1. Janet Borg and Peggy Strickling
Iron County Nonprofits 1
PADM 6950 Project Proposal
Project Title
Perceived Impact of Nonprofits on Quality of Life Indicators
Timeline
First testing phase: Sept. - Dec. 2014
Second testing phase: Jan. - Feb. 2015
Community surveys: March - April 2015
Statistical assessment: June - August 2015
UNA Presentation: Sept. 2015
Research Questions:
1. What perceptions do Iron County residents have on the impact of nonprofits on their quality of
life?
2. What perceptions do nonprofit leaders have on the impact of nonprofits on quality of life?
3. What perceptions do local government leaders have on the impact of nonprofits on quality of life?
Janet Borg
435-757-2642 (mobile)
435-865-8285 (work)
janetborg@suu.edu
T00961694
Peggy Strickling
208-589-8986 (mobile)
435-865-8226 (work)
syringa00@gmail.com
T00638024
Organization:
Utah Nonprofits Association
231 East 400 South, Suite 345, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Supervisor: Chris Bray
(801) 596-1800
cbray@utahnonprofits.org

2. Janet Borg and Peggy Strickling
Iron County Nonprofits 2
Project goals
This project will assess how a community perceives nonprofit organizations impact quality of
life. Perceptions will be compared to how nonprofits intend to make an impact on quality of life.
Project Deliverables
1. Survey a sample of Iron County residents to measure and evaluate perceived impact of
nonprofit organization activities on quality of life measures.
2. Survey a sample of Iron County nonprofit directors and leaders to measure and evaluate
intended impact of nonprofit organization activities on quality of life measures.
3. Survey a sample of Iron County and Cedar City government leaders to measure and
evaluate perceived impact of nonprofit organization activities on quality of life measures.
4. Analyze survey data and discuss relationships between the community’s perceived
impact and the intended impact presented by nonprofit leaders.
5. Develop internally valid survey questions which UNA can use to replicate and
administer future surveys throughout Utah.
6. Develop a separate tool for all subsequent survey results to be easily evaluated and data
entered into a database which can be used for a longitudinal study this topic. (Ideally,
UNA could help us find collaborators who can pick up this project and create this tool,
using our original work as a foundation.)
7. Develop list of nonprofit taxonomies in Iron County nonprofits to include in research
project.
8. Establish benchmarks of expected impact in each taxonomy for geographic/socio-
economic areas. (UNA wanted this initially, but is beyond the scope of this project. It
could allow someone to do a follow-up survey after this project )
9. Review and analyze existing ways nonprofits are tracking impact and outcomes within
their taxonomy or sector. (UNA wanted this initially, but is beyond the scope of this
project. It could allow someone to do a follow-up survey after this project )
10. Make recommendations on how nonprofits can use our methodology to measure, track
and report on these outcomes in the future.
11. Make recommendations on how collaborative partnerships between nonprofits, and
government entities could increase effectiveness and efficiency of programs.
12. Presentation to UNA annual conference of findings and recommendations in narrative
and infographic forms, showing community impact, social impact, trends, and value of
nonprofits in the community.
13. Provide findings and recommendations to nonprofits and government organizations,
inviting them to consider impacts and strengthen nonprofit partnerships with
governments.
Project Scope

3. Janet Borg and Peggy Strickling
Iron County Nonprofits 3
This is a pilot research project that will survey a sample of the population of Iron County. In
addition, we will survey selected nonprofit leaders and local government leaders. This research
will measure the sample’s perceptions of how nonprofits impact quality of life measures.
Nonprofits in this study are defined as 501(c)3 organizations, as determined by the IRS, which
have a physical presence in Iron County, although the primary address may be elsewhere.
Nonprofits will be identified according to NTEE taxonomies.
Variables
We are measuring perceptions of how nonprofits influence 5 Quality of
Life measures. The Independent Variables are Iron County nonprofits
and the Dependent Variables are the perceptions about QOL, as
respondents consider how the existence of nonprofits influence 5 Quality
of Life indicators.
Hypothesis
Our hypothesis is that the presence of the nonprofit organizations influences perceptions about
quality of life in a community.
Population Sample
We will collect data by randomly selecting Iron County residents, according to accepted statistical
parameters, to participate in an anonymous online survey. Survey questions will assess the perceptions of
how nonprofits impact quality of life (QOL) in Iron County.
Methods
We will develop specific value-based indicators for our survey questions to operationalize our concept
that nonprofits affect the QOL for citizens. Gallup-Healthways used the following two questions for each
QOL Indicator. We intend to design the survey to ask a general question about nonprofits in each QOL
indicator. We can adapt these as noted:
Purpose
● You like what you do every day.
● You learn or do something interesting every day.
Social
● Someone in your life always encourages you to be healthy.
● Your friends and family give you positive energy every day.
Financial
● You have enough money to do everything you want to do.
● You have worries about money.*
Community
● The city or area where you live is a perfect place for you.
● You have received recognition for helping to improve the city or area where you live.*
Physical
● You have felt active and productive every day.

