Local Initiatives

Short-term projects, lasting impact

The Local Impact Initiative, offered by the Kelley Institute for Social Impact (KISI), connects individual students and teams with short-term projects requested by community partners. It's an opportunity to demonstrate skills in business analysis, strategic thinking, communication and presentation, financial foundations, marketing, project coordination, and other capabilities. The inaugural community partners include a health tech start-up, a community orchard, an organization that supports local youth, and a job-training social enterprise involving electronics recycling.

Find your project

Then pitch your offer.

Check Local Impact Initiative info

Visitors stand beside a wooden sign for Bloomington Community Orchard, showcasing a sunny day and blossoming trees in the background.

How to get involved

Find your project: Check Local Impact Initiative info for current community partner projects. The projects in the portfolio include deliverables, timelines, contact info for the partner organizations, and other information.
Submit your pitch: If you want to take on a project, submit a brief executive summary directly to the community partner.
Deliver the solution: If selected, you and your team will provide a timely, high-impact solution for the organization to implement. The amount of time required will vary but generally requires five hours or less of work each week for one to four months.

Note: Once a community partner accepts a pitch, KISI will remove the project from the Local Impact Initiative portfolio. New requests also will be added throughout the semester.

Local Impact Initiative FAQs

Go to Local Impact Initiative Info on KISI’s Linktr.ee. You can also subscribe to the KISI newsletter for updates about the initiative and other KISI news.

The initiative invites all undergraduate students enrolled at Indiana University Bloomington to get involved.

Complete a one-page executive summary outlining your proposed solution and why you or your team are the best fit.
Submit your executive summary directly to the community partner and make sure to copy KISI Assistant Director Tommy Gardner. Contact information is provided in the project details.
Once a community partner accepts a pitch, the individual or team will be notified of their winning proposal, and the project will be removed from the portfolio of current projects.

You can submit an executive summary as an individual, or a group. We will not place individuals into groups.

The community partner will respond directly to you. When this happens, KISI will prepare a memo of understanding for all parties to sign before the work begins.

Timelines vary depending on the scope of individual projects. The project details that you review before submitting your pitch will include the expected duration.

Short-term projects, lasting impact

Find your project

How to get involved

Local Impact Initiative FAQs

How do I access the portfolio of current projects?

Who can make pitches and work on projects?

How do I apply for a project that interests me?

Can I participate as an individual or will I be added to a group?

How will I be notified if I’m selected to work on the project?

How long will the projects take to complete?

Community partner

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