Products and Services

The Center for Public and Nonprofit Management maintains resources and expertise to help enhance organizations, strengthen communities, and measure performance. Faculty and students have a substantial record of providing services through external grants or individual contracts in the following areas:

• capacity building
• public service and leadership development
• emergency and crisis management
• civil society and participation
• program evaluation and measurement

For more information, or to request the services of our faculty and/or students, please contact us.

Capacity Building

Capacity building work of our faculty pre-dates the creation of the CPNM. The former Capacity Building Institute worked with community-based nonprofit organizations to enhance their strategic thinking, board development, volunteer management, and collaborative potential. Client organizations have included the Salvation Army of Metropolitan Orlando, Second Harvest Food Bank, Orange County Children's Cabinet, and health serving agencies associated with the Orange County Health Department. See information on one of our landmark grants programs in this area: Strengthening Communities in Central Florida

    
Civil Society and Participation

Public participation with government and through voluntary associations is vital to the development and sustainability of strong communities. Faculty and students have expertise in the theory, design, implementation, and evaluation of public participation initiatives. In the past few years, faculty and students have worked with diverse partners to craft, implement, and evaluate initiatives, including work with the community of Poinciana as they wresteled with the question of becoming incorporated as a city. The Cities of Service Orlando Cares initiative has benefitted from faculty and student research and consultatation. Recent work has focused on development a cost model for developing and implementing public participation processes that lead to optimal quantities and qualities of citizen engagement, as well as the use of social media and other technologies for facilitating participation processes.
            
Program Evaluation and Measurement

Faculty and students are equipped to perform program evaluations using a variety of methods and techniques, including the use of surveys, interviews, focus groups, network analyses, document analyses, and statistical analyses. Some examples of evaluation services and consultation include: (1) Assessment of Project OASIS, an initiative of Hebni Nutrition Consultants to introduce cooking classes and fresh fruits and vegetables to residents of Parramore in Orlando, (2) Formative evaluation of a White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships initiative to develop volunteer relationships between the interfaith community and public schools, an initiative being led locally by the Heart of Florida United Way and City of Orlando, and (3) Outcome and process evaluation of the Orlando Cares Cities of Service initiatives designed to improve K-12 student outcomes and reduce juvenile crime.

Public Service and Leadership Development

The CPNM has hosted visiting government officials from outside of the United States for intensive workshop-based training and leadership development. The same opportunities are available for local and state officials. Topics include leadership, civil society, strategic planning, performance evaluation, and more.

Emergency and Crisis Management

Faculty and students have expertise and experience in emergency management operations at multiple levels of government, including regional, as well as in higher education environments. See the resources below.
   
   - Emergency Management for Higher Education:

     • Disaster Resilient Universities - Part I
     • Disaster Resilient Universities - Part II
     • Disaster Resilient Universities Survey Results

-- UCF Emergency Management
-- Emergency Management in the Heart of Florida