NACC Member Research Archives - Page 3 of 9 - Nonprofit Academic Centers Council

Capacity Building and Localization: Insights from Liberia

Peter Weber, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (PNPS) Program
College of Human Sciences
Auburn University

Kelly Ann Krawczyk, PhD
Professor
MPA and PhD Program Director
Department of Political Science
Auburn University

Capacity Building and Localization: Insights from Liberia
Peter Weber, Kelly Ann Krawczyk, Lucky Chambers Umezulike, Brittany Branyon, Brian Ezeonu, Elena Roversi, Sindhu Weber, Benedict Quato
Nonprofit Management & Leadership | June 2025

The question of how to structure international aid equitably to empower the local community and give agency to local civil society organizations (CSOs) is a recurrent theme in debates around international aid. A common strategy to enable local actors to have greater agency in the international aid system is for international donors to invest in the capacity of local CSOs through targeted capacity-building programs. Donors incorporate capacity-building programs into their programs, believing that increased capacity will empower and enable local actors. Scholarship on capacity building, however, has shown that capacity-building programs are often implemented top-down and align with the priorities and objectives of Western donors. Through the case of Liberia, this study examines the motivations and objectives of capacity-building programs from the perspective of local CSOs. Through mapping current capacity-building programs in Liberia and conducting focus groups with local CSO leaders, we offer empirical evidence that the capacity-building programs available to Liberian CSOs do not meet their needs, as expressed by local CSO leaders. We contribute to the ongoing debates around capacity building by showing that the disconnect between available programs and motivations of local CSOs calls for a need for localizing capacity building for such programs to maintain the promise of the localization agenda.

Peter Weber is an associate professor of philanthropy and nonprofit studies and program coordinator of the Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (PNPS) Program at Auburn University, and currently holds the Mike and Leann Rowe Endowed Professorship in International Studies. He holds a doctorate in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, as well as a Master in History and a Master in International Studies in Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship, both from the University of Bologna in Italy. His research focuses on the way individuals participate in public affairs through voluntary organizations and philanthropic practices. His latest research project investigates the emergence of philanthropic innovations through the lenses of program-related investments (PRIs) by private as well as community foundations. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, including Voluntas, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Journal of Civil Society, Nonprofit Policy Forum, Global Society, Journal of Public Affairs Education, and Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Murray State University, and Auburn University. Among others, his teaching interests focus on grant-making practices, nonprofit management and governance, nonprofit advocacy and public policy, and community engagement. In recognition of his service to the field of nonprofit studies, he was recognized by the 2013 ARNOVA Emerging Scholar Award and selected as a Future Philanthropic Educator Fellow by the Learning by Giving Foundation (2015). At the national level, he serves as the VP of governance on the board of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC), which is the international membership organization of nonprofit and philanthropic research centers and education programs.

Kelly Ann Krawczyk is a professor in the Department of Political Science at Auburn University. Her research investigates the potential role of civil society in promoting democracy and development. She examines how civil society can foster sustainable development in local communities, and the role of civil society in strengthening democracy and increasing civic engagement. She is specifically interested in how civil society impacts political behavior. Her research has been published in journals of public administration, civil society, and local governance, including Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, and the Journal of Civil Society. Her co-edited volume, Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives: The Contributions of Women to Development in West Africa (2023) is available from Palgrave Macmillan. She has also authored book chapters, as well as governmental and professional publications for the Governance Commission of Liberia and the World Bank.

Krawczyk teaches graduate and undergraduate courses at Auburn University on a wide range of nonprofit topics, including Nonprofit Law & Governance, Nonprofit Management, and International Nongovernmental Organizations. She also teaches graduate courses in public administration and nonprofit management in the MPA and Ph.D. programs. She is currently serving as the MPA Program Director.

Krawczyk earned her Ph.D. in political science and a Masters in Public Administration from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Before beginning an academic career, Kelly worked with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, both domestic and international, and has applied experience in nonprofit management and leadership, governance, capacity building, fundraising and development, volunteer and event management, and proposal writing. She designs and delivers outreach initiatives in West Africa, including curricular design and implementation of training and professional development workshops, impact evaluations and assessments, policy analysis and recommendations. She served as an international election observer for multiple national elections in Liberia and Ghana. She has also worked with The World Bank Group in Liberia on projects related to decentralization and civil society. She is a Founding Committee Member of the Strengthening Research on Civil Society in West Africa project, an initiative of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), funded by the Ford Foundation.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-08-24T20:16:34-04:00August 24th, 2025|NACC Member Research|

