Overview

This application is for community-based nonprofit organizations seeking consulting services from a University of Minnesota graduate student. This Student Consulting Project will assist those community-based nonprofit organizations that focus directly on addressing public health issues or health disparities in underserved, socially and economically challenged communities.

Through funding support provided by Medica, the Office for Business & Community Economic Development will now offer the Community Health Initiative (CHI). The goal of this initiative is two-fold; to provide resources that help community-based nonprofit organizations that work in the areas impacting public health, social services, medicine, medical technology, or to help these organizations build capacity and improve their overall performance and effectiveness in communities of color; and secondly to provide University of Minnesota students with valuable applied learning experiences by linking them to opportunities in communities that face public health disparities and other socio-economic issues.

In considering your project request, be advised that students are only required to expend approximately 50-60 hours each on the project for the duration of the school semester (approximately 3-4 months). One or more students are assigned to a project, depending on the scope and type of project requested. Student Consulting Projects will be offered during the fall and spring semesters. Students will receive a stipend at the completion of the project. Graduate students enrolled at the University of Minnesota in the following schools are eligible and encouraged to participate in the CHI Student Projects: Public Health, Social Work, Medical School, Carlson School of Management, IT/Computer Science, Law, Humphrey Institute, HRD and all other graduate schools on the Twin Cities campus.

Nonprofits that participate in the program must be:

• A community-based nonprofit organization serving economically disadvantaged communities and/or communities of color
• Located in the Minnesota greater metropolitan area
• 501(c)(3) Certified and in operation for at least three years
• Able to provide on-going educational experience to students
• Able to clearly define project scope, goals and objectives
• Willing to have a pre-project organization assessment and post-project evaluation & assessment
• Able to pay an administrative fee of $75.00

Project proposals will be accepted in the topical areas of Market Research and Analysis, Supply Chain Management, Public Health, Marketing Plan Development, Human Resources Management, Community Health Education, Business Plan Development, Demography Studies, Social Work, Communications, Feasibility Study, Population Health Coordination, Finance and Accounting, Program Evaluation/Measurement, Nursing/Care Management, Strategic Planning, Operations Management, IT/Technology Development, Management Information Systems, Health/Medical Research, Nonprofit Management, Fund Development and Program Development.