Brandon Frost

About the researcher:

My name is Brandon Frost. I am a graduate student in the Master of Nonprofit Leadership Program at Seattle University. This spring, I am doing a research project titled Agricultural Justice: The Imperative of NGO Facilitation in Building Cross-Sector & Cross-Industry Collaborative Networks. I chose this topic because of the significant impact agriculture has on our environment, food systems, health, immigration policy, as well as both human and non-human animals.

What is the purpose of the study?

I launched this study to get a better understanding of how collaboration between sectors that engage with agriculture, such as healthcare and immigration, might better collaborate together to work on common issues or shared goals. 

We know that the climate crisis, as well as other agriculture related issues, are complex problems. No one party has all of the answers, and more often than not, proposed solutions to these issues are incomplete.

I am interested in learning more about the experience of working in your sector, which I have identified as intersecting with agriculture in some way. It is my hope that the ideas drawn from this research project will help lead to greater collaboration and more complete solutions.

Who is being interviewed?

For this study, I am interviewing roughly 6-10 individuals. At least one from from each of the following sectors / issue areas:

• Health

• Immigration

• Environment

• Animal Welfare

• Poverty / Homelessness

• Agriculture

What is the format of the interviews?

I am inviting you to participate in a 45-minute interview. All interviews will take place remotely via Zoom. You will have the choice to participate in a video call, or to call in by phone.

During our conversation, we will be asking questions such as the following

• In your opinion, what are some of the biggest issues / areas of need in the the sector you work in?
• Do you feel some of these issues also impact other sectors / industries?
• Do you see any barriers in the way of expanding collaboration with those outside your sector?

There are no right or wrong answers to the questions, or desirable or undesirable answers. I would like you to feel comfortable expressing what you really think.

How do I sign up?

You can sign up for an interview using this link: https://calendly.com/frostcapstone/60min Links to an external site.

I look forward to our conversation.

How will privacy be handled for this study?

• Participation in this study is voluntary.

• This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Seattle University, and is guided by the principles outlined by the IRB for the protection of human subjects.

  •  The study will be disclosing names, pronouns, job titles & experience, and if allowed, name of your organization.

  • With your consent.

  • You can read more information and access the informed consent form here. Links to an external site.

What will you do with the information you gather?

I will be writing up the results of the study and presenting the results at the MNPL Capstone Festival on Saturday, June 5. I believe that this research will provide greater understanding of how Social Network Analysis might be a useful tool in promoting collaboration between industries that interact with agriculture.

I will also share the results of our research with you and the other participants. My hope is that the results are useful to you as you plan your future work.

Contact information:

I can be reached by email at cluteb@seattleu.edu.

If you would like more information about the MNPL capstone projects, you can also contact Professor Feit at feitm@seattleu.edu.

Thank you

I know that your time is valuable and I am grateful for your willingness to share your experiences and insights with me.