Hybrid Until the End? Predicting Financial Vulnerability in Hybrid Purpose Organizations

Elizabeth A.M. Searing, PhD, CNP
Fellow, Venise Stuart Professorship
in Nonprofit Management & Leadership
Associate Professor, University of Texas at Dallas
Adjunct Research Professor, Carleton University

Hybrid Until the End? Predicting Financial Vulnerability in Hybrid Purpose Organizations
Elizabeth AM Searing, Alessandro Montrone, Simone Poledrini
Nonprofit Management and Leadership | April 2025

This study modifies the traditional nonprofit and for‐profit measures of predicting organizational closure to fit the Italian social cooperative. Using logistic regression, we find the hybridity of the corporate form reflected in the ideal predictors of vulnerability. Some of the traditional nonprofit measures prove important (such as operating margin), but others do not; likewise, only some for‐profit predictors (such as the warranty ratio) prove significant. Further, there are several variables that improve the model that are not common in the models for the nonprofit and for‐profit sectors. We consider this evidence that hybrid purpose organizations worldwide should develop hybrid measures and models of financial vulnerability and resilience.

Dr. Elizabeth Searing is an Associate Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management at the University of Texas at Dallas and the Fellow to the Venise Stuart Professor in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. Dr. Searing’s primary research focus is the financial management of nonprofit and social enterprise organizations, but she also conducts work on comparative social economy more broadly. She is an Associate Editor and editorial board member of Nonprofit Management & Leadership, and an editorial advisory board member at VOLUNTAS and the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management (JPBAFM). Her articles have been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-08-24T20:07:29-04:00August 24th, 2025|NACC Member Research|

Examining the Association Between State Lobbying Regulations and Nonprofit Lobbying Expenditures

Nathan J. Grasse
Associate Professor
Master of Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership Program
Carleton University

Examining the Association Between State Lobbying Regulations and Nonprofit Lobbying Expenditures
Kevin D. Ward, Nathan Grasse, and Jesse Lecy
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly | April 2025

Newly released data on 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations’ lobbying expenditures shows that these organizations have increasingly engaged in lobbying over the past several decades. However, over roughly the same period, states have adopted increasingly stringent lobbying regulations. While often promoted as a way to curb the influence of private interests in public policy, state regulations often apply equally to for-profit firms and nonprofit organizations. This article employs two measures of state-level lobbying stringency to examine how traditional direct legislative and grassroots lobbying vary in different regulatory environments. We find that nonprofits reduce expenditures on direct lobbying and increase those on indirect or grassroots lobbying in more stringent regulatory environments. These findings are important because nonprofit organizations typically advocate on behalf of their constituencies, and state regulations may shape their lobbying activities.

Nathan J. Grasse is an Associate Professor in the Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (MPNL) program at Carleton University. He is an associate editor at the Journal of Civil Society, a member of the editorial board of Public Administration Review, and a board member of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council, and has published in journals such as Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Policy Studies Journal, and the Review of Public Personnel Administration. His academic focus primarily revolves around the governance and financial management of public-serving organizations.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-08-22T14:26:18-04:00August 22nd, 2025|NACC Member Research|

Case Studies on Nonprofit Resilience Management

Elizabeth A.M. Searing, PhD, CNP
Fellow, Venise Stuart Professorship
in Nonprofit Management & Leadership
Associate Professor, University of Texas at Dallas
Adjunct Research Professor, Carleton University

Dennis R. Young, PhD
Emeritus Professor
Case Western Reserve University
& Georgia State University

Case Studies on Nonprofit Resilience Management
Elizabeth A.M. Searing and Dennis R. Young (Eds.)
Elgar Cases in Business and Management, May 2025

This book, edited by Elizabeth A.M. Searing, Associate Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management at the University of Texas at Dallas, and Dennis R. Young, Emeritus Professor at Case Western Reserve University and Georgia State University, comprises original case studies from a broad cross-section of nonprofits across the arts, social services, education, advocacy, and philanthropy. Numerous NACC members contributed to the volume, making it a particularly meaningful resource for our community of educators and researchers.

Demonstrating how nonprofits can cope with crises, the book provides readers with real-world examples of decisions and actions taken to adapt and respond to existential challenges. It features 31 original cases that explore financial, organizational, and leadership themes, candidly highlighting the struggles and survival strategies of nonprofit organizations. Each chapter includes discussion questions, making this volume an invaluable teaching tool.

