The Nature Conservancy

August 29, 2019January 15, 2020 / duscholarshop / Leave a comment

The Nature Conservancy‘s mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

The Nature Conservancy is looking to connect with DU faculty and students on the following projects:

Research Design/ Data Collection/ Data Analysis: Collect, analyze, and/or model new or existing data related to tree canopy, the built environment, and environmental factors such as heat and air quality to better understand existing conditions in vulnerable neighborhoods (Globeville, Elyria-Swansea to start), potential future scenarios depending on varied levels of investment in new tree canopy, and associated public health outcomes.
The Nature Conservancy is working in the Globeville, Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods of Denver to develop an implementation plan to move the community from 5% tree canopy to 20% tree canopy over an urgent but realistic time-frame (e.g., by 2050). We are hoping to develop a program with the City and other partners to invest in nearly 10,000 trees in the neighborhood to be planted over the next decade.
- Data Collection/ Data Analysis: As part of that plan, we want to better understand what current social, cultural, economic, and psychological beliefs and barriers might exist regarding trees and planting trees; what strategies or resources might help the community overcome some of those challenges and influence them to plant and care for new and existing trees; and how might we be able to broadly brand and market a large tree planting initiative to encourage participation and build community interest.
- Literature Review/ Policy Review: We want to understand what policies and administrative frameworks (e.g., city rules, regulations, subsidies, accounting standards, etc.) other communities and cities have put in place to increase tree canopy and to build resilience in the face of a hotter future. This could include a high-level assessment of other cities resiliency plans, but the greatest help would be a deeper analysis of specific policies, regulations, and programs that might have the greatest applicability to Denver, and ideally would support a more robust and resilient tree canopy.
- Research Design/ Data Collection/ Data Analysis: We want to figure out how to encourage a community-led stewardship model that would support community members in the stewardship of the new trees; how to help community members develop new skills; and what would encourage greater community-wide interest and participation in the program.

Westwood Unidos

June 25, 2019June 28, 2019 / duscholarshop / Leave a comment

Westwood Unidos‘ mission is “To unify and organize resident leaders and community-based organizations to take positive action on the topics residents identify as most important.”

Westwood Unidos is looking to connect with DU faculty and students on the following projects:

Data Analysis: We are in need of research support to clean and analyze available data from the Sheriff’s Department to determine the number of evictions occurring in a particular zip code (80219) where our organization is based. Work on this project can begin in Fall 2019.
Internship: We would like technical support creating and customizing a new database using Salesforce to help us manage our organizing work.
Information Dissemination: We would like help creating a brochure to promote and share information about our organization with the public.

Mirror Image Arts

April 22, 2019April 23, 2019 / duscholarshop / Leave a comment

Mirror Image Arts uses theatre as language to inspire dialogue, encourage awareness and promote action in order to build a strong, compassionate and empowered community.

Mirror Image Arts is looking to connect with DU faculty and students on the following project:

Creative Work: We are actively seeking diverse artists who share identities and lived experiences with the youth our program serves. We are always looking for Teaching Artists to be a part of our Finding Your Voice program that runs in and out of school time across Denver. Teaching Artists join facilitators in our spaces and take on the role of a character that engages in co-creative activities with the youth. It culminates in a 15 min performance that is about four middle schoolers dealing with bullying, mean moments, conflict, and joking that has gone too far. After the performance Teaching Artists lead small group mind mapping activities and then engage in Forum.

Colorado Young Leaders

April 3, 2019April 29, 2019 / duscholarshop / Leave a comment

The mission of the Colorado Young Leaders is to develop young people’s leadership skills through their dynamic leadership process; to inspire a sense of adventure through meaningful service-learning opportunities in the local community; and to create community for young people to live out their discovered skills and passions.

Colorado Young Leaders is looking to connect with DU faculty and students on the following project:

Program Evaluation/ Data Analysis: We are currently finalizing our logic model and evaluation rubric. We would like feedback and guidance on implementing the evaluation framework and would like assistance in analyzing some of the baseline data.

Colorado Young Leaders

March 11, 2019March 11, 2019 / duscholarshop / Leave a comment

Colorado Young Leaders works to develop young people’s leadership skills through our dynamic leadership process; to inspire a sense of adventure through meaningful service-learning opportunities in the local community; and to create community for young people to live out their discovered skills and passions.

Project Helping

February 12, 2019March 5, 2019 / duscholarshop / Leave a comment

Project Helping strives to improve mental wellness through kyndfulness which includes volunteering, intentional acts of kindness, and gratitude.

Project Helping is looking to connect with DU faculty and students on the following project:

Research Design/Program Evaluation: Develop a research study of our members measuring the health and wellness benefits of practicing gratitude and kyndfulness. We would like to develop a scalable way to measure the impacts of wellbeing that explore correlations with healthcare spending, productivity, employee turnover, retention and recruitment etc.

The Episcopal Church in Colorado

January 7, 2019October 11, 2019 / duscholarshop / Leave a comment

The Episcopal Church in Colorado is a diverse community of 104 worshiping communities (30,000 members) with a common faith. However you got here, wherever you are in your faith journey, we hope you find ways to connect and deepen your faith.

The Episcopal Church in Colorado is looking to connect with DU faculty and students on the following projects:

Literature Review/Research Design/ Data Collection (MATCHED): Conduct a Needs/Assets Assessment of all social ministries who are members of The Episcopal Church in Colorado (Especially as it is related to collective impact through the Anchor Institution model).
Literature Review: How do you create a social network of cooperatives that has community impact and exchanges services with one another?
Information Dissemination: Develop communication piece(s) to explain anchor institutions and address perceived barriers to achieving this mission for internal congregation leaders and members and for community members who are not direct members of the Church.
Literature Review: Research precedent anchor institutions that we can learn from and adapt to our Colorado community (e.g. faith-based anchor institutions?).
Literature Review (MATCHED): Research how churches can shift from a service model to an asset based community development model that impacts structural issues and inequities.
Policy Analysis: Analysis on institutional change to better understand what steps institutions can take to acknowledge past harms (e.g. racism), promote healing, and become more inclusive moving into the future.
Research Design/ Data Collection: Study on Church-based land developments to address community needs (e.g. creation of affordable housing on church-owned land).
Literature Review/ Data Collection: How can congregations apply a Collective Impact approach to better understand community needs and strategies to address them?

DU Scholar Shop

Facilitating community-university partnerships

Civic engagement

The Nature Conservancy

Westwood Unidos

Mirror Image Arts

Colorado Young Leaders

Colorado Young Leaders

Project Helping

The Episcopal Church in Colorado