The Johnson Center pursues rigorous, applied research across a broad range of topics — from how families and communities give, to the tools and trends reshaping philanthropy worldwide. Our researchers bring deep expertise, a commitment to equity, and a passion for translating knowledge into practice. Whether you’re exploring donor behavior, community-centered giving, or the evolving role of foundations, you’ll find a wealth of data, insights, and perspectives to inform your work. Browse by topic below to explore our latest findings, featured reports, and ongoing work in the areas that matter most to your mission.
In cultures around the world, people come together to pool their resources — including time, talent, treasure, testimony, and ties — often referred to as the 5Ts — in formal and informal ways to drive positive change. A growing body of research now demonstrates the phenomenal growth of this form of giving and spotlights its potential to reinvigorate everyday donors and democratize philanthropy.
Community philanthropy can take many forms, ranging from the formal structures of a community foundation to the emergent energy of collective giving groups gathered around a shared geography or identity. Research in this collection seeks to inform how communities of all kinds collaborate, foster cultures of giving, and ultimately achieve better outcomes for all.
This collection includes research from the W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair.
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are among the fastest-growing tools available to donors as a vehicle for their charitable giving. Research from state- and national-level analyses reveals more about the landscape of DAFs — including real data on contributions, payout rates, and asset sizes — to inform conversations and debates as leaders inside and outside our sector consider how philanthropic dollars are best activated when there is so much community need.
Family foundations and family donors play an essential and increasing role in addressing social challenges and enhancing the quality of life in communities across the globe. They also face unique challenges as a historic wealth transfer of over $80 trillion moves across generations, geographies, and causes. Research in this collection seeks to inform how family donors, nonprofits, and communities can most effectively engage one another for the benefit of all.
This collection includes research from the Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy.
Communities, cultures, and institutions come together in countless ways all over the world to construct ecosystems of public good. Globally, these practices are often influenced by Western philanthropic structures and traditions — but more often, they represent unique community expressions of what it means to do good for one another. In this collection, explore research and thought insights on philanthropic practice and trends from around the world.
Each year, Johnson Center for Philanthropy experts and thought leaders explore trends we expect to see impacting the field of philanthropy in the coming months and years. How are our societies changing, and how are nonprofits and funders evolving in response to community needs and global crises?
These questions and others — about the value and use of data, about trust in our relationships, about philanthropy’s role in advancing equity — both shape and are shaped by larger, dynamic forces in our world and our work. Resources in this collection are meant to help you anticipate and embrace what’s next.
For over 100 years, the most familiar form of institutional grantmaking in the U.S. has been the perpetual foundation — an organization created to exist and serve communities indefinitely into the future. But today, an increasing number of private and family foundations are choosing instead to set an end date for their existence. Since 2017, the Johnson Center has been engaged with limited-life philanthropy across a range of initiatives. As this segment of our sector grows, we are eager to learn and share with colleagues worldwide.
Our workplaces are undergoing a period of enormous change. Nonprofits, foundations, their employees, and their partners are navigating new demands for flexible work arrangements and increased compensation and benefits, while exploring new ways of supporting leadership to prevent burnout and increase impact. Simultaneously, a historic crisis of public trust means philanthropy is both uniquely positioned to heal divides and potentially vulnerable to real risks. Resources in this collection aim to help leaders and staff navigate the post-pandemic workplace and build more inclusive spaces for all.
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