Teachers of nonprofit management and leadership will gain valuable insights from the original material and ideas featured within each case study. Students focusing on business, leadership, entrepreneurship, nonprofits, and strategic management will additionally find this book to be an important resource for their professional and scholarly development.

Dr. Elizabeth A. M. Searing is an Associate Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Searing’s primary research focus is the financial management of nonprofit and social enterprise organizations, but she also conducts work on comparative social economy more broadly. She is an Associate Editor and editorial board member of Nonprofit Management & Leadership, and an editorial advisory board member at VOLUNTAS and the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management (JPBAFM). Her articles have been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.

Dennis R. Young is Professor Emeritus at Georgia State University and Visiting Professor at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. In 2016-2017 he was Executive in Residence in the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. Previously he was Professor of Public Management and Policy in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies where he directed GSU’s Nonprofit Studies Program and held the Bernard B. and Eugenia A. Ramsey Chair in Private Enterprise. From 1988 to 1996 he was Director of the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations and Mandel Professor of Nonprofit Management at Case Western Reserve University. He was the founding editor of the journal Nonprofit Management and Leadership and is founding and current editor of Nonprofit Policy Forum, and past president of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA).

By N.A.C.C.|2025-05-14T17:09:41-04:00May 14th, 2025|NACC Member Research|

Resiliency Strategies for Nonprofits in Times of Political and Financial Instability

Sarah L. Young
Professor of Public Administration
Director of Research, KSU CARES
Kennesaw State University

Elizabeth A.M. Searing, PhD, CNP
Fellow, Venise Stuart Professorship
in Nonprofit Management & Leadership
Associate Professor, University of Texas at Dallas
Adjunct Research Professor, Carleton University

Kimberly K. Wiley
Assistant Professor
University of Florida

Resiliency Strategies for Nonprofits in Times of Political and Financial Instability
Sarah Young, Elizabeth Searing, and Kimberley Wiley
Nonprofit Quarterly, March 2025

On January 22, 2025, 21 minutes before the scheduled start of a two-day federal grant orientation for 50 nonprofits who had just received the Specialized Services for Abused Parents and Their Children Demonstration Grant, the recipients received an email from the director of the US Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services, under the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

The email informed the nonprofits, which provide critical intervention services for family, domestic, and dating violence, that the grant orientation was canceled, effective immediately with no reason given, and that the government office had been instructed to “refrain from public speaking engagements,” including communication with the nonprofits.

The nonprofits, many of which were already starting to draw down these critical funds, were stunned: While the letter did not address the recent attempted freeze in federal funding by executive order of the president, the nonprofits worried their federal grant funds were at risk—and what the cryptic messaging meant.

The bizarre incident was one of hundreds of similar scenes of confusion, fear, and uncertainty across the nonprofit world after the attempted federal funding freeze. The nonprofit world must prepare for seismic events like this, as more are sure to come.

This moment presents a crucible for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits and the communities they serve cannot afford to be passive casualties of political shifts. They must prepare to wield their strongest weapons—advocacy, strategic planning, and collaboration—to fight back and defend their missions.

Dr. Sarah L. Young, Professor of Public Administration at Kennesaw State University, serves as the Director of Research for CARE Services, a campus support program for students who have experienced foster care or unaccompanied homelessness. Her research uses systems-based approaches to study the intersection of nonprofit, public management, and equity, especially during periods of crisis. Dr. Young earned her Ph.D. from Florida State University’s Askew School of Public Administration and Policy and her M.B.A. in nonprofit management from the University of Tampa Sykes College of Business. She is the co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Public Affairs Education and serves on the editorial board of Teaching Public Administration.

Dr. Elizabeth A. M. Searing is an Associate Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Searing’s primary research focus is the financial management of nonprofit and social enterprise organizations, but she also conducts work on comparative social economy more broadly. She is an Associate Editor and editorial board member of Nonprofit Management & Leadership, and an editorial advisory board member at VOLUNTAS and the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management (JPBAFM). Her articles have been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.

Dr. Kimberly Wiley researches the relationship between nonprofit organizations and their public funders as well as qualitative methodology. She is particularly interested in domestic violence advocacy organizations serving families and youth. Though, she also enjoys testing new qualitative methods on data like social media and television. She won several awards for her work on faculty sexual misconduct and nonprofits in crisis. Her scholarship has been published in Nonprofit Management & Leadership, Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Public Administration, Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work, and Public Policy & Administration.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-05-14T17:00:26-04:00May 14th, 2025|NACC Member Research|

What Influence Do Death, Dying and Bereavement Have on Philanthropic Giving Within Hospice Care?

