Research

The Philanthropic Enterprise’s conferences and sponsored research programs support original writing and reflection. This intellectual work is intended to have significant downstream impact on the public understanding of philanthropy and social thought, catalyze new questions for investigation, and provide opportunities for scholars, philanthropic thought leaders, advanced graduate students, and philanthropists to learn from one another.

Research Colloquia and Conferences

Research colloquia and conferences form the backbone of our program. Each year, we conduct research colloquia on a variety of topics within our three primary program categories. These invitation-only programs provide an ideal venue for scholars and other thought leaders to present their work and encounter new ideas, disciplines, and questions.

Click here for a list of previous colloquia.

Annual Research Summit

The Annual Research Summit is a one-week, Chatauqua-like retreat at which The Philanthropic
Enterprise fellows, awardees, students, and donors come together for an enriching opportunity to present papers, exchange ideas, participate in The Philanthropic Enterprise program-planning meetings, and find time for reflection and renewal. The Annual Research Summit provides a venue for scholars to present their research in terms accessible to non-specialists, thus advancing the emergence of a common vocabulary and conceptual framework that invite people to think more seriously about the
foundations of social order.

Summer Institute on Philanthropy and Liberty

This week-long summer institute provides an opportunity for younger professors and advanced
graduate students in the emerging fields of philanthropic studies and nonprofit management to come
together to explore the classical liberal foundations of America’s vibrant philanthropic sector. Led
by renowned and respected scholars, institute fellows participate in seminars on selected topics in
philanthropic studies, political thought, history, economics, sociology, and literature. The goal of these seminars is to encourage the use of classical liberal scholarship in the development and teaching of
courses for students seeking degrees or professional credentialing related to work in the nonprofit
sector.