Research Health and Medicine of nonprofit engagement. In your individual paper, you should address both the philanthropic and the nonprofit aspects of the chosen area of engagement. For example:
- Which individuals or philanthropic groups donate for what types of causes within that area of engagement?
- Has there been a trend in giving over the last two or three decades?
- How important is philanthropy to nonprofit organizations operating in that space?
- On which other funding sources do nonprofits in this area of engagement rely on?
- What is the size and scope of the nonprofit organizations that function in this area of engagement?
- What specific issues and challenges do these nonprofit organizations face?
- Have nonprofit organizations innovated or evolved to create efficiencies or greater impact?
- Does this area of engagement typically partner with either/both the private or government sectors?
- In what types of policy and advocacy do these organizations engage?
- Are there ethical dilemmas specific to this area of nonprofit engagement?
- Do management and boards in this area of engagement appear to reflect the demographics of the intended beneficiaries?
In conducting your research, there are sources we recommend you start with:
- Giving the USA: Provides both statistics as well as a written commentary on giving in each of these sectors.
- Zinnsmeister, K. (2016), An Almanac of American Philanthropy provides a historical interpretation of the development of philanthropy in many of these fields.
- Urban Institute Nonprofit and Philanthropy research area: https://www.urban.org/research-area/nonprofits-and-philanthropy has numerous reports in specific areas of engagement and the https://nccs.urban.org/ presents data on nonprofits.
Anheier, H. and Hammack D. (2015), American Foundations: Roles and Contributions provides more detailed essays about foundation engagement in some of the fields mentioned