Policy Partner:

Dress for Success Washington D.C.

Support a Comprehensive Environmental Scan to Inform Strategic Planning

Funding from Northeastern’s C2C initiative will support Adam Parker to conduct research to set up DFSWDC for a more comprehensive environmental scan to inform the organization’s strategic planning process.  Adam brings over twenty years of experience in social equity, economic development, and education as an educator, researcher, and organizational consultant who skillfully engages in complex analysis to provide thoughtful, clear, and comprehensible results.

The following research questions will be addressed through this work:

Are there “quick wins” that would enable the SFSWDC to demonstrate its increased relevance to funders, possibly spurring increased general support or creation of new initiatives? 

What would DFSWDC look like at scale?  What kinds of change would it be able to facilitate? 

Are there other models (either within or outside of the DFS network) that can serve as a guide? 

What assets (human capital, reputation, connections, etc.) does DFSWDC bring to this effort? 

What are the prospects for a sustainable research partnership with Northeastern in Arlington (NUA)?  How much of their existing connection can serve as a model?