Capstone Projects 

Capstone projects are hands-on research initiatives where students in our Master’s programs apply their skills to solve real-world challenges in collaboration with nonprofit organizations or government agencies. By partnering with a student, community organizations can gain tailored insights, practical solutions, and research that directly addresses pressing issues or challenges within a 16-week period. This collaboration gives organizations a fresh perspective and evidence-based recommendations to advance their missions or improve services. If you’re interested in partnering, please get in touch with Jessica Berrett at jberrett@uccs.edu and share a brief outline of your project idea.

View Example Capstone Projects

Internships

Hosting a UCCS student intern offers community organizations a chance to engage with driven, graduate-level students eager to apply their skills in public service and nonprofit management. Interns bring fresh perspectives, knowledge of best practices, and a commitment to meaningful contributions, tackling real-world challenges in areas like policy analysis, project management, and strategic management. These internships support your agency’s goals and help shape the next generation of public administration professionals. If you’re interested, contact Pam Sawyer at psawyer@uccs.edu for details, and refer to the Employer Internship Information Guide for more on hosting an intern.

Employees

To connect with talented UCCS students and recent graduates, post your job opportunities directly on Handshake, the platform used by universities nationwide to link students with employers. Handshake makes reaching a broad pool of qualified candidates easy, and you can quickly post and manage your listings to attract the talent your organization needs. Start sharing your openings with UCCS students today by setting up your account in Handshake!

Does Revenue Concentration Really Bring Organizational Efficiency? Evidence from Habitat for Humanity (2024)

How High is Too High? An Experimental Analysis of Donors’ Aversion to Nonprofit Overhead (2024) 

Bridging the Divide: Exploring Nonprofits’ Perceptions of Cannabis Philanthropy in the Changing Legal Landscape of the United States (2024)

The effects of commercialization on nonprofit efficiency and the moderating roles of government funding and organizational size (2023)

When are commercialized nonprofits less likely to offer free aces? Evidence from the performing arts subsector (2023)

Understanding nonprofit leaders’ perceptions of organizational efficiency (2023)

The Iron Triangle of Affordable Homeownership: Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Strategies for Balancing Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Equity (2022)

Linking overhead expenses and nonprofit effectiveness: Evidence from Habitat for Humanity (2022)

Service delivery under pressure: The effect of donor-imposed financial restrictions (2021)

Checking in on the state of nonprofit scholarship: A review of recent research (2020)

Toward a valid approach to nonprofit efficiency measurement (2019)

The effect of revenue diversification on output creation in nonprofit organizations: A resource dependence perspective (2018)

• Member of the Colorado Nonprofit Association and a proud sponsor of their annual Connecting Colorado event, fostering statewide nonprofit collaboration and growth.

• Sponsor of the Summit on Philanthropy hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Southern Colorado Chapter, enhancing local and regional philanthropic impact.

• Active contributing member of the Colorado Evaluation Network, advancing evaluation practices for more effective and data-driven nonprofit work.

• Founder of the Front Range Nonprofit Scholars, supporting academic and practical scholarship for future nonprofit leaders in the Front Range.

• Active contributing member of the Grant Professionals Association, Colorado Chapter, engaged contributing member, helping bolster grant professionals’ skills and resources.

• Community Resource Center: Host of the State of the Nonprofit Sector and proud sponsor of Rural Philanthropy Days, empowering rural nonprofits with resources and connections.