Midterm Organizational Summary

Your Midterm assignment is to choose one New Haven-based Arts-nonprofit to explore over the first half of the semester and create an organizational summary that includes a SWOT analysis. The overarching question is: "Does this organization deliver on their mission?" To break this assignment down, you'll answer weekly questions on your organization that can be found below. Check the syllabus/calendar to find when each question is due.

After you submit your answers, Caitlin and/or Gabi will give feedback and ask for clarifications for you to consider before turning in your final report for the midterm.

By the February 1 class, you should have picked an organization to research and summarize, and sent them an introductory e-mail with my letter attached. Hopefully they have answered back in the affirmative to the e-mail by then, as well.

As we learn about different structural elements of nonprofits, you'll answer weekly questions down below and submit them into your Midterm folders in your individual folders (only shared with John and I). You'll use these weekly questions in your finished Midterm summary, so the more work you put in now, the better off you'll be in the future!

For an example of a fleshed out paper describing another organization, see Meredith Harper's Masters Thesis by clicking HERE. While Meredith uses academic language (you are not expected to!), this is an excellent example of fleshed out language in fully-formed paragraphs. Aim for fully developing your answers, but in a more personable, "blog-like" voice. 

For an example of a SWOT analysis, check THIS SITE out.

Suggestions for outlining your paper

Suggestion 1:

Follow the example of Meredith Harper's Masters Thesis - specifically page 4 where her Table of Contents is, and use the paper as a template (obviously skip the parts that don't apply and don't make it 32 pages, bahaha)

Suggestion 2:

1. give an overview of the organization's history/mission/vision and make a declaritive statement at the end of this section about how well they follow their mission statement

2. follow up by choosing your most fleshed out responses over the past few weeks that really back up your declaritive sentence

3. make a separate section for your SWOT analaysis

4. break down and further explain your SWOT suggestions

5. conclude with another iteration of your declritive statement and how they can either keep forward with it or pivot course if they need to

Suggestion 3:

1. give an overview of the organization as a whole/end with a declaritive statement (same as suggestion 2!)

2. combine your SWOT analysis in with the research you've done over the past few weeks - don't make them separate sections, but rather synthesize the collective data into 3-5 claims that back up your declaritie statement

3. like suggestion 2, conclude with another iteration of your declaritive statement and finish up strong!