUAD expects the
recycling program to be broad in scope, attainable in nature, and
emblematic of the innovative potential for recycling programs in the
broader region. The plan addresses water, organic materials, disposable
commodities (such as bottles and cans), and durable goods (such as
furniture). The recommendations address both demand side management
(sourcing, education) as well as the more traditional post-use issues of
recycling (physical planning and operations).
New York University Abu Dhabi - Bike Share
NYU Abu Dhabi Bike Share and Supporting Infrastructure
New York University Abu Dhabi has enlisted a Capstone team to develop a
set of recommendations to encourage non-motorized modes of
transportation as viable and enjoyable mobility alternatives for
students. NYU Abu Dhabi is in the process of planning both the physical
and programmatic aspects of its campus and would like the sustainability
ethos of the New York City campus to carry over to Abu Dhabi. Recently,
the NYC-based University initiated a bike share pilot program to
provide a form of recreation and fill gaps in public transport. The
Capstone team is working to develop a bike program and set of policies
for both the interim and permanent campus in Abu Dhabi, which could
potentially be integrated with a larger citywide bike share program. The
Capstone team conducted extensive research into existing bike share
programs around the world and traveled to Abu Dhabi to study the
existing infrastructure and plans for future development. The
recommendations made by the Capstone team will guide University
administrators in implementing such a program for both campuses.
New York University Langone Medical Center
Improving the Accuracy of Reporting Graduate Medical Education Reimbursements
New York University Langone Medical Center (NYULMC) is a top-tier
medical institution that provides graduate medical education to
residents and fellows. NYULMC receives graduate medical education (GME)
funding from Medicare when residents train in licensed settings or in
non-licensed provider settings if appropriate agreements are in place.
NYULMC was concerned that time spent by residents in non-provider
settings may not be entered accurately into its resident time tracking
system. The role of the Capstone team was to determine whether residents
were being trained in non-provider settings, establish the length and
time of these rotations, and analyze the financial impact on GME
reimbursement. The team evaluated 85 programs to determine resident
training locations, summarizing the information into a comprehensive
document. The team also made recommendations to improve the accuracy of
resident reporting. Finally, the team worked with NYULMC to define
criteria for letters of agreement with identified non-hospital
providers.
New York-Presbyterian Allen Pavilion
Introducing the Allen Pavilion Nurses to Community Outreach
New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) is committed to serving the vast
array of neighborhoods comprising its service area and recognizes the
importance of preserving a local community focus. The Department of
Nursing plans for its nurses to have a strong community presence through
volunteerism. The Capstone team identified current community outreach
efforts at NYPH by conducting surveys and interviews with internal and
external stakeholders and identified a local community school as an
institution requesting a partnership with a health care facility. The
final report includes recommendations to achieve a community outreach
program, responding to the community's needs and the Allen Pavilion
nurses. In addition, a communication strategy is outlined to better
market community programs and increase participation of Allen Pavilion
nurses.
New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center
Improving Supply Procurement on Nursing Units
The Capstone team worked with a leadership team at New York-Presbyterian
Hospital Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center to develop a process for
improving the procurement of supplies on two adult inpatient oncology
nursing units, one medical and one surgical. This project was triggered
by a time and motion study done in 2006, which showed that nurses are
spending significant time away from the bedside to obtain supplies
needed for routine or more specialized care. To better assess the needs
of the nurses, the team conducted surveys and focus groups with nursing
staff. An evaluation of the flow of supplies both from the central
supply source to the unit and from the unit supply area to the point of
care was undertaken. The team initiated an evidence-based approach and
considered limits in modifications to the patient unit. The results can
be utilized by the hospital to transfer time spent on obtaining supplies
to providing direct bedside care.
