JCAL is emerging from its first comprehensive strategic planning process in over a decade. Conducted with the support of Advance NYC and ARW Consulting, the plan—adopted by the Board of Directors in June 2024—establishes a roadmap for institutional growth and sustainability over the next three to five years.

As a multidisciplinary cultural institution, JCAL offers performing arts, visual arts, and arts education programs that engage thousands of community members annually. However, to sustain and grow its impact, JCAL must move beyond anecdotal evidence and basic outputs (e.g., number of attendees, workshops delivered) toward more robust, community-focused impact metrics.

The opportunity for this project lies in defining, testing, and embedding a clear framework for measuring programmatic impact across JCAL’s diverse offerings. This framework should articulate how JCAL creates value for its community, how impact can be tracked over time, and how metrics can inform fundraising, development strategy, and strategic decision-making. Importantly, the framework should also help JCAL demonstrate accountability to funders, attract new support, and guide program innovation to meet community needs more effectively.

For students, this project represents an opportunity to work at the intersection of arts, community development, and nonprofit management. They will gain practical experience in impact measurement, organizational development, and strategic planning, while helping JCAL build tools and processes that can sustain its mission for the next decade.

Analyze existing JCAL program data, reports, and strategic plan to understand current measurement practices.

Benchmark best practices in program evaluation and impact metrics from arts and culture organizations.

Design a draft framework for programmatic impact metrics tailored to JCAL’s performing arts, visual arts, and arts education programs.

Conduct stakeholder interviews (board members, staff, community members, funders) to validate and refine proposed metrics.

Propose strategies for integrating impact metrics into JCAL’s development strategy, communications, and fundraising.

By the end of the project, deliver a comprehensive impact metrics framework for JCAL, including at least 10–15 measurable indicators across program areas.

Conduct at least five stakeholder interviews and incorporate their insights into the final recommendations.

Provide a practical implementation roadmap that JCAL leadership can begin executing within 6 months of receiving the student report.

Ensure the proposed framework aligns with JCAL’s 3–5 year strategic goals and includes at least two methods for reporting metrics to external funders and community members.