Capstone Project

The Boler College of Business at John Carroll University Nonprofit Administration Program is accepting proposals from area nonprofits for group projects for its capstone class. The capstone project is the culminating experience for Master of Nonprofit Administration students and the group projects are the centerpiece of the course. A group of three to four students works an average of five to ten hours per week for 15 weeks (approximately 400 hours of work for the agency) to complete a project proposed by a nonprofit organization. 

To be considered for this opportunity: Organizations must submit a brief proposal of the desired project (one project per organization). The proposal should be saved under Your Agency’s Name Capstone Project Proposal 2023 and include:

• The organization's background, mission, vision, and values
• An overview of the project 
• Goals, timeline, and metrics for the project
• Expected outcomes
• The benefit to the students and the organization 
• The organization representative’s name, title, phone number, and email

If selected to move forward, the organization will appoint a representative to:

• Present the project to students during class at the beginning of the semester

• Meet with the students at the organization's location or virtually 

• Attend a meeting at JCU/Boler or virtually, to be scheduled by the capstone instructor

• Review and agree to the memorandum of understanding from the student group

• Provide any organization information necessary to complete the project

• Be available by phone or email to answer questions

• Attend the students’ presentation 

Students will work in groups of three to four to complete a deliverable of tangible value to the organization. All projects will be supported by the capstone course instructor, the students, and relevant experts at John Carroll University and the Boler College of Business.

Students will be expected to:

• contact their organizations and set up a time to meet at the organization to discuss the project and complete a site visit
• draft a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which the organization representative will review and approve
• work on their projects for approximately five to ten hours per week for fifteen weeks (three to four students at eight hours per week for 15 weeks is approximately 400 hours of work provided to the organization)

Project selection occurs in two steps:

1. The NPA Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) reviews all proposals and selects those that best reflect the program’s learning goals.
2. Students choose from this smaller selection based on their interests and the interests of their group.

November 7th, 5:00pm: Deadline for organizations to submit their proposals to the Nonprofit Administration Program at nonprofit@jcu.edu

December 1st: Projects will be selected by the Faculty Advisory Committee

December 15th: Organizations notified

First day of class in January: Organizations selected to move forward will be invited to present their project to Capstone students. 

Students will then choose projects. Organizations will be notified by the NPA department of their selection and team of students later that week. Soon thereafter, students will contact selected organizations.

By the end of January: Organization representatives will attend a meeting  with the capstone instructor

Early February: Students will have made a site visit to the organization to learn the organization's project goals, mission, values, and organizational culture

Mid-February: Organizations and students will have agreed to a memorandum of understanding for the project

Mid-May: In-class presentations to organization and university leadership

The capstone course will meet spring semester of 2023. 

Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults: Students developed a plan for volunteer recruitment. 

NOPEC: Students helped design an engagement strategy to help NOPEC target young adults. 

Christ Child Society Cleveland: Students developed a Case for Support and a plan to prepare for a feasibility study.

Art House Cleveland: Students supported the envisioning process of the organization's Community Cafe, and created guideposts for the campus renovation that aligned with the organization's mission. 

Arts Cleveland: Students developed a cost-benefit analysis of potential programs to help generate new earned revenue. 

Children's Hunger Alliance: Students helped develop a strategy for soliciting and utilizing volunteers and others' interested in the organization's mission. 

Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center: Students helped develop a marketing strategy and map out an approach for the organization to effectively reach youth and families. 

• Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) - Cleveland: Students worked with CAIR Cleveland to develop a succession plan for their Executive Director. 

• Dobama Theatre: Students worked with Dobama to formalize company policies and introduce best practices based on Dobama’s first full audit.

• National Congress of Black Women Greater Cleveland Chapter: Students helped the organization develop a model for a community agenda by conducting neighborhood engagement cafes to collect data and provide evidence-based research on issues prevalent in urban African-American communities.

• Achievement Centers for Children: Students researched, planned, and conducted a strategic plan for the Associate Board.
• Boy Scouts of America Lake Erie Council: Students created and presented a plan to engage disenfranchised communities.
• Cleveland Grays Armory Museum: Students developed a marketing strategy.
• Shaker Heights- Beachwood- University Heights Meals on Wheels: Students developed a focused plan to increase client and volunteer numbers and increase community support.

• International Women’s Air and Space Museum: Students completed a marketing plan to coordinate current marketing activities and to provide new outlets for future marketing.
• MedWish: Students conducted a feasibility study and create a business plan to expand the scope of programming.
• One South Euclid: Students completed a strategic marketing plan.

• Montefiore Foundation:Students developed a social media plan
• Beck Center for the Arts: Students worked on the development of alumni engagement efforts.

• Lake County YMCA Outdoor Family Center: Students constructed a survey and provided program recommendations to improve communication with clients.
• Community Partnership on Aging: Students developed a marketing plan.
• Progress with Chess: Students delivered research and recommendations to expand their marketing and funding.
• Famicos Foundation: Students created a resource development plan and marketing plan to increase yearly funding and collaboration within the community.
• YNPN Cleveland:Students researched and presented different types of entities and tax statuses options currently available.

• Asian Services in Action, Inc.: Students completed a marketing analysis.
• Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival: Students researched donor engagement and proposed a strategic plan.
• Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland: Students created a marketing and education plan.
• Youth Challenge Sports: Students designed an action plan for cultivating a strong alumni network.

• Lake County YMCA Outdoor Family Center: Students constructed a survey and provided program recommendations to improve communication with clients.
• Consortium of African American Organizations: Students completed a marketing project.
• Family Pride of Northeast Ohio: Students developed a marketing campaign.
• FutureHeights, Reaching Heights, and the Heights Community Congress: Students worked on a strategic collaboration exploration project between three organizations.
• Greater Cleveland Volunteers: Students completed a perceptual analysis and environmental scan.

• InterReligious Task Force on Central America (IRTF): Students completed a feasibility study.
• Geauga County Historical Society: Students worked to develop a plan for increasing membership.
• Seeds of Literacy: Students evaluated the needs of current students and graduates and developed a communications/outreach strategy for the program’s alumni.
• Slavic Village Development: Students developed marketing/fundraising strategies for the Garden Coalition.

• Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland: Students conducted a marketing analysis of target cities for services and fundraising events.
• Merrick House: Students completed a needs assessment and findings analysis.
• Ronald McDonald House: Students created a volunteer recruitment, retention, and marketing plan.

• The Malachi House: Students performed a social media and marketing project.
• The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland: Students conducted a community needs assessment and created a patient satisfaction survey.
• Neighborhood Connections: Students conducted a program evaluation and marketing project.

• Malachi House: Students helped increase name recognition among donors and referring agencies.
• Ronald McDonald House: Students developed and conducted a survey on client satisfaction with family waiting rooms.
• The Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center: Students assessed why some youths are sentenced to detention facilities and some are not, as well as surveyed current detainees to see if the services they’re receiving are helpful and if other services are required.