Professional Development
Ramp up your skills.
We provide competency-based professional development and capacity building for individuals and organizations.
The Grantmaking School
Programs for Nonprofit Professionals
Custom Courses & Trainings
A Closer Look
Free Learning Series
Upcoming Programs & Events
Applied Research & Evaluation
Put research to work.
We can help improve your practice and strengthen your impact with applied research and evaluation.
Family Philanthropy
Community Philanthropy
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Research, Evaluation, and Consulting
A Closer Look
Understand the impact of COVID-19 through 990s
Next Gen Donor Learning
Resources & Tools
Find the right tools.
The Johnson Center provides resources and tools to make data and research useful for practitioners.
The Foundation Review: Journal of Philanthropy
Community Insight Data Platform
Competency Models
A Closer Look
Trends in Philanthropy
Resource Collections

Latest from the Blog

Increasing Attention to the Decline in Household Giving to Nonprofits
Increasing Attention to the Decline in Household Giving to Nonprofits
The number of U.S. households giving financially to charity dropped below 50% for the first time in 2018. The decrease has raised alarm bells across the sector and is prompting efforts to understand and reverse the trend.
Learn More
Supporting Health Equity in Michigan Communities
Supporting Health Equity in Michigan Communities
Groundwork's Melanie Wong shares how her organization is using data from a new Johnson Center report to inform their work toward greater health equity and opportunity in Michigan communities.
Learn More
Philanthropy’s Role in Transitioning Our Inequitable Economy
Philanthropy’s Role in Transitioning Our Inequitable Economy
Ahead of the 2022 EconCon Presents conference, Research Associate Trish Abalo reflects on her experience attending EconCon 2021, a conference focused on building an economy that works for everyone.
Learn More
Philanthropy 1992–2022: Research and Teaching Capacity Grew... But Not to the Level of Our Ambitions
Philanthropy 1992–2022: Research and Teaching Capacity Grew... But Not to the Level of Our Ambitions
As part of the Johnson Center's 30th anniversary, Michael Moody reflects on what philanthropy looked like 30 years ago and highlights the remarkable transformation and growth of the sector since 1992. (Part 4 of 4)
Learn More
Philanthropy 1992–2022: Shifts in the Sector Reflected National Events and Cultural Change
Philanthropy 1992–2022: Shifts in the Sector Reflected National Events and Cultural Change
As part of the Johnson Center's 30th anniversary, Michael Moody reflects on what philanthropy looked like 30 years ago and highlights the remarkable transformation and growth of the sector since 1992. (Part 3 of 4)
Learn More
Philanthropy 1992–2022: Budgets Swelled and Certain Nonprofit Types Flourished
Philanthropy 1992–2022: Budgets Swelled and Certain Nonprofit Types Flourished
As part of the Johnson Center's 30th anniversary, Michael Moody reflects on what philanthropy looked like 30 years ago and highlights the remarkable transformation and growth of the sector since 1992. (Part 2 of 4)
Learn More
Philanthropy 1992–2022: Giving Changed — How Much, Where To, and Who From
Philanthropy 1992–2022: Giving Changed — How Much, Where To, and Who From
As part of the Johnson Center's 30th anniversary, Michael Moody reflects on what philanthropy looked like 30 years ago and highlights the remarkable transformation and growth of the sector since 1992. (Part 1 of 4)
Learn More
Slow Train Coming: Taking Time for Community-Driven Systems Change
Slow Train Coming: Taking Time for Community-Driven Systems Change
A new generation of funders is radically challenging how the sector defines and achieves its goals — arguing that shifting power to communities is both more ethical and effective for long-term impact.
Learn More
Nonprofits Are Questioning Their Use of Facebook
Nonprofits Are Questioning Their Use of Facebook
As we learn more about how Facebook is causing harm to civil society, nonprofit organizations are starting to ask themselves a difficult question: should we stop using Facebook?
Learn More
Philanthropy and the Sharing Economy: Research Questions for the Nonprofit Sector
Philanthropy and the Sharing Economy: Research Questions for the Nonprofit Sector
Dr. Sedat Yuksel examines the on-demand/sharing economy and how sharing behaviors might influence philanthropic giving.
Learn More
Upcoming Events
View All
Wed December 7
Research Meets Practice
FREE! Join us for a showcase of research from graduates of Grand Valley State University’s School of Community Leadership and Development. Topics will include employee skill development, small-town economic development, and technology and grantmaking.
12:00 pm
Learn More
Wed December 7
The Whole Story: Financial Analysis for Grantmakers
This robust course provides grantmakers of any experience level with valuable tools and insights to facilitate funding decisions.
12:30 pm
Learn More
Tue December 13
Grantmaker Risk Management
From The Grantmaking School comes this workshop exploring a trust-based, risk-tolerance/management framework that both honors the grantee partnership and leads to increased impact.
1:00 pm
Learn More
In the News
Mon November 21
Donor-Advised Fund Researchers Seeking Data
Source: The NonProfit Times
Thu November 17
More foundations, more giving: Johnson Center report offers 30-year retrospective on philanthropy
Source: MiBiz
Tue November 15
Donors Added $73 Billion to Their Donor-Advised Funds Last Year. More Than $243 Billion Is Now Available to Flow to Charity.
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Tue November 15
MacKenzie Scott’s Donations Boosted Beneficiaries and Avoided the Pitfalls Some Feared, New Study Says
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy