Greatest Good Case Studies

Idea

Course or Project

Advanced Economics: Mid-Term Project and Presentation

Overview

In this course, students learn to think like an economist and to understand the decision-making processes of consumers and producers. In preparation for their mid-term exam, they were connected with two local non-profits and, working as consultants during the six-week project, created solutions to help the organizations expand their reach in the community. For their mid-term exam, they presented their proposals to a panel that included the executive directors of the two nonprofits, philanthropist David D. Rothschild '82, and Mack McGee '03, Chief Marketing Officer for CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Implementation

Who We Served

The students worked with two Greatest Good McDonogh's nonprofit partners, Happy Helpers for the Homeless and the Red Devils.

The Challenge

Both organizations are volunteer-operated, and the "staff" is solely focused on their missions of serving constituents: the unhoused and breast cancer patients and their families, respectively. Neither organization has the budget or expertise to increase support — volunteer and financial — through basic marketing efforts such as website enhancement and social media.

What We Did

Students developed a business marketing plan and presented a creative pitch to their client. Students were asked to be as specific as possible about the purpose of their campaign, the audience, the medium they suggested using (TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, billboard, Facebook, TV ads), and the value added.

What We Learned

• Cultivate Purpose: Students gave their client suggestions for ways to generate repeat donors and volunteers. The students saw how the learning that took place in their economics class, coupled with other courses throughout Upper School, had real-world application and could make a difference.
• Develop Empathy: Students saw that the directors of both organizations were passionate about their cause. They saw that the executive directors did not have the bandwidth or financial resources to focus on the business/marketing side of their organization. Further, they realized that efforts such as maintaining a website and updating social media (which is not second nature) took them away from serving their constituents. Several students in the class are planning to work with the organizations and implement some of the suggestions as their senior project.
• Understand Systems: The students realized how important marketing is for name recognition, which ultimately brings in more volunteers and donations. They saw that their understanding of technology and the systems available could help both nonprofits become more organized and better at promoting their efforts. They know how to put AI and social media to use for little or no money and at a fraction of the time it would take the directors of the organizations. As a result, the organizations can focus their attention and financial resources on the real job of helping people.
• Build Advocacy: The students provided suggestions for both organizations to build their volunteer base and encourage repeat donors.
• Inspire Innovation: The students understood that the nonprofits don't have the time, resources, or bandwidth to implement many of their ideas. They showed them what is possible and how even cosmetic changes to their website can make a huge difference.

Impact

On the Organization

The organizations were presented with professional, actionable marketing plans filled with ideas they can implement without paying consultants. They realized that the young people really care and want to have an impact. They learned that they don't have to pay somebody to implement many of the ideas and that there are plenty of volunteers who have the capacity and the willingness to really help them.

On Students

The students saw that the theories they learned in class don't just live in the textbook or as a case study, but can be applied to the real world. They saw an end goal and understood that they could contribute something useful to both organizations. They were inspired to work hard and wanted to make a difference.

Their teacher, Joanne Cho, shares that the meaningful opportunity to support the local organizations inspired her students to "go the extra mile." She adds, "In the process of working with the nonprofits, the students realized how their Economics class prepared them to make an impact now, instead of in the distant future."