Priority Area
Women, Youth & Family Development
Project: A Call to Action for Investments Communications Support
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Client: Reinvestment Fund
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Description: Developed and implemented a communications plan to promote the release of a Reinvestment Fund commissioned report produced by Brookings Metro, “A Call to Action for HBCU Investment,” to encourage investment in HBCUs as anchor educational, economic, and community development institutions and increase awareness of the Reinvestment Fund’s HBCU capacity building efforts.
Project: Action Youth Media Programming Evaluation and Capacity Building via the Development of Evaluation Framework, Plan, and Tools
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Client: Action Youth Media (AYM)
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Description: Contracted by Action Youth Media, a nonprofit entity that provides courses to middle and high school aged youth to help them learn how to engage in their community via media arts. Youth are taught media arts skills, research and analysis, and are provided with opportunities to find their voice and build their confidence. Arcstratta conducted an impact evaluation of their programming; developed a data & evaluation framework, plan, and evaluation tools; and strengthened their program narrative/pitch to support their sustainability. Findings, tools, and recommendations were presented to staff for their immediate application.
Project: Baltimore New American Access Coalition
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Client: Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs
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Description: Oversaw implementation of program and pertinent infrastructure, including the development of grant agreements, capacity building and evaluation framework for a coalition of providers tasked with accessing and connecting the city's immigrant and refugee families with benefits (food, housing, health, utilities, etc) via case management to facilitate their integration and financial stability.
Project: Exploration of Grantee Portfolio for Debt Reduction Initiatives
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Client: Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Description: Assessed the Foundation’s existing consumer debt reduction initiative via a scan that included key informant interviews and a literature review of common debt types and the use and impact of debt among young adults.
Project: National Women’s Law Center’s Participatory Grantmaking and Community Impact Fund Evaluation and Technical Assistance
Client: National Women’s Law Center (NWLC)
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Description: A national nonprofit entity responsible for securing key legal protections and supports for women in the United States over the last half century. Contracted to provide technical assistance and evaluate the organization’s participatory grantmaking making process related to their Community Impact Fund Initiative focused on building partnerships between national and local level community-based organizations focused on strengthening childcare sector policies that impact the financial security of Black and Brown female workers and parents.
Project: Need and Impact Assessment of Benefit Access Programming for Youth with Disabilities Transitioning to Adulthood
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Client: The Arc Prince George's County
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Description: A 70+ year-old nonprofit tasked with advancing the well-being of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families. Provide research and evaluation services to engage with students with developmental and intellectual disabilities and families, through the Families Involved in Transition intervention, to understand their needs, access, and experiences securing federal benefits to support their well-being as they transition into adulthood. Services include interviews and focus groups with parents/caregivers, quantitative survey analysis and design, evaluation and learning framework development and planning, and presentation of research findings for advocacy of needed investments.
Project: Prevention Community Needs Assessment and Evaluation
Client: Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
Description: Designing and implementing a preventive community intervention process and outcome evaluation for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)- and Maryland Department Health Office of Population Health Improvement-funded youth substance use prevention grants that focus on substances including alcohol and prescription opioids. Services include designing and conducting a needs assessment to assess the local landscape and identify local to national trends related to adolescent substance use and mental health; evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of substance use interventions, policies, and prevention resources that include stigma-free social media campaigns, educational programming, advocacy training, and safe disposal events to change attitudes, access, and behaviors; engaging with the Montgomery County Prevention Alliance of providers, community members, and County leaders; reporting key findings and considerations to refine prevention strategies; and presenting findings to County prevention groups.
Project: Program Evaluation & Consultation for Black Sage Collective Underground Railroad Community Project
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Client: Black Sage Collective
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Description: Developing and implementing a mixed-method evaluation of the Underground Railroad Community Project (URCP), funded by the U.S. Administration on Children, Youth, and Families Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services. URCP is a multi-year initiative designed to effectively serve and support Black children, adults, and families in Detroit, MI, experiencing domestic and sexual violence and risk of child welfare system contact and to reduce health and system disparities by building the capacity of a consortium of culturally specific community-based organizations and partners with lived expertise to provide evidence-based culturally responsive, trauma-informed, healing-centered, and equity focused interventions and advocacy strategies and educate Black families and communities about their rights and strategies to promote safety and accountability. Arcstratta’s support includes designing a logic model and evaluation plan; collecting and analyzing data on program activities and processes; preparing reports of findings, progress, lessons learned, and recommendations; and assisting Black Sage Collective with infrastructure development including preparation of equity plans and organizational documents.
Project: Youth Out-of-School Time (OST) Program System Building
Client: Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families
Description: Designed and conducted an innovative, equity-grounded assessment to further understand the needs, access, and experiences of students and families who identify as Black, Brown, and with low incomes related to OST programming and other local resources to support their well-being. Partnered with youth and families to elevate their voices and priorities to engage and empower communities, increase equity and inclusion, reduce barriers to resource utilization, aid in strategic planning and decision-making, and inform program development. Services included conducting, analyzing, and summarizing community conversations (focus groups) and online surveys. Key findings and recommendations were presented to County OST systems building workgroup, public school system partners, and the Collaboration Council board of directors.