Dr. Beth Breeze
Director of the Centre for Philanthropy
Professor of Philanthropic Studies
University of Kent

What Influence Do Death, Dying and Bereavement Have on Philanthropic Giving Within Hospice Care?
Jo Bacon, Claire Routley, Beth Breeze
Journal of Philanthropy, April 2025

We extend our warm congratulations to Dr. Beth Breeze, Director of the Centre for Philanthropy and Professor of Philanthropic Studies at the University of Kent, who has recently been named the next Principal of Harris Manchester College at the University of Oxford. She will begin this exciting new role in October 2025.

Hospice care, for people with life-limiting or terminal illnesses, is increasingly in demand due to rising death rates and is increasingly reliant on voluntary income due to rising costs. Lack of understanding of the specific drivers and needs of donors to hospices, and widespread misconceptions about hospice services are combined with cultural difficulties in discussing death, dying and bereavement to result in a particularly complex environment for hospice fundraisers.

To help navigate that complexity, this paper presents insights on hospice donor motivation and stewardship expectations, based on data from semi-structured interviews with 10 donors who have experienced a bereavement at one hospice in the UK. It generates three key findings: (1) In memory giving plays a developing role throughout the bereavement journey, providing a distraction for people in the immediate aftermath of their loss, enabling them to maintain a connection with the deceased, but, for some, eventually diminishing as they move on with their lives; (2) Awareness of need, gratitude, reciprocity, and future benefit are key drivers of giving to hospices, such that donors become newly aware of needs met by hospices, appreciative of the care received by departed loved ones, and committed to ensuring that they and others will have future access to hospice services; (3) Affinity and bonds with the hospice, including positive experiences with both frontline care staff and the fundraising team, build and sustain donor loyalty.

We conclude that donations by those who have direct experience of the hospice are often a function of the ‘bereavement journey’ and that the extent to which this factor influences giving changes over time and between donors, leading to the recommendation that more bespoke stewardship is needed to best understand and meet the needs of these donors and to maximise the amounts given.

Beth Breeze is Director of the Centre for Philanthropy, which she co-founded in 2008. Beth began her career as a fundraiser for a youth homelessness charity, and spent a decade working in a variety of fundraising, research and charity management roles, including as deputy director at the Institute for Philanthropy. Motivated by the lack of substantive research underpinning practice, Beth completed a PhD on contemporary philanthropy at Kent in 2011, and has been working here ever since. Beth has written and edited seven books, two of which have won the AFP Skystone Research Partners book prize.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-05-14T16:49:39-04:00May 14th, 2025|NACC Member Research|

Federal Impacts on Nonprofits: San Diego County Survey of Nonprofit Leaders

Laura Deitrick
Executive Director, The Nonprofit Institute
Director, Nonprofit Leadership and Management Graduate Program
University of San Diego

Federal Impacts on Nonprofits: San Diego County Survey of Nonprofit Leaders
Laura Deitrick, et. al.
University of San Diego, Nonprofit Sector Issues and Trends, March 2025

Deitrick, Laura; Tinkler, Tessa; Cardenas, Bryan; Hurt, Richard; Manriques, Nallely; and Nelson, Timothy, “Federal Impacts on Nonprofits: San Diego County Survey of Nonprofit Leaders” (2025). Nonprofit Sector Issues and Trends. 7. https://digital.sandiego.edu/npi-npissues/7

For decades, nonprofits have been key partners to the government, delivering vital services on its behalf. Beyond their social impact, San Diego nonprofits are integral to the local economy—not only as major employers but also through their contributions to health and welfare, arts and culture, education, and research and innovation, among other sectors.

Research estimates that government funding accounts for 30% of nonprofit revenue. Our findings show that executive orders and other federal policy changes have a significant impact on nonprofits in our region, affecting a wide range of causes and missions, including:

Performing arts and museums
Education and in-and after-school programs
Health care
Independent/nonprofit media
Basic needs such as housing and food
Medical research
Local parks and outdoor spaces
Care and protection for the elderly, children, and other vulnerable populations

In February, The Nonprofit Institute (NPI) conducted research to understand the immediate impact of executive orders and other federal policy changes.

