This report provides the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) with comprehensive information about the status of autism research funding among federal agencies and private research organizations in the U.S. This edition of the report features analysis of funding trends in autism research from 2008-2018, the first breakdown of the…

Social return on investment (SROI), an evaluation method that compares monetized social value generated to costs invested, is in ascendance. Conceptually akin to cost-benefit analysis, it shares some of its challenges; however, these are heightened due to the expressed promise of using SROI to compare programs and inform philanthropic and public…

In part shaped by movements like Black Lives Matter, the crisis of the global pandemic, and the political and social turbulence of recent years, many thoughtful conversations have taken place in the philanthropic sector that question the power and privilege inherent in grantmaking and challenge whether conventional norms and practices in…

This study examined the lived experience of 10 activist teachers at the kindergarten through 12th grade level. All participants were veteran teachers with 10 or more years of public school experience who have come to terms with bureaucratic elements inside the system and yet continue to practice active resistance to policies, practices, and…

The purpose of this study was to understand the strength of the relationship between commitment, trust, satisfaction, involvement, and stewardship activities and donor retention as measured by lapsed giving, repeat giving, increased giving, and planned giving. The goal of the study was to support with data the key variables that impact donor…

The study explored the impact of motivations and organizational ethos on foundation giving to small colleges and universities seeking to enhance funding streams and educational opportunities within these institutions. Employing a qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with former foundation executives to delve…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play a pivotal role in promoting social and economic mobility for African Americans and in mentoring the next generation of Black leaders. In "HBCU," Marybeth Gasman and Levon T. Esters explore the remarkable impact and contributions of these significant institutions. Through inspiring…

With community colleges struggling with the completion rates of their students, it is important to understand the social and academic integration of community college students and their relationships to retention and completion. Research focuses on the critical role of internal college actors such as faculty, staff, and students in these…

This qualitative study explored the influence of racialized lived experiences (RLEs) on equitable decision-making among philanthropic leaders, employing a narrative inquiry approach. It examined how diversity within philanthropy, beyond tokenistic representation, can introduce a wide range of perspectives that enhance equitable decision-making…

Why do people give away their money? Charitable giving has traditionally been modeled using socioeconomic (i.e., age, income, education) and psychographic variables (i.e., self-esteem, guilt, pity). However, given that charitable giving is, inherently, a financial activity, would financial variables with a psychographic element (i.e., financial…

We examine the impact of the Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIP), a state policy that offers matching funds to incentivize private-sector donations to certain public universities. We use a national dataset and employ a generalized difference-in-differences approach with matching procedures to estimate the treatment effect of TRIP on revenues…

The landscape of early childhood programs has evolved as a largely fractured landscape: most public early education programs such as Head Start and state pre-K have been limited to low-income children or children with identified risk factors, and most private programs charge tuition that is too low to support a well-compensated workforce but still…

Texas Woman's University offers a unique combination of programs and opportunities, not only to its students and faculty, but to researchers and practitioners across the country. To a significant extent, these programs owe their existence to the professional and financial support of Dr. Richard W. Woodcock and the Woodcock Institute for the…

This qualitative collective case study aimed to explore that attitudes and perceptions of alumni engagement at a private women's college in the Southeastern United States. A total of thirteen alumni from one of two generational cohorts: baby boomers or millennials, were interviewed and six participated in two focus group sessions. Interviews and…

Performance measurement and research are key components of the operations of philanthropic organizations (both grant-making [GM] and grant-seeking [GS] organizations)--particularly those in the higher education subsector. Both conventionally and historically, performance measurement and research practices have been portrayed as rational tools that…