Original Research
Current Projects
Learn more about the research initiatives and partnerships we’re currently working on.
Researchers and scholars at the Johnson Center pursue a variety of original research questions about the evolving nature and current state of philanthropy. Supported by the generosity of philanthropic funders — both individuals and institutions — we pursue these questions with one another and in partnership with peers and organizations around the world.
Do You See Us? Data Disaggregation Campaign
The Johnson Center is leading a campaign to enable communities to see themselves in state data — data that researchers, nonprofit organizations, foundations, policymakers, and others use to direct resources to reach the areas of greatest need. Specifically, our campaign encourages all state agencies to adopt uniform race and ethnicity data collection standards — including adding a “Middle Eastern or North African” category, and putting all categories in a single question with the option to “select all that apply.” We also urge the state to make this data publicly available at a community level across Michigan.
Family and Community Philanthropy in Mexico
The evolution and growth of philanthropy in Latin America is at a crucial moment. Increasing wealth concentration, the preponderance of family business ownership, and a nascent culture of formalized philanthropy mean that the philanthropic infrastructure in many countries is developing steadily, particularly in the use of institutions such as community foundations for channeling local giving by donor families. With support from the C.S. Mott Foundation, Dr. Michael Layton and Dr. Michael Moody are exploring the intersections of family and community philanthropy in Mexico — how and why donor families give in local communities, what can explain the success or failure of philanthropic institutions, and how this connection of family and community philanthropy can be strengthened — with the hopes of doing similar studies in other Latin American countries in the future.
U.S. Collective Giving Research Initiative
This partnership between the Johnson Center and Philanthropy Together aims to better understand the impact of collective giving groups in the U.S. across race, gender, and sexual orientation. The new research — generously supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Lodestar Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — builds on the groundbreaking 2016 report, "The Landscape of Giving Circles/Collective Giving Groups in the U.S." conducted by the Collective Giving Research Group. Dr. Michael Layton co-leads this project with Dr. Adriana Loson-Ceballos of Colmena-Consulting.
Related Resources
National Study on Donor Advised Funds
Johnson Center researchers co-lead the Donor Advised Fund Research Collaborative (DAFRC) and have released the 2024 National Study on Donor Advised Funds. This national study draws on transaction-level data from more than 50,000 DAF accounts and emcompasses more than nine years of data to provide the most accurate and insightful view of this giving vehicle available to date. The project is generously supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and pursued in partnership with GivingTuesday Data Commons.
Fundraising and New Types of Donors: Challenges and Recommendations
Fundraisers today face the challenge of engaging not only traditional donors but also connecting with new and emerging donors who are typically younger, less likely to have a prior relationship with the institution, and prioritize impact and innovation in their giving. To help with this challenge, the Johnson Center is pursuing new research funded by the GivingUSA Foundation. The research will gather data from both development professionals and new types of donors themselves to develop recommendations for how fundraisers can best cultivate and support these new donors.
Support Original Research in Philanthropy
The Johnson Center relies on the support of philanthropists like you to power research and inquiry in philanthropy. We are grateful to the many individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors who make our work possible. Become a part of our mission and make your donation today.