Nonprofit and Community Organizations
In recognition of the vital role played by nonprofit and community organizations in the economic and civic life of the Commonwealth, the Dukakis Center is bringing its unique “think and do” research and problem solving approach to address the critical challenges facing nonprofit organizations today. The current economic downturn is posing hard choices and requiring tough decisions across the independent sector. By linking the application of multidisciplinary research and evaluation techniques to collaborative strategies of capacity building, the Center is helping to identify and implement practical solutions for the problems faced by nonprofit and community organizations.
Nonprofit and Community Organizations Team:- Laurie Dopkins,Co-Team Leader
- John Sarvey, Co-Team Leader
- Barry Bluestone
- Michael Lake
- Lauren Nicoll
Click here for links to resources and information for nonprofits and community organizations.
Under the auspices of the Northeastern University Stony Brook Initiative, the Dukakis Center is working closely with nonprofit and community organizations in Mission Hill, Roxbury, the Fenway, and South End communities. Begun in spring 2008, the Stony Brook Initiative is creating a new relationship between the university and its surrounding neighborhoods as we work collaboratively to solve the complex, comprehensive and interconnected problems facing our urban areas and achieve sustainable results. As an initial step, the Center is conducting the first comprehensive inventory of university-community partnerships in the fields of teaching, research and service. Once completed, this information will be made available online to promote greater coordination across projects and to help community and university members identify new partners.
In 2009, with funding from the Boston Foundation, the Center is conducting a pilot study of a new approach to improve the capacity of small- and medium-sized nonprofits to operate as effectively and efficiently as possible. This innovative model creates a place-based network, which connects organizations within the Stony Brook neighborhoods to each other and to the broad range of knowledge and technical skills available at Northeastern University. Through the process of providing hands-on assistance and support, the Center will create practical tools that can be used by other organizations and in other communities.