Events

The Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise and the Nonprofit Policy Forum host events, including webinars, training, public education, and initiatives that engage those who care about nonprofits and their activities.

Recent Activities:

• 
  Volunteerism in U.S. National Parks: Dr. Bryer from the University of Central Florida Presents Early Research Findings at Nonprofit Center Event
  by Aurora King
  December 2, 2024
• 
  Join Us for ARNOVA’s Special Pre-Conference Event, Capitol Conversations, on November 20
  by Aurora King
  November 6, 2024
• 
  Center Faculty Participating in ARNOVA’s Annual Conference from November 21-23
  by Aurora King
  October 29, 2024
• 
  Volunteer Engagement to AI: A Summary of the 2024 Symposium on Public Policy for Nonprofits
  by Aurora King
  October 11, 2024

Events Blog:

• Volunteerism in U.S. National Parks: Dr. Bryer from the University of Central Florida Presents Early Research Findings at Nonprofit Center Event

  The Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise hosted Dr. Thomas Bryer on November 12th to discuss early findings from his year-long research project on volunteerism in the U.S. national parks. 

  

  The National Park Service (NPS) has run the Volunteers-in-Parks program for more than 50 years, yet NPS collects minimal data on its volunteers. According to Dr. Bryer, NPS only collects data on the number of volunteers, the number of volunteer hours, and the amount of money saved by using volunteers. To date, there is no research about the management, motivation, or impact of the volunteers serving in U.S. national parks. Dr. Bryer’s research hopes to provide some insight into these important topics.

  To do this, Dr. Bryer is volunteering in four national parks: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Kentucky, Prince William Forest Park in Virginia, Gulf Island National Seashore in Florida, and the Home of FDR in New York. Additionally, Dr. Bryer is interviewing volunteers and staff in more than thirty parks across the country. So far, Dr. Bryer and his family have volunteered approximately 600 hours, and Dr. Bryer has conducted 123 interviews. 

  From these interviews, Dr. Bryer has been able to gather some preliminary findings regarding the motivation, management, and impact of park volunteers. 

  Some park volunteers said they were motivated to volunteer because they had a passion for the location or the history of a specific national park. Therefore, they wanted to give back and ensure the park was preserved for young generations to enjoy. Other park volunteers said they volunteered to gain a sense of community and social belonging, to improve their physical or mental health, or for personal enjoyment purposes. 

  Volunteers are rewarded in various ways across the park system with some parks throwing formal banquets to others offering special pins or boots to volunteers. In his research. Dr. Bryer found some volunteers wanted recognition for their service, while others did not as rewards were never a consideration in their decision to volunteer. 

  Finally, Dr. Bryer found volunteers have a significant impact on the thousands of visitors who interact with them every day. In turn, volunteers said their own self-image was greatly impacted by these interactions and their service. Volunteers also have a sizable impact on NPS as a government agency.

  Dr. Thomas Bryer is a pegasus professor, which is the highest recognition granted to a professor, in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida, where he has been on the faculty since 2007. To learn more about Dr. Bryer’s research project and cross-country journey, visit his website here.

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• Join Us for ARNOVA’s Special Pre-Conference Event, Capitol Conversations, on November 20

  Join us for a special, free networking event designed specifically to bring together nonprofit professionals and researchers! Capitol Conversations is happening on Wednesday, November 20 from 4:30-6 p.m. at the Westin Washington, DC Downtown Hotel in conjunction with the annual conference of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA).

  ARNOVA is the nation’s leading association of university-based and other nonprofit researchers. This free event is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow nonprofit leaders and researchers who are passionate about advancing the nonprofit sector.

  You’ll be able to share your expertise and experience with researchers to help shape their future research, learn about research findings you can apply in your work, and grow your professional network by meeting peers who care about the same issues and challenges that matter most to you!

  If you are considering additional education in nonprofit management, you will be able to connect with nonprofit faculty from universities around the country and world.

  

  The event will be lead by two incredible moderators, Leah Kral and Luisa Boyarski.

  Leah Kral is a consultant, speaker, and author of Innovation for Social Change. She has years of experience working with nonprofits to foster innovation and social impact. 

  Luisa Boyarski is the Associate Director of Georgetown University’s Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership, where she leads cutting-edge research and executive education for nonprofit professionals.

  This will be a great opportunity to learn from these experts, exchange ideas, and strengthen your connections in the nonprofit world. Please RSVP at the link below. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

  RSVP Now!

