SWOT Analysis for My Bronx Impact (MBI)
Assignment Background: As the core component of our course, you will work in teams to develop a strategic communications plan for the NGO My Bronx Impact (MBI). This means you will address a challenge for MBI based on their current needs, specify measurable objectives, conduct research to inform your plans, then suggest concrete solutions. This assignment is the first step in this broader process.
Assignment Description: Before rushing to action, we need to understand our client’s situation. Good communications work begins with carefully analyzing the client, their context, and any gaps in our own knowledge. This assignment has four components, each of which will provide a foundation for your eventual communications plan:
Mission Statement
Internal Situation Analysis
External Situation Analysis
Core Problem and Research Question
Each of these components is described in detail below.
1. Mission Statement (~100 words)
What is the core mission of the group for whom you will be working? In other words, what is the reason this organization exists? (Even if this is written out explicitly on the organizations’ website, provide a link to that statement but use your own words to summarize it here.
2) Internal Situation Analysis (SW of SWOT) (~500 words)
Describe the strengths and weaknesses of your client’s organization, paying attention to things like organizational culture, administration, programs, human resources, infrastructure, or fund development. You won’t be able to discuss all of these in detail, so focus on what you believe are the most important assets your organization has or needs. We will discuss how to do this effectively during class.
3) External Situation Analysis (OT of SWOT) (~1000 words)
In five separate sections describe the demographic(https://www(dot)census(dot)gov/quickfacts/fact/table/bronxcountynewyork/PST045221), economic, political, technological, and social forces that most affect your client (about 200 words per section). By analyzing these contextual forces, you can gain insight into the opportunities and threats facing your organization. Once again, we will explore how to undertake this analysis in detail during class time.
4) Core Problem and Research Question (~250 words)
Given what you have discovered in your other analyses, identify one core challenge your client faces. (Note: You will already have a sense of the client’s general challenge/goal, but this is a more specific focus within that challenge/goal.) This will be the area you attempt to address with your research and communications plan later in the course, so be sure to choose an issue of clear importance. To address this problem, what more do you need to know about the client’s stakeholders, situation, internal structure or audiences? Craft a research question that will help you create the information you need to address you client’s core issue.
Notes from me:
Strength: They have a huge amount of database and deep root in the Bronx
Weakness: They have a lot of resources online, but old people, the homeless, and families without the internet cannot access the resources. They had government funding, but it is not enough. They have a tiny team, there were only two people when we had the zoom meeting. They once had a phone line, team said it was great, but it cancels by the organization because of the lack of people and money. Cannot face to face, feels cold.
Opportunities: better Instagram page or TikTok(make some high-quality short video) for advertising. Be used as a research target by the school and have students create plans for them for free. Volunteers?
SWOT Analysis for My Bronx Impact
Student’s Name
Institution
Course Number and Name
Instructor’s Name
Date
SWOT Analysis for My Bronx Impact
Mission Statement
My Bronx Impact (MBI) is a free online resource guide whose mission is to connect everyone in need to free or low-cost programs and services for shelter, food, financial assistance, work, and healthcare (MBI, n.d.). The goal is to help people in need easily navigate the system and access programs and services that serve their needs. MBI is an innovative initiative coordinated by Children's Aid in collaboration with the Bronx Borough President to reduce the deep-rooted poverty that has plagued the Bronx community for years. Thus, MBI exists to reduce poverty by connecting people needing free and low-cost services/programs in their neighborhoods.
Internal Situation Analysis
Strengths
MBI has some favorable internal factors that have allowed it to pursue its mission and serve the community. These factors are:
* It is a dual-facing online resource: MBI is the only dual-facing online resource currently serving the community. It is program- and resident-facing, allowing organizations to claim their programs/services and Bronx residents to easily access the programs/services (MBI, n.d.). This attribute enhances program visibility and easy access.
* It has a vast database: MBI has a huge database that gives residents access to over 3000 programs and services in the community (MBI, n.d.). A vast database allows MBI to keep track of existing and new programs that offer free/low-cost services. Organizations that claim their programs often update their details and information, giving residents access to up-to-date services. The vast database has allowed MBI to connect more people in need to existing programs.
* It has deep roots in the Bronx: MBI has deep roots in the Bronx, which gives it more profound insight into the community's challenges and the resources available to help the community. The deep roots give it contextual knowledge that helps it empower the residents in a way that outsiders or other initiatives would not. MBI has collected critical information from the residents about the challenges they face, especially in accessing social services, because of its deep roots in the community.
Weaknesses
Some unfavorable internal factors also hinder MBI from fully realizing its potential and achieving its mission. These factors are:
* Access is limited to people with an internet connection: MBI has many resources online, but older people, the homeless, and families without the internet cannot access the resources. According to US Census Bureau (n.d.), only 80% of Bronx households have broadband internet access. MBI cannot connect the remaining 20% with free/low-cost resources because they might not be able to access the internet. The elderly and the homeless may also be unreached because of internet access challenges.
* Limited human resources: MBI has a small team that handles the day-to-day running of the site. There were only two people when we had the zoom meeting. A small team hinders its ability to efficiently and speedily track what services the residents are looking for, which would be necessary to improve the support offered to these residents.
* Inaccessibility through other communication channels: MBI only relies on the internet for communication. It once had a phone line but was forced to eliminate it due to its lack of human and financial resources. As a result, residents cannot contact the MBI team on the phone to seek assistance. This makes the resource inaccessible to those without internet but would be able to use their phones to call and ask for assistance.
External Situation Analysis
Demographics
The Bronx has an estimated population of 1,424,948 (US Census Bureau, n.d.). About 75 % of the population comprises individuals over 18 years of age, and 14% comprises individuals aged 65 years and above. Thus, most of the population is aged between 18 and 64. About 9% of individuals under 65 years do not have health insurance, and about 12% live with a disability (US Census Bureau, n.d.). Women account for 52% of the population. Regarding race, Hispanic/Latino accounts for 56.4% of the population, while White and Black Americans account for 44.3% and 43.8%, respectively.
Regarding housing, only 20% of the housing is owner-occupied out of the 552,470 housing units (US Census Bureau, n.d.). Also, according to Murphy (2019), the Bronx accounts for 38.34% of the individuals in the homeless shelter system in New York City, accounting for the largest homeless population in the city. Approximately 24% of the Bronx population lives in poverty, and 80% have access to broadband connections (US Census Bureau, n.d.).
Economic
MBI caters to Bronx residents needing social and financial assistance by connecting them to free/low-cost services/programs. However, certain economic shifts influencing Bronx residents affect MBI's ability to serve this population. One such economic shift is the high unemployment rate in the Bronx. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (2022) indicates that the unemployment rate in the Bronx in 2022 is 8.4%, which is significantly higher than the nation's average (3.8%), as well as in other regions in New York. High unemployment rates will leave more people in need of social and financial assistance, and MBI has to fill this gap by connecting them to available resources in the community. In addition, the Bronx residents continue to face high economic and housing insecurities because about 40% of families live in poverty (Javorsky, 2021). Also, most Bronx residents generate lower household income and work in jobs that require face-to-face interactio...