New York-Presbyterian Hospital Department of Nursing
Streamlining the NYPH Restraint Data Monitoring Process
New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) Department of Nursing is committed
to the provision of safe, quality care to its diverse patient
population. The vision of the Department of Nursing is to be one of the
nation's leaders in nursing best practices; quality, safety and
outcomes; research; education; and service excellence. The Capstone team
was entrusted to develop a streamlined monitoring process for patient
restraint that is efficient, reliable, compliant with regulatory agency
requirements, and replicable. The Capstone team reviewed current manual
process flow of patient restraint monitoring, hard copies of monitoring
tools, and performed an extensive literature review. Nursing Quality
Assurance Governing Council members, Patient Care Directors of pilot
units, front line staff, Nursing Informatics, clients, and individuals
from peer organizations were interviewed to better understand the scope
of the project. The information was mapped out, researched, analyzed and
a report of initial findings was submitted to the client as a point of
reference for NYPH as it moves toward building a more efficient and
accurate quality monitoring process. The team's recommendation will
provide a hand-off to the client that presents a streamlined process,
which includes data mining, timelines and milestones. The recommendation
also defines clear ownership and accountability of the specific
campus-based Nursing Quality Assurance Governing Council that can be
consistently and equally applied to other quality initiatives.
New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Patient Acuity Systems
The Capstone team formulated two research questions to assess the extent
to which the New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) was utilizing
evidence-based nursing sensitive patient acuity measures to manage nurse
staffing: what are the current NYPH practices and how would a patient
acuity system (at no significant extra cost) improve staffing decisions
and patient care at NYPH? The Capstone team identified the current
practices on two similar medical-surgical units in the NYPH system.
Through a series of interviews and an evidence-based literature review,
the team identified criteria to evaluate relevant patient acuity systems
in the marketplace. Based on the findings, the Capstone team
recommended next steps for the NYPH system with regard to acuity-based
staffing.
New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center
Improving Supply Procurement on Nursing Units
For years, nurses have struggled with balancing bedside service, direct
patient care, teaching, and an array of other daily tasks. Several
studies have shown that nurses can spend seventeen percent or more of
their shift administering medications, which can be equal to or greater
than the amount of time they are able to devote to patient teaching and
other interventions. New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center
requested the Capstone team to observe the medication administration
process on several medical-surgical units, identify the barriers that
impede a safe and efficient medication administration process and
present opportunities for improvement. The recommendations are being
developed through observation data analysis, focus group discussions
with nurses working on the units studied, and evidence extracted from
literature reviews. The recommendations presented to the nursing
leadership of New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center will
identify opportunities to remove barriers that currently prevent nurses
from spending quality time at the bedside.
nyhomes
Evaluation of Keep the Dream: A Refinance Program for Households Facing Foreclosure in New York State
In the wake of the sub-prime mortgage crisis and in an effort to reduce
foreclosures, the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) asked the
Capstone team to evaluate their foreclosure prevention and refinance
program Keep the Dream, fostered under New York Homes (?nyhomes?).
SONYMA provides affordable home ownership opportunities to low and
moderate income families in New York State. The Capstone team evaluated
Keep the Dream, by creating and applying a custom program evaluation
tool. The evaluation tool consists of a set of prioritized goals, a
series of program metrics, and a proposed system for collecting and
measuring said metrics. The team then used the tool to identify key
goals, challenges, and successes of Keep the Dream. The team also
interviewed agency personnel, key stakeholders and other state HFAs, and
analyzed foreclosure and mortgage performance data to provide
recommendations on improving foreclosure prevention programs in the
future.
Order of Saint Helena
Achieving Sustainability: Financial Assessment and Recommendations for a Religious Order
The Order of St. Helena (OSH) is an Episcopalian order located in
Augusta, Georgia that is comprised of 22 sisters. For the past several
years, OSH has incurred an increasing budget deficit. Upon review of
OSH's available financial data, the Capstone team created a
comprehensive analysis of OSH's fiscal activities and decisions and
identified OSH's strengths and deficiencies. In formulating
recommendations, the team employed surveys, interviews, academic
research, and data benchmarking methodology to determine possible
sources of revenue and strategies to decrease expenses. Additionally,
the team provided OSH with a feasible and practical framework that would
allow the organization to overcome financial challenges and to remain
sustainable.