Continuing that research, NPI launched the Bi-Weekly Pulse-a snapshot capturing shifts and identifying emerging trends in San Diego’s nonprofit landscape. Informed by a nonprofit panel, it gathers a quick sector “pulse” through a single-question survey. In order to identify the most critical needs, we asked a panel of nonprofit leaders for their input. View results from the first four questions here.

Dr. Deitrick serves as the Executive Director of The Nonprofit Institute and as the Director of the Nonprofit Leadership and Management graduate program at the University of San Diego. She has been a nonprofit executive director, board member, management consultant, and researcher on major nonprofit trends. Her research has led to important reports on nonprofit ethics, nonprofits and public education, nonprofit human resource practices, executive transition, the economics of San Diego and California’s nonprofit sector, nonprofit public confidence, and regional grantmaking. She served as the principal investigator for Nonprofit Academy, an award-winning capacity-building project co-created by The Nonprofit Institute and the City of San Diego.

Dr. Deitrick is a faculty member in the Department of Leadership Studies, where she teaches nonprofit management, organizational theory, program design, and evaluation. In 2021, she was recognized as the department’s outstanding faculty member.

Since 2019, Dr. Deitrick has served on the board of directors for Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI). She is also the co-author of Cases in Nonprofit Management: A Hands-On Approach to Problem Solving, published by Sage Publications.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-05-14T16:40:58-04:00May 14th, 2025|NACC Member Research|

Nonprofit Works: An Important New Tool for Understanding the Nonprofit Workforce

Dr. Alan J. Abramson
Professor and Director
Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise
Schar School of Policy and Government
George Mason University

Nonprofit Works: An Important New Tool for Understanding the Nonprofit Workforce
The announcement below was authored by Buzz McClain
George Mason University – Nonprofit Employment Data (GMU-NED) Project
With support from the C.S. Mott Foundation

“In these times of great stress for nonprofits, their employees, and the people they serve, we believe this information will be an important resource. The new site comes at a critical time for the nonprofit sector, as it faces unprecedented challenges to its funding—including threats to government grants and other payments and declines in inflation-adjusted individual giving.”
—Alan J. Abramson

GMU-Nonprofit Works Data Explorer, an innovative online tool launched this March, provides access to the latest official data on nonprofit employment and establishments from 1990 to 2022. Sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys, the user-friendly platform enables users to compare nonprofit employment and wages with those in the for-profit and government sectors.

Nonprofit Works: An Interactive Database on Nonprofit Employment and Wages was previously housed at Johns Hopkins University and has been revamped and updated in its shift to George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government.

At a time when nonprofits, their employees, and the communities they serve are facing significant challenges, Nonprofit Works offers crucial, data-driven insights at the national, state, county, and city levels. This initiative, developed by the George Mason University-Nonprofit Employment Data Project, complements the project’s ongoing research on the nonprofit workforce.

“In these times of great stress for nonprofits, their employees, and the people they serve, we believe this information will be an important resource,” said Alan J. Abramson, professor and director of the Schar School’s Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise. “The new site comes at a critical time for the nonprofit sector, as it faces unprecedented challenges to its funding—including threats to government grants and other payments and declines in inflation-adjusted individual giving.”

The project’s most recent report, from December 2024, highlighted the difficulties nonprofits have encountered in returning to prepandemic workforce levels, underscoring the importance of robust, accessible labor data. With the launch of Nonprofit Works, stakeholders across the sector now have a powerful tool to better understand workforce trends, inform policy, and drive decision-making.

The nonprofit sector is a vital part of the employment landscape of the United States, employing almost 10 percent of the nation’s private (i.e., nongovernmental) workforce and comprising the third-largest workforce and payroll of any of the 18 industries into which statistical authorities divide the American economy—larger than all branches of manufacturing combined, and behind only retail trade and accommodation and food services.

Learn More

Alan J. Abramson is a professor and the director of the Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. In these positions, he teaches, conducts research, and works in the broad field of public administration, with a particular focus on issues related to the nonprofit sector and philanthropy.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-05-14T16:33:22-04:00May 14th, 2025|NACC Member Research|

Spend-Down Strategies, Democracy Funding, and the Future of Philanthropy

Elizabeth J. Dale, Ph.D.
Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy
Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy
Grand Valley State University

“More Foundations Opt for Planned Lifespans and Spend-Down Strategies”
and “The Movement to Fund Democracy is Learning Important Lessons”

Two Chapters in 11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2025
Elizabeth J. Dale, Ph.D.
Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, January 2025

Elizabeth J. Dale’s contributions to the Johnson Center for Philanthropy’s 11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2025 provide timely insights into the evolving landscape of philanthropy.

