RESEARCH CENTERS & PROJECTS
Furthering groundbreaking scholarship in the passionate pursuit of social good
Research Centers
Students, faculty, and collaborators connect in SP2’s research centers to further groundbreaking scholarship in areas such as philanthropy, aging, social impact, children’s policy, violence and abuse, and guaranteed income.
Center for Carceral Communities
Works collaboratively with neighborhoods in West Philadelphia to help people with a history of incarceration re-engage with the community
Center for PUBLIC SERVICE AND POLICY
A dynamic R&D hub and do-tank embodying a steadfast commitment to drive equitable economic mobility through research, innovation, and partnership
Ortner Center on Violence & Abuse
Dedicated to ensuring women’s and girls’ health, well-being and flourishing by identifying societal transformations to eradicate violence and abuse against women and girls
Center for Guaranteed Income Research
An applied research center that specializes in cash-transfer research, evaluation, pilot design, and narrative change
Center for Social Impact Strategy
Alternative learning opportunities equip those who seek to make a social impact through the application of practical research and our community of educational partners and mentors
CENTER FOR HIGH IMPACT PHILANTHROPY
The only university-based center with a singular focus on philanthropy for social impact
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
A collaboration of SP2, Penn’s schools of Law, Medicine, Nursing, Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate School of Education, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, this center is focused on reform of the child welfare system
Initiatives and Special Projects
From encouraging social innovation to promoting economic security and well-being, SP2’s special projects uphold Penn’s commitment to engage both locally and globally on interdisciplinary cooperation and professional development.
ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE FOR SOCIAL POLICY
Aims to encourage social innovation and social policy experimentation so that governments can work better, smarter and faster
A research lab with collaborators worldwide focused on research and policy to improve health equity, efficiency, resource allocation, and governance
Penn Center for Inclusive Innovation & Technology
Advances health equity, opportunity, and social welfare in Philadelphia and beyond through innovation grounded in values and principles of social justice
A research initiative focused on examining the ways in which youth of color navigate violence on and offline
Focuses largely on interrogating gender inequality in education and health with a goal toward generating empirical research to support inclusive policies and practices.
News
Faculty & Research
03/27
SP2 launches social work affiliate program with HUP and CHOP
Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), in an innovative partnership with the Departments of Social Work at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), has established a first-of-its-kind social work affiliate program.
News
Student Life
03/27
SP2 announces alumnus Dr. Shadrack Osei Frimpong as 2026 commencement speaker
Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) has announced that SP2 alumnus Dr. Shadrack Osei Frimpong, NPL’19, a global health leader and scholar whose work focuses on occupational neurology, will deliver the School’s 2026 Commencement speech on May 16.
News
Alumni
03/24
Building pathways to opportunity: A Q&A with Lori Margolin, MSW’82
In this Q&A, MSW graduate Lori Margolin reflects on what drew her to SP2’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program, the accomplishments she’s most proud of, and what she looks forward to in the next chapter of her work.