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Spotlight on PACS PhD Fellows: Shantanu Nevrekar

At Stanford PACS, we believe that rigorous, interdisciplinary research is essential to understanding and shaping the evolving role of civil society. Through our PhD Fellowship Program, we support outstanding young scholars at Stanford who are pursuing research that pushes the boundaries of knowledge in philanthropy, social impact, democracy, digital society, and beyond. Each year, we […]

Stanford PACS 2024 Event Recap

As 2024 draws to a close, we are proud to look back at our diverse array of thought-provoking public events this year. These gatherings helped inform the ongoing dialogue around some of the most pressing issues of our time, including the role of technology in our digital world, threats against democracy, and the need for […]

December 17, 2024

PACS Holiday Reading & Listening List

As we wind down this year and head into the holidays, there are many reflections and resolutions that we may all be working through. It is also a great time for us to hear from our faculty and scholars about ideas and inspiration that they find important to share with our PACS community. This year’s […]

December 13, 2024

GivingTuesday: The History and Power of a Global Day of Generosity

Generosity, often viewed through the lens of monetary donations or volunteerism, is much broader and more profound than we commonly recognize. It’s about the connections we make, the support we give and receive, and the trust we build within communities. This year, GivingTuesday falls on December 3rd, and in honor of this global day of […]

December 3, 2024

Paving the Road of Good Intentions: In Honor of National Philanthropy Day

The path to effective philanthropy requires a keen understanding of the landscape before us. At Stanford PACS’ Effective Philanthropy Learning Initiative (EPLI), we serve as guides, helping donors navigate the varied terrain of giving. Like any journey through complex territory, success depends on viewing the landscape from multiple vantage points: from the foundational heath where […]

November 14, 2024

From Theory to Action: Empowering Stanford Students with Real-Life Philanthropy Experiences

Since 2012, Stanford PACS has partnered with The Philanthropy Lab to provide a Philanthropy for Sustainable Development course to Stanford University students of all levels of familiarity with philanthropy. The course, led in 2024 by Vera Michalchik, Director of the Effective Philanthropy Learning Initiative (EPLI), and Micah McElroy, Associate Director of Research for EPLI, teaches […]

Reflections on the Civil Society and Sustainability Conference with Professor Patricia Bromley

Stanford PACS and civil society leaders. Photo taken by Kathryn Mazie Davis. On June 4-5, the Global Civil Society & Sustainable Development (GCSSD) lab hosted their second annual Civil Society and Sustainability Conference at Stanford University. The conference, led by Stanford PACS’ faculty director Patricia Bromley and Associate Director of Research and Scholar Programs Lisa […]

Breaking the Language Barrier on Digital Rights in Africa

Nanjala Nyabola is an independent writer and researcher based in Nairobi, Kenya who is currently part of Stanford PACS’s Digital Civil Society Lab and Center for Comparative Studies for Race and Ethnicity (CCSRE) Practitioner Fellowship. This interview is edited for length and clarity. Can you give us the context for the Kiswahili Digital Rights Project, for […]

Can Philanthropy Help Humans Be Better at Being Human?

Senior Fellow at the Effective Philanthropy Learning Initiative at Stanford PACS, Jump/Scale advisor, and Humanity in Action, Terreform ONE, and RNR Foundation board member Heather Newberry Lord’s journey into philanthropy — a world, she says, not unlike the Land of Oz — began in a serendipitous moment in the Reed College library. Lord’s story can both set […]

Nonprofits Need To Balance Professionalization And Formalization With Trust And Community Building

Patricia Bromley is an Associate Professor of Education and, by courtesy, of Sociology at the Graduate School of Education (GSE) at Stanford University. Her work spans a range of fields, including comparative education, organization theory, the sociology of education, and public administration and policy. At the GSE, Bromley teaches courses related to nonprofits and global […]

Stanford PACS 2024 Event Recap

PACS Holiday Reading & Listening List