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OL 665 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview Not-for-profit organizations represent a significant hiring pool for new graduates in the United States. Not-for-profit organizations are identified by the absence of a monetary profit goal. Typically, the not-for-profit organization’s existence is based on a desire to provide a public benefit. Not-for-profit organizations exist across industries and are present in education, healthcare, development, and environmental agencies. Examples of not-for-profit organizations include Doctors without Borders, the American Red Cross, Teach for America, and the World Food Program. Not-for-profit organizations require leaders who can manage them as businesses while understanding the needs of the communities they serve. For this project, you will conduct a strategic analysis of a not-for-profit organization of your choice; in so doing, you will develop the critical skills necessary for leadership and management careers within the not-for-profit business sector. To conduct your analysis, you will identify key financial considerations, explore unique public relations considerations, and consider issues of sustainability within organizations with a not-for-profit designation. This project will increase your versatility as a leader and improve your appeal as a potential employee within the not-for-profit business sector. The final product represents an authentic demonstration of competency because it asks you to critically evaluate factors that contribute to the overall success of a not-for-profit organization. The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure the quality of your final submission. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Five, and Seven. The final product will be submitted in Module Nine. Remember that you final submission will include a conclusion that summarizes the milestone work in a closing section. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

 Evaluate management strategies and organizational structures of not-for-profit organizations for their effectiveness in managing boards, volunteers, and staff

 Analyze communication strategies used by not-for-profit organizations for how they advance shared values, attitudes, and goals with all stakeholders

 Analyze resource and budgetary considerations within not-for-profit organizations for determining potential challenges to financial operations

 Analyze ethical considerations within not-for-profit entities for their impact on public image

 Evaluate how operational strengths and weaknesses of not-for-profit organizations impact their long-term sustainability

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Prompt For this project, you will choose a not-for-profit organization of your choice—it must be a 501(c)(3) organization—and develop a strategic analysis. You will report on key areas of the organization and evaluate each for its effectiveness in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the organization. Use the following question to guide your strategic analysis: To what extent is your chosen not-for-profit organization operating to ensure its continued sustainability? Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction: Introduce your chosen organization, supplying background information relevant to communicating your strategic analysis. Consider information such as when, where, and how the organization was founded.

II. Analysis a) Leadership:

i. Discuss the specific board structure present in your chosen organization, explaining the benefits of this structure. ii. Discuss the current management strategies for recruiting, utilizing, and retaining human capital, including to what extent a succession

plan is in place. iii. Evaluate the current leadership strategies and organizational structure for strengths and weaknesses in managing boards, volunteers,

and staff. b) Communications:

i. Discuss the current communication strategies being used throughout the organization, internally and externally, for promoting the organization's shared values.

ii. Discuss the organization’s public relations strategies and specific branding techniques. iii. Evaluate the current communication strategies for opportunities for advancing the goals of the organization both internally and

externally. c) Finances:

i. Discuss the organization’s current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities. ii. Discuss the organization’s current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities and their impact on the

overall budget. iii. Determine potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on your analysis of its overall financial management.

d) Ethics: i. Discuss the organization’s handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to its adherence to established codes,

principles, and ethics of the industry. ii. Discuss ethical considerations the organization faces related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation.

iii. Evaluate how the ethical operation of this organization has impacted its public image.

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III. Evaluation a) Summarize the most significant strengths and weaknesses of the not-for-profit organization. b) Evaluate the organization’s long-term sustainability under the current operational strategies. Consider how the major strengths and weaknesses

of this organization factor into its sustainability.

IV. Conclusion: Summarize your position on the organization’s long-term sustainability, including suggestions for the organization to support future sustainability. Support each suggestion with your rationale.

Milestones Milestone One: Organizational Profile In Module Three, you will develop a detailed profile of the not-for-profit organization on which you will perform your strategic analysis. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric. Milestone Two: Leadership and Communication In Module Five, you will analyze the leadership strategies and communication practices of the not-for-profit organization on which you will perform your strategic analysis. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Milestone Three: Financial Management and Ethics In Module Seven, you will analyze the financial management and ethical practices of the not-for-profit organization on which you will perform your strategic analysis. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric. Final Submission: Strategic Analysis of a Not-for-Profit Organization In Module Nine, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. Conclude your plan by applying the knowledge you have gained over the course of the project. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

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Deliverables Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading

One Organizational Profile Three Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric

Two Leadership and Communication Five Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric

Three Financial Management and Ethics Seven Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric

Final Submission: Strategic Analysis of a Not-for-Profit Organization

Nine Graded separately; Final Project Rubric

Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your strategic analysis should be 10–12 pages (not including the title page or references), double spaced with 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and APA formatting.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value Introduction

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and introduction demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the details that contribute to communicating the strategic analysis

Introduces chosen organization, supplying all necessary background information for communicating the strategic analysis

Introduces chosen organization, supplying all necessary background information for communicating the strategic analysis, but introduction is cursory

Does not introduce chosen organization

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Leadership: Board Structure

[OL-665-01]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the nuances of board types within not-for-profit organizations

Discusses the specific board structure present in chosen organization, explaining the benefits of this structure

Discusses the specific board structure present in chosen organization, but discussion is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or does not explain benefits

Does not discuss the specific board structure present in chosen organization

6

Leadership: Management Strategies

[OL-665-01]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a complex grasp of personnel management strategies

