Learn about how our consultants helped Initiate Justice create a viable and effective internship program.
Problem Statement
Initiate Justice lacked a consistent internship program, due to not having:
A strategy for the development of the program itself and
A consistent source of funding for a potential internship program.
Therefore, our goals for the project were to create an in-depth document detailing key tips for applying to specific grants (in terms of what should be included in their respective grant applications) and to create in depth deliverables including: steps necessary to create the Internship program, research on competitor internships, key recommendations, etc.
About Initiate Justice
Initiate Justice is a non-profit organization that uses an "inside-outside strategy" to help those directly affected by incarceration, both in and out of prison. Some of the work they do includes: writing and passing legislation seeking to dismantle the carceral system, contacting and organizing a mailing list of over 45,000+ members, training those who are impacted by incarceration on community organizing and legislative/policy process, creating reports, surveys, media that helps change the narrative around people who are impacted by incarceration.
Project Agenda & Objectives
Our objective was to create a viable and effective internship program for Initiate Justice, a nonprofit focused on dismantling the prison complex and helping those affected by it.
2. Creation of the Internship Program: Our team created a comprehensive deliverable that included the procedures required to set up an internship program, research on the competition, and important suggestions. This comprised: - analyzing current internship programs to find best practices and possible areas for development (competitor research). - defining the internship program's aims, objectives, and anticipated results. - constructing a program structure in line with the values, objectives, and resources of the company. - Outlining the roles and responsibilities of interns, supervisors, and mentors. creating an intern selection and evaluation process. 3. Implementation Plan: We developed an implementation plan including timelines, finances, and key stakeholders engaged in the start-up and continuous administration of the internship program.
Grant Application Guide: We developed a thorough guide describing important advice for requesting particular grants, as well as what should be contained in the relevant grant applications.
Creating the Internship Program: Our team created a comprehensive deliverable that included the procedures required to set up an internship program, research on the competition, and important suggestions.
Implementation Plan: We developed an implementation plan including timelines, finances, and key stakeholders engaged in the start-up and continuous administration of the internship program.
1) Grant Application Guide In More Depth
Our strategy for the first workstream was to undertake research on nonprofit organizations that may be comparable to Initiate Justice and that have previously received grants. Anya conducted interviews with Carol Ann at the Enneagram Prison Project Victim Impact Grant and Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice's (CURYJ) Grants Manager Jessica Miller to learn more about the grant application procedure. Rohit conducted a thorough grant spreadsheet with details on numerous funds that Initiate Justice might submit an application for.
Through our research and interviews, we found that successful grant applications require a clear understanding of the funder's priorities, goals, and objectives. We also learned that grant applications need to be tailored to each funder's requirements and guidelines.
By conducting this research, we were able to create a comprehensive guide that outlines key tips for applying to specific grants, including what should be included in the respective grant applications. This guide helped to ensure that Initiate Justice's grant applications were aligned with funders' priorities, increasing their chances of receiving funding for the internship program. Ultimately, by offering a strategy for obtaining funds for the internship program, this workstream helped to solve the bigger issue. We were able to create a fundraising plan that complemented Initiate Justice's objectives and available resources by better understanding the grant application procedure and identifying prospective funding sources.
2) Creating the Internship Program In More Depth
The second workstream was centered on formulating a plan for Initiate Justice to establish a reliable internship program. The strategy involved looking into other organizations' internship programs as well as surveying and interviewing current and prospective stakeholders to get their feedback.
The team started by looking into various organizations and their internship programs that shared goals with Initiate Justice. They examined the structure of these programs, taking into account the duration, duties, and the kinds of abilities and experiences that interns picked up. In order to find prospective funding sources for Initiate Justice, they also looked into the sources of these initiatives' funding.
In order to gain insight into what might make an internship program at Initiate Justice successful, the team also conducted interviews with current employees and the executive director of the organization. The goals, objectives, and essential elements of the program were developed with the help of this feedback.
The findings of this research were compiled into an in-depth deliverable, which included recommendations for the structure and content of the internship program, as well as a step-by-step guide for developing and implementing the program. This deliverable gave Initiate Justice a clear road map to follow, ensuring that they have a dependable and successful internship program in place.
3) Implementation Guide In More Depth
The third workstream involved organizing and presenting the findings from the first two workstreams to Initiate Justice in the form of a final presentation and deliverables. The strategy was to compile the findings and suggestions from the earlier workstreams into a comprehensive and doable plan that the organization could put into practice.
The team started by compiling all the information and findings from the first two workstreams' interviews, surveys, and other sources. The data was then examined to determine the most advantageous funding options and internship program layouts for Initiate Justice. The team also collaborated with the organization's staff to ensure that the proposed solutions aligned with their goals and values.
The research's conclusions emphasized how crucial a well-organized and adequately supported internship program is to the success of Initiate Justice. The team also discovered that it was important to clearly identify duties and responsibilities for the interns and that obtaining money for the program could be accomplished through a number of grants.
The team assisted Initiate Justice in laying a strong foundation for the program's success by giving a thorough plan for the creation of an internship program and outlining prospective financing sources.
The Impact of 180DC's Work
The project's expected impact is the development of a reliable and successful internship program at Initiate Justice, based on the workstreams. Initiate Justice will be better equipped to comprehend the grant application procedure thanks to the findings and suggestions from the first workstream, increasing the chances that the internship program will be funded. The second workstream's findings and recommendations will assist Initiate Justice in creating a well-structured, legally compliant internship program that can benefit the interns' learning and further the organization's goal.
Initiate Justice will be able to build and implement the internship program with the help of the third workstream, which involves compiling the conclusions and recommendations from the first two workstreams into a final presentation and deliverables. Implementing this program is anticipated to have a number of positive effects, including bettering the interns' skills and knowledge as well as the organization's ability to carry out its objective.
Initiate Justice is anticipated to benefit from this initiative overall by strengthening its organizational capabilities and advancing its objective of advocating for those who are impacted by incarceration.
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