Peter Frumkin

Peter Frumkin is Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin. His research and teaching focus on social entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Frumkin is the author of numerous articles on all aspects of philanthropy. He has lectured on philanthropy at meetings of grantmakers across the country and served as a consultant to foundations and individual donors on strategy and evaluation. His book, Strategic Giving: The Art and Science of Philanthropy, was published by the University of Chicago Press in 2006. It has been touted by reviewers as the “benchmark text for the field” and “the most penetrating exploration of contemporary philanthropy now available.”

Frumkin is the author of On Being Nonprofit (Harvard University Press, 2002). This book considers the changing roles and responsibilities of nonprofit organizations in American democracy and the evolution of public policies shaping the sector’s growth.

In 2010, two new books by Frumkin appeared. Serving Country and Community, co-authored with JoAnn Jastrzab and published by Harvard University Press, examines the effectiveness of the national service programs AmeriCorps and VISTA. The Essence of Strategic Giving: A Practical Guide for Donors and Fundraisers (University of Chicago Press) is a revised and condensed version of his earlier book aimed at the world of practice.  

Education

Ph.D. in sociology, University of Chicago, 1997; M.P.P., Georgetown University, 1989; B.A., Oberlin College, 1984

Current Positions

Member, Association for Research on Non-Profit Organizations and Voluntary Action; member, American Society for Public Administration; member, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management; Member, editorial board of the Journal Society.

Previous Positions

Associate professor of public policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (2002-2005; assistant professor: 1997-2002); senior fellow, New America Foundation; consultant, Lance Armstrong Foundation, consultant, George Foundation; consultant, The One Star Foundation

Author, Strategic Giving: The Art and Science of Philanthropy (University of Chicago, 2006); author, On Being Nonprofit: A Conceptual and Policy Primer (Harvard University Press, 2002); co-editor, In Search of the Nonprofit Sector (Transaction Publishers, 2004); Author, Serving Country and Community (Harvard University Press 2010); Co-author with JoAnn Jastrzab, The Essence of Strategic Giving (University of Chicago Press 2010); Author, articles on topics related to nonprofit management, philanthropy, cross-sector partnerships, and service contracting