{"id":27882,"date":"2026-04-09T14:50:55","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T18:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/?p=27882"},"modified":"2026-04-09T14:54:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T18:54:44","slug":"pm-challenge-supports-worcester-nonprofit-in-addressing-food-insecurity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/pm-challenge-supports-worcester-nonprofit-in-addressing-food-insecurity\/","title":{"rendered":"PM Challenge supports Worcester nonprofit in addressing food insecurity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Participants
Photo by Ismael De La Cruz \u201927<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The School of Professional Studies recently concluded the PM Challenge, a multi-round competition that brought graduate students together to develop practical, executable project plans that maximize results with minimal budget and resources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The competition was sponsored by the Master\u2019s in Project Management program, which is accredited by the PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC). The program is also STEM-Designated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenge involved creating fundraising solutions for The Mustard Seed<\/a>, a Worcester nonprofit that provides meals and food assistance to vulnerable community members, including older adults, people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and individuals in need. Teams were asked to create low-cost, community-driven fundraising strategies that could be implemented within six months, while also addressing outreach, donor engagement, sustainability, and the human side of food insecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By working with an existing nonprofit, participants applied project management skills to a real-world community issue with direct local relevance. Their ideas aimed to help strengthen The Mustard Seed\u2019s capacity so the organization can continue purchasing food, expand its reach, and better serve Worcester residents facing hardship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n