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• Center Faculty Participating in ARNOVA’s Annual Conference from November 21-23

  The Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action’s (ARNOVA) 53rd annual conference will be held at the Westin Washington, DC Downtown hotel from Thursday, November 21 through Saturday, November 23.

  This year’s theme, “Dreaming for a Bright Nonprofit Future: Policy-Making, Technology, and Collaboration in a Dynamic Environment,” will facilitate discussion on a wide range of pressing issues and vital opportunities facing the nonprofit sector. The three-day conference includes two plenary sessions, 180+ panel and paper presentation sessions, a poster session, and numerous opportunities for networking.

  Center leaders, Alan Abramson, Stefan Toepler, and Mirae Kim, will be chairing or participating in several sessions over the course of the conference. Their sessions are discussed in more detail below.

  

  Editor’s Panel: Exploring Academic Journals Focused on Nonprofit, Philanthropy, and Voluntary Action Research | November 21, 2-3 p.m.

  Description: As the field of study on nonprofits, philanthropy, and voluntary action continues to grow and evolve, it has become increasingly international and interdisciplinary; and, scholars and practitioners in this field seek to publish their research findings and theoretical advancements in reputable academic journals. To support this endeavor, this workshop will feature editors from some of the leading journals in the field. They will provide an overview of their publications, share insights on current trends, and offer guidance on how to successfully submit and publish your work.

  Panelists: Mirae Kim, George Mason University; Roseanne Mirabella, Seton Hall University; Fredrik O. Andersson, Indiana University Indianapolis; Christopher Prentice, University of North Carolina Wilmington; Joanne Carman, University of North Carolina Charlotte

  Building a Comprehensive Global Data Archive on Civil Society and Related Disciplines | November 21, 2-3 p.m.

  Description: This colloquium highlights a proposal to build an internationally comparative data archive on civil society and related disciplines. Cross-country datasets in this field differ in definition, taxonomy, countries/regions and time series covered, depending on the organization creating the data. It is not easy to conduct research using multiple datasets. To overcome this situation, researchers have proposed constructing a meta-data archive of cross-country datasets covering nonprofits, philanthropy, democracy, etc. and to provide it as a common property for other researchers and practitioners. Experts with rich professional and academic expertise will discuss the grand design and effective implementation methods to construct this data archive.

  Panelists: Stefan Toepler, George Mason University; Helen Liu, National Taiwan University; Takayuki Yoshioka, Okayama University

  Federal Data for Nonprofit Researchers | November 21, 2-3 p.m.

  Description: There is an abundance of data collected by the federal government that could be useful to nonprofit scholars in their research. In this workshop, you will hear from federal staff at the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Fiscal Service, Americorps, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis about the data that is collected regarding nonprofit employment, demographics of nonprofit employees, federal funding of nonprofits, nonprofits as a share of the national economy, and volunteering. Dr. Alan Abramson will moderate this panel.

  Advancing Social Enterprise Policy: Emerging Perspectives | November 22, 9-10:30 a.m.

  Description: Driven by interest in finding fresh approaches to address social problems, social entrepreneurs in the U.S. and abroad are creating a new wave of hybrid, double-bottom-line-oriented social enterprises. However, while social enterprise activity has increased significantly in recent years, there has been only modest attention to what is appropriate public policy toward this emerging sector, mostly focused on legal forms. This colloquium seeks to advance discussion of social enterprise policy by convening scholars, practitioners, and policymakers with different perspectives on policy to talk about government funding support, procurement preferences, tax benefits, certifications, and accountability procedures, as well as legal forms. Dr. Alan Abramson will moderate this panel.

  Nonprofit Entrepreneurship Cycle: Ideation, Entry, Expansion, Closure | November 22, 4-5:30 p.m. 

  Description: This session will explore innovation and entrepreneurship over the nonprofit lifecycle from ideation to closure. The authors on this panel deploy a diverse array of research techniques, including surveys, analytic theory generation, and empirical analysis, to analyze the practical challenges of organization creation, expansion, and demise. This session emphasizes the motivations driving nonprofit founders, the role of nonprofits in mediating donor-client interactions, the influence of information on donor acquisition and growth, and the factors contributing to organizational closure. By examining nonprofit entrepreneurship at each stage of the organizational lifecycle, this session advances our collective understanding of how nonprofit entrepreneurs innovate, grow, and create social impact.

  Panelist: Mirae Kim, George Mason University; Jeremy Thornton, Samford University; Teresa Harrison, Drexel University; Elizabeth Searing, The University of Texas Dallas 

  The Generosity Commission: The Shifting Landscape of American Generosity and Research Recommendations | November 22, 4-5:30 p.m.