Her first chapter, “More Foundations Opt for Planned Lifespans and Spend-Down Strategies” explores the growing trend of foundations deciding on a strategic spend down, highlighting how prominent figures like Warren Buffett are reshaping the norms of perpetual giving. By examining both limited-life and spend-down foundations, Dale discusses the implications of accelerated grantmaking on philanthropic impact and strategy, noting how these approaches challenge traditional endowment models.

In her second chapter, “The Movement to Fund Democracy is Learning Important Lessons,” Dale analyzes the rising investments in democracy-related funding, particularly in response to increasing concerns about election integrity and polarization in the United States. She traces the surge in grants supporting voting rights, informed citizenry, and civil discourse since the 2016 election cycle, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities facing funders in this critical area. Dale’s analysis not only addresses the complexities of funding democracy efforts but also raises essential questions about philanthropy’s role in safeguarding civil society.

Together, these chapters reflect the overarching themes of 11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2025, which examines the sector’s response to societal challenges, the evolving role of funders, and the strategies shaping the future of philanthropy. Dale’s contributions add depth to the volume’s exploration of how philanthropic practices can adapt to meet urgent demands for equity and democratic integrity.

Learn More

Elizabeth J. Dale, Ph.D., joined the Johnson Center in September 2024 as the second holder of the Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy, the world’s first endowed chair for family philanthropy. She previously held a faculty position and directed the Nonprofit Leadership Program at Seattle University and was the Visiting Eileen Lamb O’Gara Fellow in Women’s Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Dr. Dale has authored or co-authored more than 20 publications and reports for both scholarly and practitioner audiences, which have been published in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing, Voluntary Sector Review, The Foundation Review, Philanthropy and Education, and several prominent edited volumes. Her scholarship has focused on social justice philanthropy, women’s giving and giving to women’s and girls’ causes, LGBTQ+ philanthropy, and couples’ charitable giving, as well as gender and the fundraising profession. Ultimately, Dr. Dale seeks to understand the power and potential of philanthropy, the role of identity in giving, and the role of philanthropy in contributing to a more just, equitable, and inclusive society.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-03-09T14:41:39-04:00March 8th, 2025|NACC Member Research|

Adopting Community-Centric Fundraising: Findings from a National Study

Elizabeth J. Dale, Ph.D.
Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy
Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy
Grand Valley State University

Maya Hemachandra, M.P.A.
Adjunct Faculty
Nonprofit Leadership
Seattle University

Adopting Community-Centric Fundraising
Findings from a National Study
Elizabeth J. Dale and Maya Hemachandra
Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, February 2025

This national study examines the adoption of Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) practices across U.S. nonprofit organizations. Proposed in 2019, CCF is a set of principles developed by people of color to align fundraising with movements for race, equity, and social justice. Based on survey responses from 283 organizations and in-depth interviews with 14 fundraising professionals, the research revealed both promising developments and persistent challenges in transforming established fundraising approaches.

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Elizabeth J. Dale, Ph.D., joined the Johnson Center in September 2024 as the second holder of the Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy, the world’s first endowed chair for family philanthropy. She previously held a faculty position and directed the Nonprofit Leadership Program at Seattle University and was the Visiting Eileen Lamb O’Gara Fellow in Women’s Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Dr. Dale has authored or co-authored more than 20 publications and reports for both scholarly and practitioner audiences, which have been published in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing, Voluntary Sector Review, The Foundation Review, Philanthropy and Education, and several prominent edited volumes. Her scholarship has focused on social justice philanthropy, women’s giving and giving to women’s and girls’ causes, LGBTQ+ philanthropy, and couples’ charitable giving, as well as gender and the fundraising profession. Ultimately, Dr. Dale seeks to understand the power and potential of philanthropy, the role of identity in giving, and the role of philanthropy in contributing to a more just, equitable, and inclusive society.

Maya Hemachandra’s mission is to create champions for social change. Her approach blends philanthropy, strategy, and compassion to engage individuals and organizations in addressing poverty and oppression in the Pacific Northwest. Over her 20-year career, she has raised millions of dollars in philanthropic and volunteer support for human service and social justice organizations. She is the owner of Sambar Nonprofit Solutions where she helps nonprofit organizations align policies and practices with their anti-racist values. She holds an M.P.A. from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance and a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation.

By N.A.C.C.|2025-03-09T14:39:43-04:00March 8th, 2025|NACC Member Research|