AREAS OF RESEARCH

Social Innovation, Philanthropy & Nonprofit Management

SP2 Centers and Faculty aim to educate individuals on the economics of giving through grantmaking strategies, identifying donors, social entrepreneurship, and the resulting social impact.

Featured Centers

Center for High Impact Philanthropy

Center for SOCIAL IMPACT STRATEGY

PENN CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

A closeup portrait of a man with squared glasses and gray facial hair

FEATURED FACULTY

Ram Cnaan, MSW, PhD

Professor; PhD, Pittsburgh, 1981. Social work research methods; faith-based social services, social policy; volunteerism and volunteer action; prisoners’ reentry, and international social development.

FEATURED FACULTY

Peter Frumkin, PhD

Professor; PhD, University of Chicago; Philanthropy; nonprofit management; social entrepreneurship.

Headshot of Dr. Chao Guo

FEATURED FACULTY

Chao Guo, PhD

Professor; PhD, University of Southern California, 2003. Technology and nonprofits; representation and advocacy; collaboration within and across sectors; social entrepreneurship.

Femida Handy

FEATURED FACULTY

Femida Handy, PhD

Professor; PhD, York (Canada), 1995. Volunteering; volunteering & health; global philanthropy; corporate social responsibility; environmental habitus.

Penn Sp2 Headshots March 2024

FEATURED FACULTY

ChiaKo Hung, MA, MPA, PhD

Assistant Professor; PhD, Arizona State University. Nonprofit financial management, social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, fundraising management, collaborative governance, social equity, social impact.

Related News

Caster in the snow

SP2 at SSWR 2026: Leading for Transformative Change

Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) is proud to participate in the 30th Annual Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Conference, taking place January 14 –18, 2026, in Washington, D.C. 

Ram Cnaan and Chao Guo on stage at the ARNOVA conference awards ceremony

SP2 faculty, students, and alumni recognized at ARNOVA 2025 Annual Conference

SP2 celebrates the achievements of its faculty, students, and alumni recognized at the 2025 Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) Annual Conference, held November 20 – 23 in Indianapolis, IN.

Reference to philanthropy at the base of the Benjamin Franklin statue in front of College Hall.

Reimagining philanthropy and supporting everyday givers

This GivingTuesday, Kat Rosqueta shares ways that anyone can get involved in philanthropy and how the Center for High Impact Philanthropy supports givers at all levels.