  Description: This colloquium will provide an overview of the changing landscape of giving and volunteering and a summary of the findings of the Generosity Commission, with emphasis on the need for further research and data to better understand the full spectrum of giving and volunteering. Launched in 2021 to address concerns about declines in the number of donors and volunteers over the past two decades, the Generosity Commission’s report is a stark reminder of the changes afoot in this sector and their implications for everyday giving and volunteering, nonprofits, and society more broadly. Dr. Alan Abramson will moderate this session.

  The Role of Voice, Resources, and Coalitions in Nonprofit Advocacy | November 23, 9-10:30 a.m.

  Description: Four authors will discuss their recent publications on various components of nonprofit advocacy. They are: 

  “Voices From the Sector: Nonprofit Advocacy in Turbulent Times” by Heather MacIndoe, University of Massachusetts Boston, Mirae Kim, George Mason University, and Lewis Faulk, American University

  “Exploring the Expressive Nature of Nonprofit Policy Advocacy: Sex Education Organizations in the Post-Dobbs” by Era Shelly Arsneault, California State University Fullerton, and Meeyoung Lamothe, University of Oklahoma

  “Advocacy Coalitions and US Sanctuary Policy Debate: What’s the Place of Nonprofit Organizations Here?” by Omowonuola Fayemiro, University of Illinois Chicago

  “The Role of Resources and Political Environment in Shaping Nonprofit Advocacy Strategies” by Qiaozhen Liu, Florida Atlantic University, and Hala Altamimi, University of Kansas

  Advancing Foundation Research from Comparative Perspectives: Policy, Relationships with State and Market, and Emerging Trends | November 23, 9-10:30 a.m.

  Description: Since the 1990s’ worldwide foundation boom, considerable scholarly advancement has been made in comparative research on foundations in different countries, and scholars have proposed various conceptual frameworks and typologies for foundations from comparative perspectives. Built upon these frameworks and in line with the conference theme, this colloquium examines the foundation landscape, policy influences, state-foundation relationships, and new trends from comparative perspectives focusing on the U.S., Canada, Germany, China, and Japan. Speakers and a discussant then explore new research agendas and how to overcome challenges, especially the lack of systematic data, to advance foundation comparative research.

  Panelists: Stefan Toepler, George Mason University; Qun Wang, The University of Toledo; Tamaki Onishi, University of North Carolina Greensboro

  Comparative, Historical and Critical Perspectives on Incorporation, Taxation, and Regulation | November 23, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

  This panel of authors will discuss their recent publications regarding various aspects of the incorporation, taxation, and regulation of nonprofit organization and social enterprises in the U.S. and around the world. They are: 

  “International Patterns of Public and Private Nonprofit Regulation: Implications for the United States” by Mary Kay Gugerty, University of Washington, and George Mitchell, City University of New York

  “Incorporating a Community: Civil Society, Legal Incorporation, and Place in the West, 1863-1909” by Simon Shachter, University of Connecticut

  “Revising Charitable Deduction Rules and Eliminating the Need for the Public Charity/Private Foundation Distinction” by Elizabeth Schmidt, University of Massachusetts

  “Exploring the Effectiveness of Tax Incentives for Social Enterprises in the U.S. and Globally” by Sonali Chowdhary and Alan Abramson, George Mason University

  Additionally, George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government is sponsoring a reception on Friday, November 22 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

  You can learn more about the conference and register to attend by visiting the event’s webpage. Be sure to check the Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise’s website and LinkedIn later to see a recap of our faculty’s presentations and the conference overall. 

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• Learn About Volunteerism in the U.S. National Parks with Dr. Thomas Bryer on November 12

  Join the Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise on Tuesday, November 12 at 1 p.m. to hear from Dr. Thomas Bryer about his methodological innovations and early findings from a year-long research project on volunteerism in the U.S. national parks.

  Research on volunteerism in national parks is rare. According to the National Park Service, in the 50-year history of the Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) program, there has been no systematic research undertaken about the management, motivation, or impact of volunteers serving in these parks.

  

  As part of his project, Dr. Bryer is serving as a volunteer, or embedded, in four national parks: Cumberland Gap in Kentucky, Prince William Forest in Virginia, Gulf Island National Seashore in Florida, and the Home of FDR in New York. Additionally, he is engaging volunteers and staff in more than thirty national parks across the country, including eight parks in Virginia. For more information, visit Dr. Bryer’s project website here.

