Our Social Impact

Our Social Impact

The goal to create meaningful change in our society drives the culture at McAllister & Quinn. 

As a firm, we specialize in providing strategic advice and support to organizations in the areas of education, health care, research, advanced technology, and social services. Our work has secured over $2 billion in federal funding for our clients, who are on the front line in delivering essential services, cutting edge technologies, and innovative solutions to big problems. We take great pride in knowing that our ability to execute and deliver is helping to address critical systemic issues and creating a more equitable and just society.

McAllister & Quinn’s track record of success has enabled us to grow our business in a way that is socially impactful and that reflects our shared values. The firm’s commitment to social impact has empowered us to recruit and retain talented employees who are passionate about making a positive difference in the world. This culture has also helped us create a reputation as a firm that cares deeply about results, because we know that when our clients succeed the social impact is great.


Practice Areas:

Nonprofit
The social determinants of health—where we’re born, live, learn and work—affect our quality of life each day. Nonprofit organizations nation-wide are working to improve the quality of life for all by addressing our most pressing societal needs: affordable health care, safe housing, high-quality education, economic stability, racial equity, and climate/species conservation. Nonprofits are at the core of every community and are committed to creating a more equitable, healthy, and just society. The Nonprofit Practice at McAllister & Quinn is proud to partner with a broad spectrum of nonprofit organizations working across all sectors including behavioral and public health, education, animal conservation, arts and culture, food and agriculture, and environmental sustainability. Over the last 15 years, we have worked with more than a hundred nonprofit clients to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding that has had an immediate and lasting social impact:
  • Over $22 million to provide emergency shelter, food, clothing, education and trauma-informed behavioral health services to unaccompanied minors;
  • Over $20 million to ensure that women have access to affordable, primary health care and family planning services;
  • Over $53 million to support behavioral health care and other supportive services to children, youth and families living in low-income communities across the country; and
  • Over $45 million to support wildlife conservation and endangered species recovery programs across the U.S.
Every day, our team works to fund nonprofits around the country that are working to strengthen their communities to provide all residents, regardless of their circumstances, the opportunity to live, learn, and thrive. Federal funding can lead to life-changing impacts in our communities whether it’s lifting families out of poverty through education, training, and workforce development programs, or improving the health of children and families by increasing access to affordable, nutritious food and behavioral health services. It is this work that drives us to succeed, and why we partner with our nonprofit clients to build a more just and equitable and resilient society.
Healthcare

Addressing social determinants of health, advancing health equity, and reducing risk of illness and disease are key to improving overall health outcomes and enhancing the quality of life in communities across the country. Federal investments in public health initiatives and cutting-edge medical research are essential to achieving these goals. For two decades, McAllister & Quinn has partnered with hospitals, health systems and academic medical centers to secure federal, state, and foundation funding supporting an array of community health projects and health research initiatives. In turn, these investments have helped healthcare providers advance population health, reduce illness, prevent disease, improve mental and behavioral health outcomes, advance digital health initiatives, and promote high-quality, value-based care to improve care coordination and reduce unnecessary healthcare costs for both patients and healthcare organizations.

Our Healthcare Practice has been at the forefront of working with health providers to develop targeted funding strategies through institution assessments, and then to identify, pursue and obtain government and philanthropic funding for key priorities. These efforts have resulted in approximately $300 million in grant funding for healthcare workforce development, biomedical research initiatives, rural health interventions, behavioral and mental health services, chronic disease prevention, pandemic response, and combating the opioid crisis, to name a few areas.

Key highlights of McAllister & Quinn’s social impact on behalf of our healthcare clients and their communities include federal funding in several high-impact areas:

  • Strengthening the primary care workforce and addressing the provider shortage public health crisis.

  • Providing scholarships for allied health programs in underserved communities, bolstering the healthcare workforce and local economies.

  • Research funding to prevent disease and improve health outcomes.

  • Enhancing professional development for frontline healthcare workers.

  • Supporting health innovation and spurring economic development.

  • Building and developing digital health infrastructure and telemedicine capabilities to advance health access and equity.

  • Combating addiction and substance use disorders and improving behavioral and mental health services.