Palladia, Inc.
A Framework for Longitudinal Program Evaluation
Many nonprofits are tasked with continually addressing and responding to
issues of accountability, cost-effectiveness, program performance, and
impact. One of the largest multi-service agencies in New York City whose
services include a variety of substance-abuse treatment programs,
Palladia wants to address the challenge of quantitatively demonstrating
that their programs effectively improve and impact clients' behaviors
over time. The Capstone project goal was to provide Palladia with a
framework to conduct longitudinal program evaluation that will enable
them to better track and understand the impact of their substance abuse
interventions on client outcomes and to develop the operational
infrastructure to track former clients and conduct such an evaluation.
The Capstone team worked with Palladia to broaden the understanding of
treatment and service provision by recommending mechanisms that
appropriately assess the treatment success of clients.
Pike County Public Library
Securing Revenue and Managing Financial Operations in an Expanding Organization
The Pike County Public Library (PCPL) sought to address the competing
challenges of increased usage and insufficient capacity at its main
branch and two satellite branches. Unable to meet the needs of the
county's 60,000 residents, the PCPL has begun the process of building a
new state-of-the-art headquarters facility with the goal of increasing
capacity and expanding its programs. The Capstone team worked with the
PCPL to identify a new and stable funding source that will help ensure
the long-term sustainability of the PCPL, specifically a dedicated
countywide library tax imposed by referendum. After examining the PCPL
financial operations and researching library tax referenda results from
other Pennsylvania counties, the Capstone team prepared a primer on
planning for a referendum campaign, a case study of past referenda, a
series of projected PCPL operating budgets based on varying revenue and
expense forecasts, and an analysis of a public opinion survey about the
library and a potential tax.
Rock School for Dance Education
Determining Efficacy of Current Programs and Developing a Business Plan for Program Expansion Opportunities
The Rock School for Dance Education is one of the nation's premier
schools for classical ballet training with a $4 million budget and an
annual enrollment of more than 1,000 students at facilities in
Philadelphia and West Chester, Pennsylvania. The School annually awards
more than $500,000 in scholarships, maintains a year-round residence
program in Philadelphia for 32 students, and provides a cutting-edge
high school program for the most focused young dancers. The education
component provides artists with a unique blend of pre-professional
training, performance experience, and college-preparatory academics to
ensure that they are both well trained and well educated. Faced with
increased competition and a dynamic funding environment, The Rock School
requested a Capstone team to develop a business plan to financially
sustain the organization in the future. To inform this effort, the
Capstone team conducted market research and undertook a five-year
financial statement analysis.
Rose F. Kennedy University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
An Inquiry into Administrative Operations and Process Flow at CERC
The Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) is one of the
primary centers in New York City and New York State providing health
care services to children with developmental disabilities. In 2004,
President Bush mandated that all healthcare providers convert to an
Electronic Medical Record (EMR) by the year 2014. To fulfill this
mandate and streamline their quality customer and provider service, CERC
asked the Capstone team to observe and analyze current processes and
procedures at its facilities, identifying areas of similarity and
convergence across units. To obtain a stronger understanding of
procedure and workflow for each unit, the team interviewed
administrative staff in various units and analyzed internal processes
beginning with initial patient contact and ending with determination and
execution of treatment (or end of contact, if the patient was moved to
another CERC unit or outside of CERC). The team's observations and
recommendations are intended to assist CERC with the implementation of
its EMR system and to generate general improvements in process and
operational flow.
Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation
Designing and Aligning Program Models and Organizational Outcomes: A Stakeholder Evaluation
Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, a Brooklyn-based arts outreach
organization, offers programming to underserved youth. After determining
the need for comprehensive program assessments, Rush staff partnered
with a Capstone team to develop an evaluation plan, tools necessary for
implementation, and preliminary survey results. The first step of the
project required the collaboration of Rush executives and the Capstone
team to identify desired program outcomes, which were subsequently
mapped into program theory models. Based on these models the team
created surveys to be administered to the following Rush stakeholders:
youth, teachers, teaching artists, and parents. Responses from the
surveys were then compiled and presented to Rush in order to provide the
organization with information necessary for program assessment,
development, and funding applications. Finally, in order to promote the
continued use and ultimate mastery of the survey tools, the Capstone
team trained the Rush executives on survey implementation and
maintenance, and provided an instruction manual for ongoing future
evaluation.
Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ
Creating an Inclusive Green Collar Workforce: Opportunities for Building Service Workers in a Greening Economy
SEIU Local 32BJ is the largest building service workers union in the
country, representing more than 100,000 cleaners, doormen, porters,
maintenance workers, window cleaners, security guards, superintendents,
and theater/stadium workers. Now entering a critical planning phase,
Local 32BJ requested a Capstone team to analyze how the movement towards
energy efficient green buildings can open up new job opportunities for
workers, provide a career ladder for current workers via training for
green industries, and secure higher wages and benefits. To accomplish
this, the Capstone team researched green building technologies,
forecasted potential changes in job responsibilities, analyzed current
training programs, and identified legislation that would help the union
accomplish its goals. This information was then compiled and analyzed to
produce a report of findings and recommendations that Local 32BJ can
use to prepare and position it to benefit from a greening of the United
States' economy
Siembra Azul Foundation
Effects of the Industrialization of Tequila on Agave Workers in Arandas, Mexico
NAFTA and U.S. recognition of Mexico's regions of appellation for
tequila brought a substantial presence of multinational corporations
into Mexico's tequila industry. With this, agave - the principal
ingredient of tequila - is no longer cultivated by small farmers who
possess the knowledge of all aspects of production. Due to the influx of
multinational corporations, orchard-type environments are now
cultivated and harvested by a multitude of people, each performing a
specialized task. These developments bring changes to the economic and
social roles of those working with agave and create a potential loss of
multi-generational knowledge and alienation from traditional lands.
While there has been considerable study of the liquor tequila and of the
agave plant, the impact of the changes in agave production on the agave
field workers of today is not yet documented. Who are the people who
work in the agave fields of the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico? What is
their role in today's agave production? What is the impact of the
changes in agave production on these workers? The Capstone team
interviewed workers in the agave fields surrounding Arandas, Jalisco,
Mexico to answer such pressing questions.
Support Center for Nonprofit Management
The Opportunity of Transition: Executive Leadership Services as a Framework for Change
The Support Center for Nonprofit Management provides services designed
to increase the effectiveness of nonprofit leaders, enabling nonprofit
organizations to better serve their clients and communities. Among their
offerings, they provide Executive Leadership Services to guide
organizations through periods of executive transition, an increasingly
crucial juncture for organizations during this economic crisis. The
Capstone team conducted an evaluation looking at both the academic
perspective on leadership transition and the impact of the Support
Center's transition services on the marketplace. A survey of Support
Center clients and interviews with key leaders in the field were
conducted in order to create an understanding of the services provided
and their effectiveness. The final report's recommendations provide a
point of reference for the Support Center as they look to expand their
client base and position themselves as a leader in the field of
transition management. The report will also highlight the overall
benefits of Executive Leadership Services to the nonprofit sector.?
United Methodist Church
Evaluation of United Methodist Church Consumption Levels for a Pension Program in Angola
The United Methodist Church (UMC) has collected over $10 million dollars
to support the expansion of pension programs for United Methodist
Church Conferences in the 37 countries in which it functions around the
world. The Central Conference Pension Initiative (CCPI) assists each of
the UMC Conferences to build the best pension program for their
community. In order to equitably and efficiently distribute funds around
the world, CCPI asked the team to evaluate international poverty
measurement tools, tailor a tool specifically for CCPI, and test this
tool in Angola. The team went to Angola with the goal of interviewing 60
pastors and pensioners using a consumption questionnaire to determine a
common standard of living before and after retirement. The results will
assist CCPI in making informed decisions on how to distribute funds.
