Nonprofit Excellence and Transformation (NExT) cultivates interdisciplinary student-led teams to engage in extensive capacity building research and consulting with local community organizations.
We accomplish this mission through a threefold approach of
- Faculty-led Classes
- Student-led Internships
- Collaborative Summer Research Projects
RELATIONSHIP → LEADERSHIP → ACTION
WHY SHOULD A STUDENT APPLY?
Here's what you will gain:
- Gain real world skills and experience from helping improve a local non-profit organization and the capital region community.
- Engage with Organizations in a consultant role, diving deep into the operations and finding ways to help improve their capacity to help others.
- Every Major or Minor is Welcome! Every student will find a suitable NExT Internship Project for them. We focus on policy research, program analysis, marketing and communications, and data analysis.
- Tangible Outputs to Highlight on Your Resume and in Interviews! Each NExT Internship Project concludes with a project deliverable to the partner, but that doesn't mean the work stops. The work YOU start will continue for the nonprofit in many forms including, some projects turning into a SPIn project where your recommendations are followed through over the summer while others morph into a community engaged class, and finally some become a Bonner or VISTA project.
Requirements:
NExT Fellows receive 0-3 credits for participating and are expected to complete 120 hours, usually 8-10 hours a week including a once a week, two hour class.
| Current Projects | |
| South End Market | The South End Night Market is a collaboration between local entrepreneurs and area nonprofits who come together for a night of community activity and sharing. The project has evolved over many stages but the NExT team has been there every step along the way. |
| Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY's NextDor Initiative | The NExT Team on this project have given valuable outside perspectives on their mission and messaging. The NExT Team is currently completing a marketing strategy to reach out to a younger generation of donors. |
| Wildwood | The NExT Team on this project has conducted many assessments of the matching protocols in order to improve the efficiency and success of the Community Habilitation Program. |
| Recent Projects | |
Fall 2019 |
Universal Suffrage | The Center for Law and Justice |
| Strategic Marketing Plan to Increase Donor Revenue | The Food Pantries for the Capital District | |
| Food Economies and Wealth Building in the South End | AVillage | |
| Evaluation and Assessment of Programs for Adults with Developmental Disabilities | Wildwood Programs | |