The aim of the Nancy Bell Evans Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy is to enhance the understanding and vitality of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector through research, education, and community engagement. Find out more about our:
- Research on nonprofits, philanthropy, and non-governmental organizations
- Education opportunities through the Evans School, University of Washington, and other partnerships with academic institutions
- Community engagement and events connecting members of the academic, nonprofit, and philanthropic communitites
- Resources compiled from a variety of places for easier access to information on nonprofits and philanthropy
Announcements and Events
Upcoming Events
- Registration is now open for the 18th annual Washington State Nonprofit Conference, May 11, 2012. This year's conference features a number of illuminating sessions. Learn more and register
Past Events
- “Reflections on Philanthropy from Today's Leaders—The Intersection of Technology, Innovation, and Philanthropy,” May 4, 9:30–11:00 a.m., Parrington Commons. Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, founder, chairman emeritus, and former chairman of SV2 and president of the Marc and Laura Andreessen Foundation, presented ideas from her book, Giving 2.0. Arrillaga-Andreessen spoke about the power of technology to democratize philanthropy through access to information, unique investment opportunities, networks, problem solving, and global markets. The 60+ attendees were then invited to split into small groups and share their thoughts on how this concept could be applied to personal giving and adopted by nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. The Reflections on Philanthropy series is co-sponsored by the Nancy Bell Evans Center, Philanthropy Northwest, Social Venture Partners, and Washington Women's Foundation.
- Washington Nonprofits presented a Nonprofit Support Organizations Convening, March 20, 10:00 a.m., where nonprofit leaders explored new ways to collaborate between nonprofit support organizations.
- “Reflections on Philanthropy from Today's Leaders—Widespread Empathy: 5 Steps to Achieving Greater Impact in Philanthropy,” March 23, 10:30–12:00 p.m. Udaya Patnaik, founder and principal at Jump Associates, and Heather Peeler, vice president of programs at Grantmakers for Effective Organizations presented a framework for grant makers to tap the power of empathy to develop a shared sense of how best to meet stakeholder needs and increase effectiveness.
- A video is now available from our Reflections on Philanthropy discussion with Kelly Brown, director of the D5 coalition. Brown spoke of the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion in philanthropy.
- Learn more about our past events
Recent Publications
- Download our latest research report, Resilient Nonprofits: How Western Washington Nonprofits Have Been Coping With the Impact of the Economic Downturn (156 KB PDF)
- Voluntary Regulation of NGOs and Nonprofits: An Accountability Club Framework by Associate Professor Mary Kay Gugerty and professor of political science, Aseem Prakash, examines the use of voluntary accountability clubs—a format used by nonprofits to respond to demonstrate accountability to stakeholders – in the United States, the Netherlands, Africa, and Central Europe.
- Nonprofits in Washington: 2011 (406.6 KB PDF) offers a current statistical and informative profile about the contributions of nonprofits to the quality of life in Washington state communities.
- Steven Rathgeb Smith's chapter on foundations and public policy in the Brookings Institute book, American Foundations.
- Mary Kay Gugerty's article,"Trust but Verify: Voluntary Regulation Programs in the Nonprofit Sector" written with co-author Aseem Prakash, and published in the March 2010 edition of the journal, Regulation and Governance.
- Senior Advisor Putnam Barber's Soliciting for Charitable Contributions in Washington: An Overview (65 KB PDF) is now available.
- Professor Steven Rathgeb Smith's article, "Government and Nonprofits: Turning Points, Challenges, and Opportunities" in the Fall 2009 edition of The Nonprofit Quarterly, available in libraries and by subscription.
- Summary of Findings from the Seattle Comprehensive Nonprofit Survey, part of the International Japan Interest Group Survey Project, which offers a snapshot of Seattle’s nonprofit community and was directed by Professors Steven Rathgeb Smith and Robert Pekkanen.
- Dozens of teaching cases are available to members of the Evans School's Electronic Hallway. Join now or log in.
- 2009 edition of the Washington Nonprofit Handbook: How to Form and Maintain a Nonprofit Corporation in Washington State, published by WAACO with chapters contributed by Senior Advisors Cory Sbarbaro and Putnam Barber
Find out more about the Nancy Bell Evans Center by contacting us at 206.221.4629 or nbec@u.washington.edu.