MPA Professors Scutelnicu-Todoran and Tekula Receive Grant from Council of Family and Child Care Agencies

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Professors of Public Administration Gina Scutelnicu-Todoran, PhD, and Rebecca Tekula, PhD, have been awarded a nearly $30,000 grant by the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA) to assess the financial status of approximately 75 New York State agencies under its umbrella. These agencies provide child welfare services, including foster care, preventive services, and juvenile justice services.

"We are honored to receive this grant,” said Tekula, who is the director of Pace University’s Master of Public Administration program and the executive director of Pace's Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship. “This work is not just about financials; it's about ensuring that agencies providing essential services to our most vulnerable populations—children in foster care, preventive services, and juvenile justice—are financially equipped to meet their needs effectively.”

Scutelnicu-Todoran and Tekula will work in collaboration with two Pace graduate students to conduct a financial analysis of cumulative organizational revenues and expenditures, endowments, and other investments. Through this opportunity, these students will gain valuable skills in navigating complex financial data, interpreting fiscal health, and understanding the broader implications of financial management in sustaining social services.

“The opportunity for these students to contribute to a project with such profound social impact is extraordinary,” said Scutelnicu-Todoran. “Their involvement will prepare them for future leadership roles in public and social service, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to make meaningful contributions to society.”

The Pace researchers began work on the grant on February 1. Upon completion of the project in October, the researchers from Pace will prepare a final report and deliver presentations to executive and legislative leadership at the New York State and New York City levels. Their goal is to inform these stakeholders of the financial realities and needs of these agencies and to advocate for and influence budgetary decisions related to child welfare and juvenile justice.