Here at the Johnson Center, you’ll get the unique opportunity to bridge the worlds of foundations, nonprofits, academics, and practitioners to advance the capacity of professionals and organizations working for the common good.
Professionals at the Johnson Center enjoy the benefits and human resource offerings of Grand Valley State University.
My single biggest privilege at GVSU was receiving the Agard/Orosz Fellowship for 2019-2020. Since my first lecture with Dr. Moody, I desired to work with him at the Johnson Center. As an international student, an opportunity to work with individuals of such a high caliber is normally only a dream. The fellowship allowed me to research emerging topics in philanthropy and it gave me an opportunity to be in the same room as some of the most influential philanthropic thinkers in the country.”
Pedro Gomes
2019-2020 Agard Fellow at the Johnson Center
Pedro Gomes
2019-2020 Agard Fellow at the Johnson Center
Available Positions
Executive Director
The Johnson Center seeks an accomplished, inspiring, and strategic leader with a minimum of 10 years of senior leadership experience who is passionate about the center’s work and the opportunity to make a lasting impact. The executive director serves as a visible leader that personifies and champions the center as a unique “bridge” between theory and practice in philanthropy. The person in this role will also be a key thought leader and external spokesperson for the Johnson Center’s work with a strong commitment to advancing equity.
Salary: $120,000 – $180,000
Program Manager, Learning Services
Two positions available! The program managers will collaborate with the learning services team and other Johnson Center staff to scope, develop, design, and manage curricula, professional education, training, and tools for learning across the philanthropic sector. They will develop and manage content and curricula for The Grantmaking School and our nonprofit services offerings, contribute to strategic partnerships that advance the goals and objectives of the learning services team, and leverage nonprofit experience to impact the field of philanthropy.
These are full-time positions based in our GVSU Pew Campus office in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Flexible/hybrid work arrangements are available.
Salary: $55,000 – $75,000
Research Associate, Community Data & Research Lab
Two positions available! We’re looking to add two research associates to our interdisciplinary team of social science and information technology professionals. In this role, you will work on quantitative and qualitative research and evaluation projects and will produce a variety of written content for foundation and nonprofit clients. The research associates also support the CDRL team in building relationships with current and potential clients, as well as assisting with project management, client communications, and preparing material for reports, workshops, presentations, and conferences.
These are full-time positions based in our GVSU Pew Campus office in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Flexible/hybrid work arrangements are available.
Salary: $45,000 – $55,000
Fellowships in Philanthropic Studies
The Johnson Center’s fellowships are open to GVSU faculty and students. Through original research, publication opportunities, and faculty-student mentorship, fellows are encouraged to explore new approaches to and ways of understanding philanthropy.
Agard Student Fellowships in Community Philanthropy
Kathy Agard retired as executive director of the Johnson Center in 2010, after a career providing leadership for the Michigan Community Foundations’ Youth Project and Learning to Give. Each year, two Agard Fellows are selected to engage in research in community philanthropy and to contribute to ongoing research at the Johnson Center.
Maddison Reilly, Graduate Student, Master of Public Administration, GVSU; Winni Walsh, Graduate Student, Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership, GVSU
Orosz Student Fellowship in Philanthropy
Joel Orosz, distinguished professor of philanthropic studies emeritus at GVSU, founded The Grantmaking School and was a program director at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Each year, two Orosz Fellows are selected to engage in research in philanthropy as it relates to their academic discipline and to contribute to research at the Johnson Center.
Laken Chapin, Undergraduate Student, B.B.A. Marketing, GVSU; Nicole “Knicki” Karsies, Graduate Student, Professional Master of Arts in Social Innovation, GVSU
Mawby Faculty Fellowship in Philanthropic Studies
This fellowship honors long-time president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and co-founder of the Johnson Center, Russ Mawby. One faculty member is selected annually to conduct research focused on the intersection of philanthropy and their field of study. The fellow selects two undergraduate student fellows as research assistants.
Elena Lioubimtseva, Geography and Sustainable Planning Department, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Grand Valley State University