Apply now: Pro bono Research for Organizations Serving Culturally Specific Communities

Wilder Research will select 2-3 applicant organizations to work with between February and June 2021.

Just getting started with evaluation? Want to tackle the next piece of your existing evaluation plan? This is your opportunity to move ahead with help from the experts. We will work with your organization to determine how our services can support your needs.

Projects could include – but are not limited to – logic model development; evaluation planning and capacity building; or survey development, administration, and analysis. We can also help you use your data to tell your organization’s story to funders and others.

Your organization should expect to contribute work hours to the project in-kind. Some projects may require a minimum of 1-2 meetings per month, while others may require a higher level of engagement.

When reviewing applications, preference will be given to:

• Organizations that have not worked with Wilder Research in the past
• Small organizations that may not otherwise have access to evaluation and research services
• Organizations that serve cultural communities, including communities of color or communities that serve specific identity groups, such as LGBTQ populations or the disability community

• January 6, 2021 – Application deadline
• January 7-January 19, 2021 - Wilder Research will review the applications and reach out to organizations with follow-up questions as needed. Those conversations will help both applicants and Wilder Research build a more detailed plan of what services the applying organization would like to pursue and what is feasible given limited funds.
• January 29, 2021 – Notification to applicants
• February-June 2021 – Research and evaluation projects. All consultation services must be completed by June 30, 2021.

Below are examples of previous research with culturally specific organizations through pro bono work. This is not an exhaustive list, but is included to help you form ideas.

• The Wolves Den: The Wolves Den is a nonprofit organization that provides housing and supportive services for Native American women who are addicted to opiates and in recovery using methadone therapy. Wilder Research developed a theory of change that showed how this new nonprofit’s services and activities lead to outcomes. We also developed an evaluation plan to help them measure their outcomes. These tools helped The Wolves Den guide the development of the program and seek funding and other types of support.
• Oromo community assessment: We worked members of the Oromo community in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis to conduct a basic community assessment. The results of this study will help the Oromo community to tell their story to various stakeholder groups. They will also use it to make the case to funders for the need to conduct a more comprehensive community assessment that could provide an accurate picture of the number of Oromo households in the Twin Cities or Minnesota.
• Somali community mental health: Wilder Research staff responded to a request by a psychologist in the Somali community by exploring a research plan related to Somali mental health. We conducted a literature scan and key informant interviews with Imams, mental health staff, and other leaders from the Somali community. At the end of the project, we provided a summary of lessons learned, research implications and final considerations. The project showed a desire for health promotion activities around mental health in the Somali community in order to reduce stigma.
• Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition: Wilder Research staff worked with MTHC to analyze the results of a web survey of gender reassignment surgery recipients and their post-surgery caregivers. The survey, written and administered by MTHC staff, explored the financial, social, and emotional challenges faced by post-surgery caregivers. MTHC will make results available to potential post-surgery caregivers as an informational tool.