Research Insights

Project DeLorean: A promising solution to the Veteran benefits take-up gap through an intentional outreach model

The “take-up gap” describes the disparity between individuals eligible for social support programs and those who ultimately receive benefits. This challenge is especially pronounced among Veterans, who often face barriers such as complex bureaucracies, stigma, and lack of awareness. Project DeLorean, initiated by Veterans Services of the Carolinas (VSC) under Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM), addresses this gap through a strategic and personalized outreach model to connect high-need Veterans

Why Systems of Care Aren’t Enough to Solve the Housing and Mental Health Crisis in the United States

By Michelle Shumate Most of our work in Systems of Care is centered on supporting people in finding the help they need to address their material hardship. We’ve focused on necessary outreach programs, systems that help identify and connect individuals to services, and innovative solutions to reduce the administrative burden of maintaining and renewing benefits. In the United States, however, there are two issues where better Systems of Care are

Two people shake hands during a group meeting.

How Conveners Shape the Future of Collaborative Networks

Navigating modern social challenges, from educational disparities to environmental crises, requires innovative, collaborative strategies. Purpose-oriented networks have emerged as crucial platforms to unite diverse organizations to take collective action against these complex issues. Despite their growing importance, a significant knowledge gap persists around how these networks evolve and sustain their efforts amidst inevitable changes and challenges. Enter the role of conveners—the linchpins of these collaborative networks. Conveners are the orchestrators

Adopting a Multi-Pillar Solution to Address Social Determinants of Health

In the ongoing pursuit of improving public health outcomes, tackling Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) has emerged as a top concern for regulatory agencies and community-based organizations (CBOs) across the United States. This prioritization stems from recognizing that individuals’ well-being is not solely determined by access to healthcare services but is profoundly influenced by social and economic factors such as housing, nutrition, and education. Failure to resolve these health-related social

The Effect of Corporate–Nonprofit Partnerships on Intention to Donate and Volunteer: It’s the Why Not the What

View the Resource By Rong Wang, Michelle Shumate Increasingly, nonprofits and corporations publicly communicate about their partnerships. Guided by Information Integration Theory, this paper examines how information about a nonprofit’s relationship with a corporation relates to individuals’ intention to donate and volunteer. This research used a two-study experimental design. Study 1 (N = 966) examined how partnership explanations and evaluation were related to the two outcomes. Study 2 (N = 970) further examined whether

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How Can You Enhance Virtual Volunteers’ Commitment?

Volunteering may look different now than it did before the pandemic. After being forced to continue operations remotely for the better part of 2020 and 2021, some organizations are now leaning into the use of virtual volunteering as a way of gathering volunteers regardless of physical location. But how does this influence the ways that volunteers give their time? And how does this affect the “why” behind volunteering? Volunteering rates