Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy accepting applications through May 31

Applications are currently being accepted for the Debra Mesch Doctoral Fellowship for Research on Women’s Philanthropy. The one-year, $5,000 fellowship supports doctoral dissertation research and writing that contributes to understanding of women’s philanthropy or gender differences in philanthropic behavior.

Ph.D. candidates from accredited graduate schools who have successfully completed their coursework and defended their dissertation proposal are encouraged to apply. The application deadline for the 2023 fellowship is May 31.

The Debra Mesch Doctoral Fellowship for Research on Women’s Philanthropy advances research to expand the base of knowledge on women’s philanthropy. Since 2009, the fellowship has supported emerging scholars in a range of academic disciplines, such as philanthropic studies, nonprofit management, higher education, economics, history, anthropology and religious studies.

Previous fellowship recipients have studied diverse topics, including Jewish women’s philanthropy and social change, women’s philanthropy initiatives at higher education institutions, the gender composition of nonprofit boards, and the history of gospel rescue missions.

Last year’s fellowship recipient, Anaïs Faurt of Rutgers University, is examining the history of child protection across five former French colonial territories between 1945 and 1989. By exploring who counted as a victim of war and whose child was worth saving, Faurt highlights the intersecting roles of gender and race in determining who should give and receive aid.

Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Accomplished professionals who want to make social change and who have experience leading philanthropic, business, government or other organizations can now further hone their leadership and applied research skills to address complex, real-world problems by earning their professional doctorate in philanthropic leadership.

The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI welcomes applications for its new online Professional Doctorate in Philanthropic Leadership (PhilD), the first professional, doctoral-level leadership degree in the field.

The Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent

Two new books have been published by colleagues in the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, UK. Both are written by academics with extensive practical experience and are intended as useful additions to course reading lists across the world.

As the title suggests, Rhodri Davies’ book, What is Philanthropy For? provides a broad overview of the role of philanthropy today. He notes that for centuries philanthropy has played a major role in shaping our world but it has also been the source of much debate. Allowing people to use their private assets for public good undoubtedly brings benefits to society, but it also brings challenges, so how should we understand the role of philanthropy today, and how might it need to change in the future? Rhodri draws on his deep knowledge of the past and present landscape of philanthropy, and considers the alternatives, including charity, justice, taxation, the state, democracy and the market, to examine the pressing questions that philanthropy must tackle if it is to be equal to the challenges of the 21st century.

The second new book from the team at Kent, Advising Philanthropists: Principles and Practice, has grown directly from a course of the same name that is taught within our innovative Masters degree in Philanthropic Studies. That course was co-created by Emma Beeston, who works as an independent philanthropy advisor, and Dr Beth Breeze, director of the Kent Centre for Philanthropy. The book describes the emergence of philanthropy advising as a profession, explains what these actors do based on interviews with 40 advisors working across the world (many of which are shared as first person case studies), and engages with debates such as how best advisors can interact with fundraisers and nonprofit leaders.