Capstone Projects

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The completion of a capstone project is one of the academic requirements for the Master of Public Administration at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government. The capstone project presents an opportunity for students to apply their multi-disciplinary learning from the program to a specific public administration challenge or issue. Past students have indicated that their capstone project enabled them to build relationships with diverse stakeholders and improved their skills in policy research, creative thinking, data analysis and interpretation, program evaluation, written and verbal communication, time management, and client management. Students have the option either of proposing their own capstone project or choosing from a list of projects submitted by government agencies and non-profit organizations to Fels Lab.

Explore our recent graduates’ capstone project below.

Project Name Project Type Year Organization Download
A Policy Agenda for Nationwide Children's Hospital's Social Justice Initiative
Policy analysis
2022
Nationwide Children's Hospital
PDF
A Community Recompense Program for Institutional Expansion*
Program development
2022
Office of Councilwoman Jamie R. Gauthier
PDF
Expanded Child Tax Credit Outreach Campaign Evaluation*
Program evaluation
2022
City of Philadelphia Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity
PDF
Help for the Hurdles Program Evaluation
Program evaluation
2022
City of Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services
PDF
Measuring Effectiveness of Diversity and Inclusion Policies on Campus Racial Climate
Policy analysis
2022
The EdTrust
PDF
Smart Artificial Intelligence Policies
Policy analysis
2022
City of Philadelphia Office of Innovation & Technology
PDF
Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative: A Qualitative Analysis of the Grantee Experience*
Program evaluation
2022
The Food Trust
PDF
A Feasibility Study for the Creation of a Garden Commons Network Across Philadelphia*
Program development
2022
Pennsylvania Horticulture Society
PDF
Doorways Prevention Program Training and Evaluation Assessment
Program evaluation
2022
Doorways' Prevention Program
PDF
Crisis Communications Plan
Marketing and communication plan
2022
Cleveland Department of Public Health
PDF
Continuing to Serve: Preparing Veterans to Transition into Service Organizations
Program evaluation
2022
U.S. Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program
PDF
Always Be Disclosing: Should Bank Size Preclude Eligibility for Climate Risk Disclosures?
Data analysis
2022
N/A
PDF
Reuse Rise Rejoice: A Menstrual Health Program Evaluation*
Program evaluation
2022
African Education Program
PDF
Economic Impacts of Refugee Resettlement in the United States and Texas
Data analysis
2022
N/A
PDF
Psychosocial Support Services for Gender-Based Violence in Southwest State Somalia
Data analysis
2022
Gender-Based Violence Psychosocial Support Services
PDF
Strategic Plan for the Botswana - University of Pennsylvania Partnership
Strategic planning
2022
Botswana - University of Pennsylvania Partnership
PDF
A Risk Informed Policy Analysis of Nuclear Power in Electricity Markets
Policy analysis
2022
Nuclear Energy Institute
PDF
Making the Right Choice: A college decision making toolkit for adult learners
Policy analysis
2022
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
PDF
A Strategic Plan for Optimizing New Jersey's State Revolving Fund Application Process
Strategic planning
2022
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
PDF
Autism and the Courts Initiative*
Program development
2022
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Department of Human Services; ASERT Collaborative
PDF
Reaching Women Veterans: Background Report & Communications Strategy*
Marketing and communication plan
2022
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
PDF
Mission Based Grantmaking: A Path to Success
Program development
2021
K10 Kids Foundation
PDF
An Overview of Best Practices for Affordable Single-Family Housing Development and Finance
Policy analysis
2021
Cinnaire
PDF
The ReStart Program
Program development
2021
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
PDF
Pennsylvania Radar and the Price of Speed
Advocacy plan
2021
N/A
PDF
Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger Environmental Scan
Strategic planning
2021
The Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger
PDF
Personal Protective Equipment Supply & Supply Chain During COVID-19
Policy analysis
2021
Community Network for Epidemic Preparedness and Support
PDF
Comparative Analysis of Municipal Experiences Owning and Selling Public Goods
Policy analysis
2021
Delaware County Council
PDF
Evaluation Capacity-Building
Strategic planning
2021
ImpactEd
PDF
Process Improvement Within the Chicago Community Trust
Program evaluation
2021
Chicago Community Trust
PDF
Municipal High-Performance and Healthy Buildings Guidelines*
Program development
2021
City of Philadelphia Office of Sustainability
PDF
Young "Invincibles": Understanding Health Insurance Among Pennsylvania's Young Adults*
Data analysis
2021
Pennsylvania Health Access Network
PDF
PHENND Managing Networks*
Data analysis
2021
Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development
PDF
Representations of China Across the Media Landscape*
Data analysis
2021
N/A
PDF
Realigning As We Build: Data Implementation Plan*
Data analysis
2021
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
PDF
Measuring Impact in a Complex World: A Social Return on Investment Framework*
Data analysis
2021
JEVS Human Services
PDF
Now do we do it? Philly Style
Program evaluation
2021
Students Run Philly Style
PDF
Riverfront North Partnership Data Implementation Plan
Program evaluation
2020
Riverfront North Partnership
PDF
Juvenile Hall Admission and Impacts to Primary Care: Santa Clara County*
Data analysis
2020
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
PDF
The Polarization Machine: How Digital Activity Threatens Electoral Legitimacy
Policy analysis
2020
N/A
PDF
A Study on Murals, Artist, and the Guilds Community Impact
Program evaluation
2020
Mural Arts Philadelphia
PDF
Establishment of an Innovation Resource Network for Penn Medical Ethics
Program development
2020
University of Pennsylvania Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy
PDF
An Analysis of the Free Library of Philadelphia's Digital Resource and Service Provision During COVID-19*
Data analysis
2020
Free Library of Philadelphia
PDF
Evaluating Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program
Policy analysis
2020
City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics
PDF
A Roadmap for Funding Permanent Supportive Housing
Program development
2020
Asociación Puertorriqueños En Marcha
PDF
Review of Anti-Poverty Efforts by the City of Philadelphia
Policy analysis
2020
N/A
PDF
Hallandale Beach Strategic Policing Initiative Measurement Protocols
Program evaluation
2020
Hallandale Beach Police Department
PDF
Quality Jobs Tax Grant Program Design
Program development
2020
City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce
PDF
Inequities in Disaster Evacuation for Low-Income Families*
Policy analysis
2020
N/A
PDF
Membership Program Survey Evaluation*
Program evaluation
2020
Committee of Seventy
PDF
Membership Program Marketing and Communication Plan*
Marketing and communication plan
2020
Committee of Seventy
PDF
Ending Hunger for Good Workforce Development Plan
Program development
2020
Pottsdown Collaborative
PDF
Equine Assisted Therapy for Veterans*
Program development
2020
Valley Forge Military Academy
PDF
Assessing Philadelphia's Health Regulations to Reduce Commercial Waste*
Policy analysis
2020
City of Philadelphia Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet
PDF
Default Justice: Debt Buyer Lawsuits in Philadelphia Municipal Court*
Data analysis
2020
N/A
PDF
Predictive Analytics for US Armed Forces Veterans Exposed to Toxins
Advocacy plan
2020
N/A
PDF
The Fight for Fair Funding in the State of Pennsylvania’s High-Need School District
Policy analysis
2020
Education Law Center in Philadelphia
PDF
Analyzing Community Violence Reduction Programs in Philadelphia
Policy analysis
2020
City of Philadelphia Office of Violence Prevention
PDF

Fels Institute of Government

The Fels Institute of Government
3814 Walnut St. 
Philadelphia, PA 19104

(215) 898-7326
felsinstitute@sas.upenn.edu