  Dr. Bryer is a pegasus professor, which is the highest recognition granted to a professor, in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida, where he has been on the faculty since 2007. In that time, he served as director of the Center for Public and Nonprofit Management, director of community-engaged scholarship at UCF Downtown, director of the public administration track of the interdisciplinary public affairs PhD program, and director of the Master of Nonprofit Management program. He currently serves as founding co-chair of the Center for Social and Civic Prosperity.

  Dr. Bryer is author or editor of ten books and the principal investigator (PI) or co-PI on grants valued at more than $4 million. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Lithuania from 2015 to 2017 and a Fulbright Specialist in Russia in 2018.

  Dr. Bryer’s seminar will take place in room 121 in Van Metre Hall at George Mason University’s Arlington campus. Light refreshments will be provided. Attendees can register for the event online.

  Register for Dr. Bryer’s Seminar Here

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• Director Alan Abramson Participating in Local Government Event on October 9th

  There’s a saying that all politics is local. As we stand at a quarter of the way into this century, how are local governments operating, and, importantly, keeping in sync with their constituents in today’s world of rapid technology, social media and polarization? When contending with critical social issues like affordable housing or economic development, are elected leaders taking the public’s pulse or proceeding, assuming their policy has support? Have recent controversial issues like the “Missing Middle” affordable housing initiative and the Monumental Sports arena failure, laid bare a growing rift between local government and constituents? Is the “Arlington Way” and the “Alexandria Way” of consensus building gone? 

  Join Advance Arlington, Agenda Alexandria, George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government and the Office of Community and Local Government Relations for this special event with two distinguished elected officials as they prepare to step away from public office: Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey and Alexandria City Mayor Justin Wilson. We welcome their input and perspectives on topics that include:

  • Are the “Alexandria Way” and the “Arlington Way” still effective for constituent input?
  • How has local government changed in the last several decades?
  • Lessons learned on economic development and affordable housing controversies
  • Civility in public engagement given our polarized times
  • How technology is / isn’t being used to engage the public
  • Are we reaching young constituents who make up a growing population?
  • Does one-party control of a local government hamper compromise?
  • Advice for current and future local elected officials

  This event will take place on Wednesday, October 9th at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium at George Mason University’s Arlington campus. Light refreshments will be provided. Participants can also register to attend via Zoom.

  Author and journalist Michael Pope will moderate the conversation. Dr. Alan Abramson, 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, will provide an overview of the major topics and issues to be discussed during the panel. 

  Register to Attend In-Person

  Register to Attend on Zoom

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• Regional Nonprofit Scholars Gather at the Schar School

  

  The DMV Nonprofit Research Day, hosted by the Schar School’s MPA program and the Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise, took place on April 5th at George Mason University’s Mason Square/Arlington campus. The event attracted many nonprofit scholars from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region, including well-known researchers Khaldoun AbouAssi (American University), Angela Bies (University of Maryland), Luisa Boyarski (Georgetown Unievrsity), Nathan Dietz (University of Maryland), Lewis Faulk (American University), Jasmine Johnson (George Washington University), , John Ronquillo (University of Maryland), Steven Rathgeb Smith (American Political Science Association and Georgetown University), Joannie Tremblay-Boire (University of Maryland), and Mary Tschirhart (George Washington University). Doctoral students from American University, George Mason University, and James Madison University also joined the meeting. The event was hosted by Schar School nonprofit faculty Mirae Kim, Stefan Toepler, and Alan Abramson.

  The day began with networking over coffee, followed by a presentation by Mirae Kim and Joannie Tremblay-Boire discussing how changes in a nonprofit’s mission can be adaptive or concerning. The results from a survey administered by the Nonprofit Organization Research Panel, housed at George Mason, ignited an intense discussion among the attendees, providing constructive feedback for the presenters. Nathan Dietz delivered the second morning presentation, focusing on social connectedness and generosity. His talk spurred dialogue on the decline of volunteering in the US and the factors driving greater volunteerism in poorer neighborhoods, among other topics.

  Boxed lunches were provided, allowing participants to choose any spot on campus for their meal. However, as Joannie Tremblay-Boire noted, most chose to remain in the meeting room to continue their discussions, emphasizing the value of the “company” over the “location,” and expressing her own enjoyment in engaging with fellow nonprofit researchers.