Ultimately, based on field research, the Capstone team will produce an
enhanced survey that CCPI can implement in all 37 countries in the
future.
United Methodist Committee on Relief
Assessing Health Care Priorities in C?te d'Ivoire
The primary focus of this project was to help the United Methodist
Committee on Relief (UMCOR) identify and assess the health care
priorities of national and local governments, the Methodist Church, and
other key actors in C?te d'Ivoire. In particular, the team was asked to
assess Dabou Methodist Hospital, a former British colonial hospital now
owned by the local Methodist church, and make recommendations for its
improvement. These recommendations will be considered by hospital
administrators as well as leaders in The Methodist Church of Texas, who
have established a partnership with the Methodist Church of C?te
d'Iviore. The team conducted an environmental scan of the healthcare
system and infrastructure of C?te d'Ivoire using internet-based research
and interviews with US-based experts in healthcare systems. The team
also traveled to C?te D'Ivoire to visit the hospital and interview
various stakeholders, including leaders in the Methodist Church,
hospital administrators and staff, as well as government officials, to
gain a deeper understanding of local health care issues and challenges.
Deliverables include recommendations for the improvement of the hospital
and the feasibility of establishing a community health worker program.
The team's findings will be presented to the hospital staff, leaders
from the Methodist Church in C?te d'Ivoire, and leaders from the
Methodist Church in Texas.
United Nations Capital Development Fund
Analyzing and Improving the Evaluation of Local Development Projects
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) seeks to reduce
poverty in Least Developed Countries (LDC) through local development
programs combining investment capital, capacity building, and technical
advisory services. Its approach emphasizes government decentralization
and local pilot projects. High quality evaluations are crucial for UNCDF
to understand the effectiveness of innovative strategies employed in
pilot projects and the merits of scaling them up. The organization's
evaluation framework must be flexible and nuanced to capture the
contextual differences of interventions in diverse countries around the
world, yet also standardized to facilitate comparisons. The Capstone
team created a framework to carefully analyze eight evaluations
completed in 2007 and reviewed existing evaluation manuals and
guidelines. The team produced conceptual structures, diagrams, and
recommendations to assist UNCDF in further improving its evaluations in
the future.
United Nations Capital Development Fund - Nicaragua
UNCDF Nicaragua Local Economic Development
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) engaged a Capstone
group to assess interim strategic planning outcomes of PADETOM, a UNCDF
program in Nicaragua. The program's objective is to build the capacity
of municipalities in the Rio San Juan region to promote and support
local economic development (LED) strategies and initiatives. The
Capstone team conducted a document review, academic research on current
methodologies and approaches to LED, and field interviews with program
partners, beneficiaries, stakeholders, and other agencies. Its findings
include an analysis of the municipal planning process for the program,
the larger framework under which it will be executed, and the expected
effect on focus towns. The team also made recommendations for a future
planning model for LED projects and for UNCDF's work in particular,
including the recognition of the need for a multi-faceted approach
linking it to rural economic development efforts.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Civic Engagement in Adaptation to Climate Change
Despite a growing concern about the impact of climate change on local
communities, there has been a heavy emphasis on mitigation and
adaptation efforts at the global and national levels of government.
Support for local efforts to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate
change have only recently been studied and highlighted. The Capstone
team worked with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social
Affairs (UNDESA) to assess and expand knowledge on local level reactions
to climate change in various countries. The team reviewed three cases
from Jamaica, India, and Mozambique involving local action by civil
society organizations to increase community preparedness and to cope
with the consequences of climate change. The cases give examples of the
type of support required from NGOs and governments to enhance the
capacity of communities to prepare for major catastrophic events and to
adapt to climate change.
