The Center on Philanthropy is unwavering in its dedication to continually provide the knowledge, research and training nonprofits, volunteers, and donors need now more than ever. The generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations to the Center’s annual fund ensures that the Center continues to increase the understanding of philanthropy and improve its practice worldwide. Annual gifts support the general operations of the Center as well as a specific programs and initiatives within the Center.
Professional Associates
“The value of benefits I get far outweighs the gift I make each year to the Center. With you, we can strengthen the Center on Philanthropy and offer nonprofit professionals, philanthropists, scholars and volunteers the knowledge and training they need to in turn strengthen our communities.”
Benjamin J. Imdieke, CFRE, Vice President of Development, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Donors who support the Center at the level of $300 or greater in a 12-month period are recognized as members of the Center on Philanthropy’s Professional Associates gift club. Professional Associates demonstrate leadership through giving and a strong commitment to furthering the Center's mission.
High Impact Annual Gifts
Through mid-level gifts – $1,000 to $5,000 annually – donors provide critical funding to the Center’s students either in greatest financial need or engaged in promising research.
PhD student dissertation research
"As philanthropic organizations face the challenge of becoming more efficient and effective in an environment of shrinking resources, increased accountability and intensifying competition, they will need to become more engaged and educated. Our PhD students can be significant contributors of research that organizations may use to better face these challenges."
Sal Alaimo, PhD in Philanthropic Studies, 2008
The Center’s doctoral candidates are actively engaged in various research projects ranging from the forces impacting giving and volunteering in families over time to the management and measurement of philanthropic resources. Research funding is vital for students earning their PhD in Philanthropic Studies – the first traditional format PhD program in the world to specialize in this discipline. They are expanding the body of knowledge around not only philanthropy, but also its practice and interrelationships with civil society, liberal arts, law, medicine and numerous other fields.
Student fellowships, assistantships, internships and research
Merit-based fellowships allow outstanding graduate students to focus on their studies and their impact on the nonprofit sector by supporting them financially through stipends, graduate assistantships, internships and research fellowships. The ability to offer greater financial assistance to graduate students also helps the Center attract and retain graduate students with the highest potential to impart the knowledge and skills learned to positively affect the organizations and communities with whom they will work.
TFRS scholarships
The Fund Raising School at the Center on Philanthropy annually trains more than 8,000 development officers, board members and staff from hundreds of nonprofit organizations worldwide. Many of these organizations are facing staff and budget cuts during a time when the needs for their services are increasing. TFRS scholarships provide financial support to nonprofit organizations with budgets of less than $1 million so they can send staff to learn best practices and the latest research so that they can in turn become more effective at meeting their organizations' missions.
Women's Philanthropy Institute
While the interest in and existence of a formalized women's philanthropy movement has been noted for decades, an academic- and research-based body of knowledge about women’s philanthropy is scarce. Gifts to the Center’s Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) would support new research and knowledge dissemination about women’s philanthropy. WPI is expanding their work to develop a collection of oral histories from women philanthropists and to increase the amount of meaningful, empirical research conducted about women’s philanthropy and best practices for engaging women as donors.