  The afternoon sessions were packed with three presentations, starting with Kathryn Grossman (American University) and Khaldoun AbouAssi, who discussed trust between local government and nonprofit collaborators. Stefan Toepler then explored trends in nonprofit research topics, prompting a debate on whether the growth of nonprofit research in Public Administration journals has shifted the focus of the field. This discussion led to broader considerations of the interdisciplinary nature of nonprofit research and the optimal development path for the nonprofit research field. The event concluded with a presentation by Lewis Faulk on “Nonprofit Advocacy and Lobbying: A Call for Clarification and Action,” co-authored with Mirae Kim and others. The session sparked a lively debate on the evolving role of nonprofits in public policy and the importance of legal knowledge among nonprofit leaders.

  In a concluding discussion, meeting participants expressed strong interest in continuing this regional meeting, perhaps convening once a semester at different local universities.

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• Schar professors attended a White House Roundtable on Nonprofit Workforce and Data

  By: Buzz McClain

  Schar School professors Alan Abramson and Stefan Toepler attended a White House Roundtable on Nonprofit Workforce and Data last week.

  The roundtable, which was organized by White House staff in collaboration with Independent Sector and the Aspen Institute’s Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation, engaged participants in dialogue about the ongoing challenges facing the nonprofit workforce and the critical role that U.S. government plays in shaping and advancing policy interventions that are crucial to addressing the needs of the nonprofit workforce.

  “Much of the roundtable discussion focused on how federal data sources, including information about nonprofit employment from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and nonprofit economic activity from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, can help policymakers better understand the condition of the nonprofit sector and inform their consideration of policies that can strengthen this important part of our society.”

  Professor Abramson

  The roundtable touched on an important area of focus for the Schar School’s Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise, directed by Abramson. With support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the center is engaged in a major project, the George Mason University – Nonprofit Employment Data project, that analyzes federal nonprofit employment data and is developing a website to make this data available to the public and scholars in an easily accessible format. 

  The project is also exploring other federal data sources that contain information about nonprofits which can be helpful to policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and scholars seeking to deepen their understanding of nonprofit activities.

  For more information about recent Schar activities, check out this post by Buzz McClain.

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• Schar’s MPA program and Nonprofit Center hosted a screening and discussion of “Uncharitable”

  The Schar School’s MPA Movie Night, hosted by the Schar School MPA program along with the Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise, took place on February 22nd at George Mason University’s Mason Square/Arlington campus. Faculty, students, and community members were invited to watch and discuss “Uncharitable,” a movie featuring Dan Pallotta of Ted Talk fame. The evening began with a screening of the documentary, followed by a stimulating discussion led by adjunct faculty member Cliff Yee, who is also an MPA Advisory Board member, and MPA faculty members Mirae Kim, Stefan Toepler, and Alan Abramson. This discussion explored several themes from the movie, including reframing the idea of “overhead,” questioning nonprofit compensation, and challenging conventional wisdom about philanthropy. Attendees, including MPA students, alumni, and local nonprofit leaders, exchanged perspectives and debated the movie’s implications in a thought-provoking and engaging event.

  The documentary sparked a good discussion about norms and unspoken conventions that often steer nonprofit practices. One of the local leaders in attendance was Jorge E. Figueredo, Executive Director of Edu-Futuro, who has over 24 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Figueredo agreed with many of the movie’s themes and explained, “Nonprofit practices are outdated and need to be rethought. I welcome and encourage spaces, like the one created during this showing, to go deeper into rewriting the rules and changing the paradigms.” Although not all attendees came to the same conclusion regarding the film’s assertions, attendees appreciated the chance to take a step back and assess how nonprofits operate and how their funders and others can better engage with them. The event also encouraged critical thinking among nonprofit stakeholders, highlighting the university’s commitment to providing enriching opportunities for open dialogue and exploration, both for students and the nonprofit community.

  Nonprofit leaders shared their thoughts on the event:

  “As a nonprofit practitioner, while I felt validated watching the documentary, I have a strong hope that we will be able to spread the word about the untapped potential that exists when nonprofits are given a bit more latitude to fulfill their missions.”

  

  Roopal Mehta Saran

  Executive Director, English Empowerment Center

  “If you are passionate about a particular cause that is supported by nonprofits, watching “Uncharitable” should provide valuable insights into the realities of how these organizations operate and whether there are more effective ways to make a positive impact.”

  

  Shannon Steene

  Executive Director of Carpenter’s Shelter

  “I welcome and encourage spaces, like the one created during this showing, to go deeper into rewriting the rules and changing the paradigms. To tackle serious issues and change the world, these organizations must be allowed to acquire the tools and use the methods that are most effective.”

  

  Jorge E. Figueredo

  Executive Director, Edu-Futuro

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