If you can't count it, did it happen?
research
We know funders and leaders love making data-informed decisions. Here are two reports we've released based on our work with nonprofits and schools. They are free to download, below. Questions? Drop us a line.
school leader Interview results
I. Successes To Be Inspired By:
We heard about hiking clubs, yoga, a violinist, regular therapy, wellness committees -- check out our five success areas of what other schools are doing for school staff wellness.
II. Challenges and Barriers to Learn From
Every school has barriers to wellness -- and looking at these themed challenges might feel familiar, yet all of them have solutions. We can shine a light on challenges and solve them together.
III. Recommendations to consider
Nonprofit Wellness has tools, tips and suggestions for how to overcome the challenges and barriers your school community may face in the coming year.
Who we interviewed
Nonprofit Wellness conducted the first phase of this study between March-June 2021. We utilized surveys and interviews to understand teacher wellness in all eight wards of Washington D.C. Most quotes are from 8 school leader interviews; some are from open-ended survey responses. All are confidential/anonymous.
Get in touch
Do you need help with your school wellness plans for SY 22-23? Let us know.
Or, check out our Train-the-Trainer program Jan-May 2022.
nonprofit pilot: we're ok at taking care of others, not self
Finding #1 We're not healthy
Finding #1 We're not healthy
Finding #1 We're not healthy
Our Pilot looked at how stress and wellness tools affect individuals, teams, and organizations. We lay out five findings and five recommendations in this Wellness Equity report. For example:
FINDING #1
Participants judged themselves, overall, as having poor individual health. Most self-reported “some progress” over the six months of the Pilot.
Wellness was ranked on energy level, work-life balance, work satisfaction/commitment, productivity level, and physical fitness. The most significant improvements from the beginning of the pilot to the end were improved rankings with physical health and energy level, with increases averaging 12% and 11%, respectively.
Who participated?
Finding #1 We're not healthy
Finding #1 We're not healthy
Our first 60-person cohort involved the following 13 organizations:
The Advancement Project
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
First Focus
Florida House DC
Free Minds Book Club
German Marshall Fund of the U.S.
Justice Policy Institute
Nat'l Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice
Reading Partners DC
Tahirih Justice Center
UndocuBLACK
(2 unlisted organizations)
Our Pilot cohort was 82% female, 65% people of color, 52% lower-income, and 22% have an invisible disability or chronic illness.
Participant comments...
Participant comments...
Participant comments...
“We had an entire retreat framed around self care and our communication has gotten a lot better. And I think our staff team, the culture has always been really positive and friendly, and with our staff now, our director prioritizes communication, self care and work life balance...That message has gotten a lot stronger since the Pilot.” (RPDC)
"[Coaching over five months] ...really helped me think through a lot of personal challenges that were creating mental blocks for me in the workplace. And then we had some really solid, specific, actionable advice for challenges." (APALA)
"The group that did yoga together, we're talking about it all week and enjoyed it a lot. Given the political climate, women and people of color are experiencing a lot of stress, and I think that it’s negatively impacting our mental health." (NLIRJ)
"And, it's okay to take time for yourself, go to the gym, go do yoga, self care, it's extremely important ... The pilot was a phenomenal opportunity to gain access to some wellness training from top-notch institutions that I wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise." (FMBC)
Five Recommendations
Participant comments...
Participant comments...
Spoiler Alert: here are the Five Recommendations of what nonprofits need:
1. Wellness Equity: those who suffer the most stress deserve the most resources
2. User-led design and inclusive structures for sustainability
3. Supporting high-stress nonprofit sectors, like K-12 education
4. Exploring the benefits of team health
5. Proactively devoting resources