4. Janet Borg and Peggy Strickling
Iron County Nonprofits 4
● Your physical health is near-perfect.
*specific timeframes will be included in the actual survey questions
MPA Competencies expected to be developed with this project
The following competencies are listed as Core Competencies, and under the Non-profit
Administration and Management State and Local Government areas of emphasis:
1. Solve problems using analytics, critical thinking, ethical thinking, and
conceptualizing and applying best practices.
As we develop our methodology we will learn to hone our survey writing skills, collect,
analyze and report statistical information. At our presentation to UNA we will suggest
ways to use our information within accepted best practices and in an ethical way.
2. Differentiate the roles of the nonprofit entity from public and private organizations.
As we assess the perceived impact of the nonprofit organization on quality of life, we will
gain understanding of the community roles played by non-governmental nonprofits,
Cedar City and Iron County governments. In addition, we will better understand the
shared roles each entity plays in creating a vibrant, healthy and high quality place to live.
3. Communicate and coordinate between different levels of government, the private
sector, and the general public.
Our research will focus on the measurable impact of the presence of nonprofits in our
community. Our findings will be communicated to Cedar City, Iron County and the
statewide nonprofit community at the annual Utah Nonprofits Conference in September
2015. Recommendations may include forming specific collaborative partnership between
government, civil and business service organizations, and nonprofit agencies.
4. Analyze and articulate the real world context and usefulness of a project. Our
research is being conducted at the request of Utah Nonprofits Association, an
organization that has determined the results of this research are important to Utah’s
government entities, the citizenry and the nonprofit sector. No research has been
conducted on the impact nonprofits have on quality of life indicators, therefore a true
understanding of this concept is difficult to articulate to government leaders and the
general public.
Anticipated challenges or concerns
1. Difficulty accessing email addresses in order to create a random sample community
members to take the survey.

5. Janet Borg and Peggy Strickling
Iron County Nonprofits 5
2. Access to information: nonprofits are often understaffed and lack resources to track data
that will show their impact. Gatekeepers may deny access to data. Government officials
may not see value in the project and stall access to employees or themselves for
interviews and surveys.
3. Lack of nonprofit resources: lack of staffing and time may prevent nonprofits from
participating in our surveys.
4. Inability to transform qualitative research data into meaningful trends and impacts i.e.
developing questions across the various constituencies that will produce data that can
be linked and valuable.
5. Lack of public interest in participating in our surveys.
6. Funding incentives for participation in surveys and funding for expenditures, e.g.
sampling procedures, traveling, disseminating results to non profits.
7. No access to SPSS or similar software for statistical analysis.
8. SUU mass email policies may not allow us to use the campus population as our pretest
sample.
9. Funds to purchase proprietary research surveys and/or studies.
10. Delays in IRB approval.
11. Funding for sampling procedures.
12. Purchasing or developing database or other software packages as part of the project
deliverable # 6 may be too costly and may not be feasible within the set time constraints.
________________________________
Faculty Advisor, Dr. Patricia Keehley
_________________________________
Chris Bray, CEO, Utah Nonprofits Association
_____________________________________
Janet Borg, MPA candidate
__________________________________
Peggy Strickling, MPA candidate
Sources:
Causes Count: California Nonprofit Impact study
http://www.calnonprofits.org/advocacy/nonprofit-impact-study
http://www.calnonprofits.org/causes-count
New Haven Project

6. Janet Borg and Peggy Strickling
Iron County Nonprofits 6
http://www.ctdatahaven.org/about.php
Data Haven - New Haven CT data project
Gallup-Healthways - 10 questions asked for 5 quality of life elements in the Global Well-
Being Index:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/175694/country-varies-greatly-worldwide.aspx