Designing a Nonprofit Restaurant to Minimize Fraud While Building Capacity: A Research Service Learning Project

The objective of this graduate research service learning project is to evaluate options in several key areas of designing a successful Nonprofit Restaurant, including: Education & Training; Target Customers; Location; Food Concepts; Suppliers; and Types of Payment. Research is conducted for Nonprofit Restaurants in general, and specific research is provided for the project client, Palmetto Works Community Development Corporation. They are working with other organizations to create C.H.O.P.S. – Culinary & Hospitality Operatives Prepared to Serve Culinary Arts Training Program. For each key area, this graduate research service learning project evaluates options and makes recommendations that allow C.H.O.P.S and other Nonprofit Restaurants to: • Utilize the appropriate Policies and Procedures (P&P) menu and self-assessment processes from previous graduate research service learning projects • Make operational choices that minimize the potential for fraud • Make recommendations that take full advantage of opportunities to demonstrate financial accountability to donors and grant makers, and • Choose an approach that meets their commitment to achieving best practices while maximizing the benefit to both program trainees and the surrounding community.