The Center for Public Policy and Administration is pleased to announce opportunities for nonprofit organizations located in the Pioneer Valley to submit proposals for consulting projects to be undertaken by University of Massachusetts graduate students. Teams of graduate students from the Masters in Public Policy and Administration program and other UMass graduate programs, supervised by Professor Brenda Bushouse, will complete selected projects during the 2011 fall semester (September - December). The consulting projects will be a required component of the PUBP&ADM 630 Nonprofit Program Management course.

This page contains a description of the Nonprofit Program Management project and a link to the application. The deadline for proposal submissions is Monday, August 15, 2011.

Download application: Nonprofit Request for Proposals Application 2011.

If you have questions or would like assistance in developing a project proposal, please contact Professor Brenda Bushouse at nonprofitrfp@pubpol.umass.edu.

What is the Nonprofit Program Management course?

This course provides students with the opportunity to both learn and develop nonprofit management skills and complete a hands-on project with an area nonprofit organization. The topics covered in this class include: product/program portfolio development, resource development, and program evaluation.

Many participating students will be in their second year of the MPPA program and will also have coursework in:

Quantitative and qualitative research methods
Organizational development
Policy analysis
Policymaking and the policy process
Economics

What types of projects are appropriate for the Nonprofit Program Management course?

Interested nonprofit organizations are asked to submit proposals outlining clearly defined projects for students to undertake. Applicants must demonstrate an interest and an ability to work with student teams in the development and implementation of projects. Faculty will select proposals based upon applicability to course content and ability to complete project(s) within one semester (approximately 12 weeks). Agencies are invited to submit proposals focused on the management of nonprofit programs on issues such as:

Evaluation
Product/program portfolio assessment
Resource generation strategies
And more

Please note that the fall 2011 course focuses on program management. If you have projects you would like to submit related to board governance, strategic planning, volunteer management, leadership succession planning, or other topics involving the people-side of management, there will be an opportunity to submit applications for those types of projects in 2012.

When does the Nonprofit Program Management Project take place?

Students will begin working on projects in September 2011 are expected to complete and present a final product in early December.

How can my nonprofit organization apply?

Follow the link at the bottom of the page to download full instructions and a PDF application. Complete applications should be submitted to nonprofitrfp@pubpol.umass.edu. The deadline for receiving proposals is Monday, August 15, 2011.

How can this benefit your organization?

Nonprofit organizations often have ideas for research or projects but lack the staff time and/or expertise to undertake them. The UMass student teams provide your organization with the opportunity to transform those ideas into finished projects.

What is the cost?

There is no charge; however, organizations are expected to appoint a liaison to the project with sufficient time allocated to the project. The only out-of-pocket costs incurred by the nonprofit relate to direct expenses for the project (e.g., copies, phone, or significant travel).