THE LAB
NONPROFIT & ADVOCACY LAB
The mission of the Nonprofit & Advocacy Lab is to strengthen the role of mission-driven organizations in society. We apply qualitative methodologies to assess crises facing the sector and to make sense of societal perceptions of voluntary action.
CURRENT LAB PROJECTS
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Social Media Messaging for the Public Good
Who produces the best public health messaging on social media: the government, nonprofits, or influencers? Our research team is on a journey to find out! Our 10-person coding team will compare social media public health messaging in six U.S. cities with influencer-produced messaging while assessing for message functionality and heteronormativity. This project builds on the lab’s 2021 study on how nonprofits use TikTok. Research assistants are learning qualitative analysis, Large-N data management, and comparative analysis techniques.
#AwarenessMonth
Does #AwarenessMonth matter? Our research team is conducting interviews with awareness month event planners and field observations at events around Florida to learn how nonprofits create change. Our project includes programs associated with intimate partner violence and family violence. We aim to learn when and how awareness programs align with mission fulfillment, explore messaging construction and alignment with program goals, and assess how resources are best leveraged. Research assistants are building qualitative data collection and program evaluation skills for future careers in the nonprofit sector. Contact our research team if you’d like us to include your event!
2024 RESEARCH TEAM
Lab Alumni
2023: Kevin Brown, MS Business Management, MS Student in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences; Colin Dobbins, BA Economics (Currently Duke Law student); Ha Nguyen, BS Student in Nutrition; Julia Rockey, BS Family, Youth, and Community Sciences; Abby Snodgrass, BA Student in Political Science; Sophie Szymula, BS Student in Marketing, Alicia Papanek, MS Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, Katelyn Trujillo Sowell, BS Family, Youth, and Community Sciences; Marlen Barajas Espinosa, BS Food Science and Human Nutrition (2023 CALS Top 10 Senior), Micayla Richardson, BS Family, Youth, and Community Sciences (Currently FIU Law Student), Talia Skollar, BS Sociology (Currently Columbia MSW student)
2022: Gabi Alexis, BS Student in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences; Alina McCloud, BS in Biology; Caroline Casola, BS Family, Youth, and Community Sciences (Currently Washington University Law student); Katherine Morgan, MS Student Family, Youth, and Community Sciences
2021: Isaiah Arias, BS Public Relations; Chandler LeBlanc, MS Engineering; Alanna Koch, BA Business Administration; Kerollin Francois, BS Computer Engineering; Terrence Vialva, BS Biology; Gaillot Andre, MS Family, Youth, and Community Sciences; Kenya Byrd, BS Biology (FAMU)
2020: Trisha Bernardin, MS Family, Youth, and Community Sciences; Aanya Gonzalez, BS FYCS (Currently UCF MSW Student)