These grant projects have empowered our clients to directly improve not only the health and wellness of the communities they directly serve but also nationally and globally through wide-reaching research impacts. As a result of these efforts, communities, particularly those that are underserved, have greater access to the resources they need to address health disparities and related inequities. The positive social impact of these initiatives is far-reaching, and McAllister & Quinn is proud to partner with our healthcare providers on these important projects

Higher Education
In the United States, the ability to attend and graduate from college can often be the key to a person’s overall quality of life, earning potential, professional success, and social mobility. Unfortunately, for many young people, the college dream can be unattainable due to the rising cost of tuition and the societal barriers in many underserved communities. Affordability and access to a college degree is a national problem that continues to require substantial financial investment from federal, state, and foundation sources. The Higher Education Practice at McAllister & Quinn is committed to having a positive social impact through our successful work with small and mid-size colleges and universities. For more than 15 years, we have represented over 150 colleges in pursuit of federal grant funding and foundation dollars that support the vital mission of higher education. Through our work, we have secured over $650 million in funding that has had a direct social impact on our clients and the students they serve. This critical external funding has been largely targeted toward scholarships, student support services, research, high-impact learning practices, workforce development, and technology investments. Here are some of the highlights of McAllister & Quinn’s social impact on behalf of our clients and their students:
  • Over $90 million in funding for scholarships and programs to recruit, retain and graduate STEM majors
  • Over $200 million for student support services, enhanced academic quality, and improved student retention and completion
  • Over $105 million for scholarships and academic programs that support undergraduate and graduate nursing and other allied health programs
  • Over $70 million for scholarships and programmatic funds to help create a much-needed pipeline of K-12 STEM teachers
  • Over $45 million for campus safety and mental health initiatives for students, staff, and faculty
Our team at McAllister & Quinn has seen first-hand how these types of funds can change the lives of thousands of first-generation, Pell-eligible students who dream of going to college. The social impact of our work in securing this funding drives us daily to succeed and is a big part of why we do what we do on behalf of our college and university clients. We know our success leads to better outcomes, changed lives, and, hopefully a more equitable society.
Research Universities Practice
In the United States, institutions of higher education play a pivotal role in both basic and applied research. In the realm of basic research, these institutions serve as the foundation for advancing scientific knowledge by conducting fundamental investigations and exploring theoretical concepts. For applied research, universities act as vital hubs of innovation and practical problem-solving. For nearly two decades, McAllister & Quinn has partnered with R1 and R2 Universities and other research organizations to secure federal funding to support research and development priorities. By collaborating with industries, governments, and other stakeholders, these institutions bridge the gap between academia and real-world applications and often engage in multidisciplinary research projects aimed at developing practical solutions to societal challenges, technological advancements, and economic development. The Research Universities Practice at McAllister & Quinn is committed to having a positive social impact through our successful work with research universities, including Land Grant universities, Minority Serving Institutions, and schools in EPSCoR jurisdictions to support the vital mission of research and development. Through our services, we have been able to secure federally financed research funding for these institutions that advance health and biomedical research, promote sustainability and clean energy initiatives, and spur new and emerging technological advances. Our work also supports early investigators and those entering the workforce in the growing areas of STEM throughout the country. Key highlights of McAllister & Quinn’s impacts on behalf of our research clients, their campuses and the communities that they serve:
  • $120 million in research centers of excellence, and research institutes.
  • $50 million dollars in research facilities, equipment, and other resources to support research infrastructure.
  • $35 million dollars in early career research support, workforce training support, and developing the next generation of researchers.
These federally funded research initiatives have supported our clients research infrastructure, research programs and education, and technological advances. The social impacts of the ground-breaking research and researchers that are supported from these federal investments continue to improve quality of life and scientific progress.
Advanced Technology
The government is continuing to make historic investments in advanced technology through programs such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act. These programs and others like them have several focus areas, including:
  1. securing domestic manufacturing of critical technologies for decades to come,
  2. reducing the environmental impact of conventionally hazardous manufacturing processes, and
  3. bolstering the clean energy industry to ensure a sustainable future.
Along with these historic investments, the companies receiving the funds have an opportunity to generate lasting impact in the communities they reside in. The Advanced Technology Practice at McAllister & Quinn is committed to having a positive social impact in the projects we work on. We will measure the social impact of our work with industry clients through metrics such as:
  • Value of company investment in domestic manufacturing (for example, through cost share commitments).
  • Number of well-paying, U.S. based manufacturing jobs created.
  • The percent of these jobs that will recruit from disadvantaged communities.
  • Number of partnerships created between companies and local stakeholders such as community organizations, community colleges, high schools, and universities.
  • Amount of reduced greenhouse gas emissions from clean energy and cleaner manufacturing processes projects.
  • The amount of funding (over $300 million to date) awarded to advance clean energy technologies, from long-duration energy storage to new production technologies.
  • The amount of funding awarded to advance new biotechnology concepts.
  • Number of small businesses awarded funding to support their company’s growth.
Our team at McAllister & Quinn is committed to securing funds for our clients that are transformational for the companies who are awarded them, the people who work at these companies every day, and the communities that surround them. The social impact of our work drives us daily to succeed in securing funding for our industry clients and is a major component of why we do what we do. We know that our success leads to better outcomes, changed lives, and a more equitable society for generations to come.