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Peter Weber

Associate Professor and Program Coordinator

Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (PNPS) Program

Auburn University, College of Human Sciences

362 Spidle Hall

Auburn, AL 36849

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Bio

I am an associate professor of philanthropy and nonprofit studies and program coordinator of the Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (PNPS) Program at Auburn University. My research focuses on how private actors exercise an influence in public life through associational and philanthropic vehicles in times of political, cultural, and economic crises. This approach guides my investigation of civil society and international philanthropy in building democratic practices of governance from both a historical and a contemporary perspective, as well as the analysis of philanthropic innovations through the lenses of program-related investments (PRIs). This broad-based approach and reliance on historical methods aims to track changes over time in associational action and philanthropic strategies, to better understand today’s philanthropic practices. As a multidisciplinary scholar, I published extensively in edited volumes and peer-reviewed journals, including diverse disciplinary outlets such as Voluntas, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Journal of Civil Society, Nonprofit Policy ForumGlobal Society, Central European History, Journal of Public Affairs Education, and Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership.

Voices from the community: The perspective of nonprofit organizations in student philanthropy courses

This paper investigates the perspective of community members engaged with experimental learning in student philanthropy courses. While most scholarship explores the impact that student philanthropy practices have on students’ learning process and the overall effectiveness of these courses, this study aims to understand the impact of student philanthropy courses on community partners. We rely on a survey and focus groups to assess the perspectives of both nonprofits that participated in student philanthropy courses and nonprofits that decided against participating. We find that nonprofits see relational and advocacy benefits in participating in these courses, beyond the most obvious potential benefit of being awarded a grant. While we found overall satisfaction with the course, we also identified barriers to participation, which informs a list of practical recommendations. This study points to the possibility to better student philanthropy processes and improve the experience of participating nonprofits.

Latest Publications

Current Research Projects

Philanthropic innovations

Institutionalizing Nonprofit Studies

Global Development Solutions

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