Our research has seven (7) research objectives that enhance the quality of lives and independence for our targeted special needs and refugee groups:

Our research team has secured nearly two dozen research fellowships to support undergraduate, graduate and post-doctorate research related to current and past research studies. We have collaborated with representatives from nine research universities (e.g., Arizona State, University of Arizona, Harvard, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Northwestern, University of Chicago, University of Cambridge and Morehouse).

Rather than focus on what may cause or cure youth and adults with autism and/or neurodevelopmental disabilities, our special needs research has focused on applied research that seeks to help youth and adults with autism and/or neurodevelopmental disabilities live more independent and fulfilling lives. We strive to identify and test promising programs designed to generate positive outcomes related to wellness, work- based learning, special education, social skills, greater inclusion, communications, independent living and improving the efficiency of service delivery systems.

II. Ongoing Social Ventures and Workforce Development Research Studies

Our social ventures and workforce development applied research has focused on addressing the following barriers to employment that is commonly associated with the special needs and refugee population groups:

• Special Needs: Adults with autism and/or neurodevelopmental disabilities face disproportionate levels of unemployment, poor job prospects and lack of work-based learning opportunities. An alarming 85% unemployment rate exists for the 4.9 million adults with autism and/or neurodevelopmental disabilities. For 15% of the special needs adults who do have a job, their weekly earnings are only a meager $112.16, which is based on an average of only 15.6 hours per work week at $7.19 per hour (Anderson, Larson, & Wuorio, 2011).
• Refugees: US federal refugee resettlement funding has dramatically decreased over time and this decline has steeply accelerated during the current Trump Administration. This has left the state, local governments and private philanthropy to pick up the slack in refugee integration. In turn, this reduced funding has put a tremendous strain on nonprofit refugee serving organizations. This has led to reduced length of time providing services, increased gaps in services being provided, and less coordination of services among nonprofit service providers. Cornell and Harvard researchers have discovered that refugees who had received permanent resident status experienced a decline in their likelihood of employment over time. Their study found that while the refugees generally were able to quickly find jobs that their employment rates declined by 5 percent after they has spent 5 years living in the US. This is in sharp contrast to non-refugees who experienced a 22% increase in employment after five years.
• Climate Refugees in Africa: The global explosive growth of refugees is considered one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crisis. In the last decade, there has been unprecedented growth of forcibly displaced persons. Global refugees have tripled to 43.4 million in the last decade. The United Nations reported that, in 2022, a higher percentage of “climate refugees: have been needing to relocate because of climate change than ever before: from 61 percent in 2010 to 84 percent in 2022. Climate change is disproportionately impacting East African refugee hotspots, such as Uganda, Sudan, and Ethiopia. In refugee host communities, there is increasing competition and conflicts over natural resources, food, water, land rights and scare employment opportunities. The rising temperatures are jeopardizing agricultural activities in places where the majority of the population lives off the land, generating tensions that can lead to conflicts and further displacement. The UN projects that the number of refugees seeking resettlement will increase in 2025 by 2.9 million with 33.5% coming from Sub-Saharan Africa. The represents a 46% increase in refugees since 2023. Despite the explosive growth in refugee resettlements, the UN is having to cut back on the number of its staff who can provide refugee support services.

A. Social Ventures Research  

• Climate Social Ventures: Designing and scaling social ventures that create jobs while contributing to climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives. Phase One involves social ventures related to agrivoltaics systems, controlled agricultural environment, green waste recycling and the use solar powered dehydration of surplus fruits and vegetables.  
• Agricultural and Food Social Ventures: Designing and scaling agricultural and food social ventures at the 9-acre demonstration farm in Arizona. The primary social venture being launched during Phase One is our surplus and imperfect produce social venture. This social venture that is over 1 million pounds per annum of surplus and imperfect produce by redirecting and repurposing this high volume of produce at farmers markets, schools, churches, food banks and other nonprofits serving vulnerable population groups.
• African Social Ventures: Designing and scaling social ventures in Uganda in collaboration with Thriving Learners Institute. In addition to working with this Ugandan nonprofit, the research team has collaborated with university research labs at Arizona State, University of Arizona, Harvard, University of Cambridge and Northwestern. Our research team has been awarded numerous research grants and fellowships to underwrite the development of these African social ventures.
• Social Cause Branded Product Line: Our research team has conducted best practices case studies of 67 social cause branded product lines. This market research has provided invaluable insights related to the development of the business strategies for Quincea’s Grow with Others social cause branded product lines (e.g., coffee, tea, community supported agriculture, dehydrated fruits and vegetables and clothing product lines). One hundred percent of the net profits from the social cause branded product lines are reinvested back into the scaling of our social ventures benefiting special needs and refugee groups.

B. Work-Based Learning Research  

• Special Needs Work-Based Learning: Designing and implementing work-based learning curriculum for special education students at Aspire Academy’s five campuses in metro Phoenix. Students will receive vocational skills training, work-based learning, customer service and entrepreneurship training. The classes will incorporate job readiness skills, such as life skills, self-motivation, empathy, leadership, teamwork, and punctuality.
• Refugee Work-Based Learning: Designing and scaling a Refugee Vocational Pathways program at Quincea’s 9-acre mixed-use campus in Queen Creek with plans to further expand to other locations over time. The vocational training program will provide hands-on vocational training working in collaboration with Quincea social ventures. The refugee vocational training will be supplemented with entrepreneurship, business and general educational classes. The Refugee Vocational Pathways program has been designed to help refugees achieve self-sufficiency by obtaining the necessary job skills training, credentials, education, and work experience to secure employment in a wide array of entrepreneurial, professional and/or skilled career fields.

C. Social Return on Investment Research  

• Social Impact Metrics: Our research team will measure the impacts from the social ventures by using a social return on investment (SROI) model that will measure the “triple bottom line” social return on investment. The triple bottom line benefits are measured in economic, environmental and social (healthcare) benefits. Phase One SROI involves measuring costs and benefits associated with the surplus and imperfect produce social venture.