United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
Telecommuting Study for UN Department of Management
The Capstone team was enlisted by the United Nations Department of
Management to develop recommendations for improving the existing policy
and practice of telecommuting within the Secretariat and its field
offices world-wide. The team carried out an online internal survey of
global Secretariat employees on their knowledge of and experience with
telecommuting at the UN. The team visited the UN office in Vienna, noted
within the UN system for its exceptional work/life balance policy and
implementation strategies, to conduct in-person interviews about
telecommuting best practices. The team also conducted an external
benchmarking study to identify telecommuting best practices amongst UN
sister agencies, NGOs, and private sector companies.
United Way of New York City and The Office of New York City Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services
Analyzing New York City's Nonprofit Sector
Increased service demand along with retrenchment by governments and
donors make it critical that the City and nonprofits work together. The
NYC United Way and the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services,
seeking to strengthen the nonprofit sector, confronted the problem that
the sector is not well mapped. The Capstone team was given the task of
identifying and appraising multiple publicly available data sources with
the aim to develop a consolidated inventory needed to understand the
scope and complexity of NYC's nonprofit sector. Past surveys began this
process but were snapshots, not the continuing portrait needed for such a
dynamic sector. Research included literature review, focus groups, and
interviews analyzed to produce options for an online web portal, one
tool in an expanding set of City resources. With additional data it can
be used to analyze the functional and financial resiliency of NYC
nonprofits.
Women In Need
Helping Homeless Families Achieve Stability: A Process Evaluation of the Junius Street and Liberty Street Family Residences
Women in Need (WIN) is a New York City-based nonprofit organization that
offers residential shelter in conjunction with support services to help
homeless families achieve residential stability. Social support
services include employment services, domestic violence counseling as
well as HIV education and prevention services, which are intended to
help clients address the underlying factors that often contribute to a
family becoming homeless. Two of these shelters, Junius and Liberty,
provide shelter and support to the bulk of the families served by WIN
and are the subject of this Capstone project. WIN requested that the
Capstone team conduct a comprehensive process evaluation of the two
shelters to determine whether the social support services have been
implemented as designed. This evaluation included the construction of
program logic models, a review of management information systems,
extensive interviews of staff and clients, and a literature review of
relevant research on programs similar to WIN. Additionally, the Capstone
team designed a framework for an impact evaluation to be conducted at a
later date by WIN or another Capstone team.
World Bank - Water and Sanitation
Exploring Informal Practices in Dakar's Water and Sanitation Sectors
Dakar, Senegal has recently achieved significant gains in water
provision, as well as more measured gains in sanitation, with The World
Bank providing major funding to both sectors. While prior attempts to
understand Dakar's water and sanitation sectors have looked primarily at
state-level institutional arrangements, this project asks what reforms
have meant for households by examining the nuances of water delivery and
waste management in three peri-urban neighborhoods: Dalifort, Hann, and
Diokoul Kow. The Capstone team interviewed residents and local
officials in the water and sanitation sectors, finding that communities
employ a wide range of informal practices to supplement - and in some
cases act in place of - formal services. The report draws lessons from
these informal practices and provides recommendations for short-term
solutions to inadequacies in waste management and water provision. The
report's findings provide insight into how communities understand and
relate to challenges in essential service provision, and its
recommendations can help inform future policy decisions in both sectors.
World Bank - Women's Workforce
Economic Effects of Women's Workforce Participation: Policy Drivers and Myths
When exploring women's workforce participation in the Middle East and
North Africa (MENA), questions of culture and religion often surface.
These issues frequently become roadblocks in debating impacts of female
labor force participation and methods of eliminating negative
externalities while maximizing positive effects. In order to eliminate
these barriers and enable discussion of real solutions for women's
employment in MENA countries, the World Bank requested a Capstone team
to evaluate policies and solutions that facilitate growth of the female
labor force and are applicable to MENA countries. The purpose of the
team's research was to explore the policies that countries outside of
MENA have implemented to increase female workforce participation. The
research examines transitional periods of women's workforce
participation in the United States, Sweden, and Malaysia and the impact
this increased participation had on GDP growth. Recommendations to MENA
countries are based on this research and analysis.
