Since the summer of 2020, Summer Research Associates (SRAs) have joined the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center (LAWINRC) team to work on projects that help further the mission of the center as well as advance the missions of Iowa's nonprofit organizations.

Each summer, UI students have joined the LAWINRC for a 13-week period that extends from May through August. Under the guidance of the center’s director and associate director, they work with nonprofit executive directors, project managers, board members, government agency contacts, and other nonprofit allies.

The SRAs come from a variety of academic disciplines and are at different points in their educational pursuits and experiences. Nonprofits cross the spectrum of services and associations, so students with almost any interest can find a project that is meaningful for them. There may be work with museums, social service groups, or organizations dedicated to nature and the environment to name a few. The types of assistance the nonprofits need also varies. Students may gain experience in consulting, strategic planning, gathering material for presentations, or researching legal issues.

Since it was founded in 2000, the LAWINRC has been dedicated to delivering high-quality and affordable services to a growing nonprofit sector in Iowa. Approximately 11 percent of the state’s workforce is employed by nonprofits. With this sector comprising a significant portion of Iowa’s economy, it is inevitable that nonprofit workers will reach out with questions and requests for guidance.  

For FY23, the LAWINRC’s four-person staff logged a 79 percent increase in requests for help as compared with FY22. With this remarkable rise, the help of SRAs was.

Callers may request help with basic paperwork to be submitted to the Iowa Secretary of State or the Internal Revenue Service. They may ask for clarification on a piece of legislation or need guidance on conflict resolution. Others may wish to retain more long-term services such as scheduling a series of sessions on board training, strategic planning, or capacity building.

SRAs may do online research, contact government agencies for information, or interview clients to gather information relevant to their assigned projects. They develop workshop and panel discussion materials. Iowa’s biggest conference for nonprofit organizations, The Iowa Nonprofit Summit, is typically held in October. As the LAWINRC is a planning partner, SRAs may help review session topics, speaker proposals, and workshop facilitators, and may also assist with marketing.

Projects are posted on a shared document. Each post includes a project number, project title, client name, client contact, purpose of the project, and status. Project next steps, due date(s), and additional notes from senior staff are added. SRAs add their names to the projects that interest them most. More projects are added as they arise. Senior staff and SRAs meet weekly to review the project list. By the end of the summer 2024 session, more than 60 projects had been completed.

The LAWINRC provides many of its services for little or no charge as a service to Iowa. This includes providing information on questions related to entity formation, taxation, organizational governance, and beyond. SRAs may review key documents like Articles of Incorporation, Form 1023 Applications for Recognition of Exemption, bylaws, policies and procedures, and additional items relevant to the formation and operation of public charities and private foundations. SRAs have also contributed to more complex projects focused on areas like board development, organizational capacity building, strategic planning, and succession planning. They have participated in client meetings, spoken one-on-one with board and staff members, performed research, and helped produce reports, as well as deliver workshops and conference sessions. For these more complex services, there is typically a charge.

LAWINRC Director Paul Thelen says that the different kinds of projects make the SRA positions attractive. “The variety and complexity of experiences this program offers are what makes it unique. One day, associates may be reviewing documents in the morning and helping deliver a workshop they helped prepare in the afternoon. The next day may consist of client meetings; conducting research on an issue or topic; analyzing federal, state, or local data we’ve requested; and much, much more. Of course, another day might also consist of feeding giraffes, meeting a tortoise named Barnaby, attending Shakespeare in the park, or volunteering to clean up the yard of a nonprofit focused on serving vulnerable communities.”

Students have autonomy in tackling their projects, but the experience also elevates their teamwork and collaboration skills. LAWINRC Associate Director Dave Bright has observed those skills in action. “It has been a real joy to see how the SRAs have formed project teams and worked together to accomplish the associated work. They took initiative from the outset and have consistently delivered excellent work.”

Students interested in the Summer Research Associate program should first check with the LAWINRC to find out if the program will be offered for the coming summer. Contact us by calling 866-500-8980 (toll-free) or 319-335-9765 or by emailing law-nonprofit@uiowa.edu.