Discusses the current management strategies for recruiting, utilizing, and retaining human capital, including to what extent a succession plan is in place

Discusses the current management strategies for recruiting, utilizing, and retaining human capital, including to what extent a succession plan is in place, but discussion is cursory or contains inaccuracies

Does not discuss the current management strategies for recruiting, utilizing, and retaining human capital

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5

Leadership: Leadership Strategies

[OL-665-01]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and evaluation demonstrates nuanced understanding of how leadership strategies and organizational structure influence managing boards, volunteers, and staff

Evaluates the current leadership strategies and organizational structure for strengths and weaknesses in managing boards, volunteers, and staff

Evaluates the current leadership strategies and organizational structure but evaluation is cursory or contains inaccuracies

Does not evaluate the current leadership strategies and organizational structure

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Communications: Communication

Strategies [OL-665-02]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a sophisticated grasp of communication strategies used to promote shared values

Discusses the current communication strategies being used throughout the organization, internally and externally, for promoting the organization's shared values

Discusses the current communication strategies being used throughout the organization, internally and externally, for promoting the organization's shared values, but discussion is cursory or contains inaccuracies

Does not discuss the current communication strategies being used throughout the organization

6

Communications: Public Relations

[OL-665-02]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and description demonstrates nuanced understanding of the organization's public relations strategies and branding techniques

Discusses the organization's public relations strategies and specific branding techniques

Discusses the organization's public relations strategies and specific branding techniques, but discussion is cursory or contains inaccuracies

Does not discuss the organization's public relations strategies and specific branding techniques

6

Communications: Advancing the Goals

[OL-665-02]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and evaluation demonstrates nuanced understanding of how communication strategies can support advancing the goals of the organization

Evaluates the current communication strategies for opportunities for advancing the goals of the organization both internally and externally

Evaluates the current communication strategies for opportunities for advancing the goals of the organization both internally and externally, but evaluation is cursory or contains inaccuracies

Does not evaluate the current communication strategies for opportunities for advancing the goals of the organization both internally and externally

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Finances: Budgetary Resources, Structure, and Responsibilities

[OL-665-03]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates nuanced understanding of budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities

Discusses the organization's current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities

Discusses the organization's current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities, but discussion is cursory or includes inaccuracies

Does not discuss the organization's current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities

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Finances: Fundraising Campaigns, Grant Possibilities, and Planned Giving Opportunities

[OL-665-03]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the impact of fundraising on the organization’s budget

Discusses the organization’s current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities and their impact on the overall budget

Discusses the organization’s current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities and their impact on the overall budget, but discussion is cursory or includes inaccuracies

Does not discuss the organization’s current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities and their impact on the overall budget

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Finances: Financial Management [OL-665-03]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and determination demonstrates a nuanced understanding of financial management and fiduciary responsibilities

Determines potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on the analysis of its overall financial management

Determines potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on the analysis of its overall financial management , but determinations are is cursory or illogical

Does not determine potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on the analysis of its overall financial management

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Ethics: Budget and Fundraising

Transparency [OL-665-04]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of transparency and industry-wide ethical standards

Discusses the organization's handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to adherence to established codes, principles, and ethics of the industry

Discusses the organization's handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to adherence to established codes, principles, and ethics of the industry, but discussion is cursory or includes inaccuracies

Does not discuss the organization's handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to adherence to established codes, principles, and ethics of the industry

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Ethics: Ethical Considerations

[OL-665-04]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of ethical considerations related to a not-for-profit organization

Discusses ethical considerations the organization faces related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation

Discusses ethical considerations the organization faces related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation, but discussion is cursory or overlooks key concerns

Does not discuss additional ethical considerations related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation

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Ethics: Public Image [OL-665-04]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and evaluation demonstrates nuanced understanding of ethical considerations

Evaluates how the ethical operation of the organization has impacted its public image

Evaluates how the ethical operation of the organization has impacted its public image, but evaluation is cursory

Does not evaluate how the ethical operation of the organization has impacted its public image

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Evaluation: Strengths and Weaknesses

[OL-665-05]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and summary demonstrates sophisticated grasp of the factors that become strengths or weaknesses within not-for- profit organizations

Summarizes the most significant strengths and weaknesses of this not-for- profit organization

Summarizes the most significant strengths and weaknesses of this not-for-profit organization, but summary is cursory or contains inaccuracies

Does not summarize the most significant strengths and weaknesses of this not-for- profit organization

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Evaluation: Sustainability [OL-665-05]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and evaluation demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of how organizational strengths and weakness factor into long- term sustainability

Evaluates the organization’s long-term sustainability under the current operational strategies

Evaluates the organization’s long- term sustainability under the current operational strategies, but evaluation lacks detail or is illogical

Does not evaluate the organization’s long-term sustainability under the current operational strategies

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Conclusion [OL-665-05]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and rationale demonstrates a sophisticated grasp of sustainability considerations

Summarizes position on the organization’s long-term sustainability, including suggestions for the organization to support future sustainability, and supports each suggestion with rationale

Summarizes position on the organization’s long-term sustainability, including suggestions for the organization to support future sustainability, but summary is cursory or illogical, or suggestions lack support

Does not summarize position on the organization’s long- term sustainability

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Articulation of Response

Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy to read format

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

5

Total 100%