Kristen's Nonprofit 404 Blog

This article suggests that social justice has been separated from social service provision by the system that is known as the Nonprofit Industrial Complex. (Jennifer Ceema Samimi) . It also states that people working for social justice are limited by the funding system of nonprofits. A huge portion of people that work for social justice are employed by nonprofits.”An industry that requires organizations to compete for government and foundation funding. Known as the Nonprofit Industrial Complex (NPIC), this system forces nonprofits to professionalize, wherein they must focus on maintaining their funding sources rather than fulfilling their mission”(Jennifer Ceema Samimi) . I do not agree with this. I believe a nonprofit can receive funding and still fulfill their mission. I think it can be accomplished. The article also states that when funders agenda does not align with the mission of a nonprofit the nonprofit risks being subjected to mission drift. This is when a nonprofit m...

The four letters that we looked at have somethings in common. Youth In Action (YIA), United we Dream (UWD), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Downcity Design (DD) all included what they do in the letter. They all include their logo. YIA, UWD, and DD include pictures in their letters. They all use bold print in some areas to show a point. All the letters talk about the organization and what they do. All but YIA have buttons in the letter to click on and donate. In each letter there are some big differences including YIA includes the mission statement. UWD has different buttons with amounts that range from $50-$400. IRC will match what a person donates. DD includes logos of organizations that fund them at the bottom. YIA uses testimonies from people who have been helped. UWD tells you they will get things done when you donate. They make it easy to donate by including linked buttons that leads to donation page on website. IRC matched your donation. DD states th...

The Hasbro summer learning initiative exists to help shrink academic slide during the summer. They make sure that students keep their skills up to par over summer break. It is a six week program that involves hands on experiences. They reach 1,600 children in eighteen Rhode Island communities . They incorporate math and reading into six weeks of experiences and field trips. Over the six weeks they do activities such as  science investigations, art, theater, drumming, and cooking. They partner with Save The Bay and the Audubon Society for some of these experiences. I think that this aligns with purposeful play and care. The children are learning through play and shrink the gap. Also the teachers gotta show care for these children. And I also think that this is more of a positive youth space. This program is offered to a limited number of students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. Children are invited by invitation only. Some of the main components for the grant proposal are App...

The White Family foundation seeks to provide meaningful and strategic support for arts, education and healthcare non-profit organizations serving our communities to enable their long-term success in and achievement of their missions. Their values are community, courage, faith, integrity, and opportunity. This foundation started in the 1990’s with a family business with the leadership of John Jr., John Hazen White, and with his wife Mary Tefft White. They began to contribute significant gifts to educational institutions and arts organizations. They receive funding from private donations, a wealthy family and Taco industries. There was not much information online. They give funds to programs that address the following priorities Arts, culture, humanities Education and youth development Financial literacy Healthy choices Housing and homelessness Hunger and food security Science and technology Workforce development QUESTIONS: What do they look for in the ...

The other day in class Brittany Sandbergen from PASA came and talked to the class about PASA, the AfterZone and the hub. She is the director of expanded learning. She sounds like she is very dedicated to the youth that she works with. She supports grades 6-12 in hope for them to transition  into college. When PASA started it was only in middle schools and then when those children went on to high school they did not have the support then had in middle school. PASA is a 21st century program similar to the YMCA. This program supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. I looked into 21st century programs. Here is a helpful link that goes more in depth. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/index.html            21st century funds some of the program. She talked about ot...

Rebecca Petrarca is the AfterZone program manager for PASA. She oversees daily operations for the AfterZone (afterschool program). She manages the afterzone AmeriCorps program by supporting 20 AmeriCorps members who are involved in the AfterZone. She has been in many roles before being the program manager. She was a program support staff in the summer camp, she was then an assistant site coordinator and then the site coordinator for the AfterZone before taking the role of operations coordinator. Before she joined PASA she volunteered as a peer mentor at RIC Scholarships for Service Student Civic Fellows: AmeriCorps Program, working closely with the program leader to mentor ten college students in their completion of volunteer hours and documentation. Rebecca received a BA in english from RIC. The AfterZone provides access to about 100 programs.     What seems exciting about this position is overseeing the whole program and being a supportive manager. B...