Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center

In the last 25 years, a quiet transformation has occurred throughout the world in how public affairs are carried out: government is no longer the main provider of most public programs. Instead, many sectors are involved in policymaking and implementation. Nonprofit organizations—as service providers, philanthropic funders, and voices of citizen opinion—are increasingly important actors, along with for-profit corporations, in many aspects of public policymaking and implementation.

As a result, public affairs are accomplished through networks of relationships among many groups and organizations. To be effective, managers and leaders must better understand this changing landscape and learn how to navigate within it.

Our faculty's research strengths, our access to additional researchers within the Humphrey Institute and the University, and our combined ability to convene high-level policymakers for planning and action make us a vital resource for the community. We are unique in the United States in our concentration on all three public service institutions—nonprofits, philanthropy, and the public sector—and our focus on furthering understanding of the effectiveness of cross-sectoral partnerships for solving complex public problems.

The PNLC builds on its record and the Humphrey Institute's international standing in leadership development to support high-quality, well-trained, and experienced leaders who understand how to work collaboratively for the public good. We assemble the Institute's nationally ranked scholarship and education efforts, the University’s teaching and research interdisciplinary activities, and crucial state and local partnerships.

The work of the PNLC is supported by the generous contributions of numerous individuals. Particularly, we’d like to acknowledge our major donors and supporters.

THE GROSS FAMILY
To acknowledge the commitment of Philip Gross to the University of Minnesota, his family established an endowment at the Humphrey Institute to support broad-ranging work on nonprofit management. The endowment serves as the programmatic anchor for the PNLC, in support of teaching, research, and outreach activities as well as the Gross Family Professorship in the Management of Nonprofit Organizations which serves as an academic anchor for the Center. Gross Family Professor Melissa Middleton Stone serves as the director of the PNLC, conducts research and teaches courses on public and nonprofit management and cross-sector collaboration.

BERT AND SUSAN HILL GROSS
Because of their unwavering commitment to excellence in education, research, and scholarship, Bert and Susan Hill Gross established both an endowment (Bert and Susan Hill Gross Endowment) and fellowship fund (Bert and Susan Hill Gross Fellowship Fund).

Bert and Susan Gross with fellowship recipient, Susan Earle.

The endowment supports convening activities conducted by the Center with the community. The fellowship supports the work of the PNLC graduate assistant in their studies and research.

COWLES FAMILY
To support their active engagement in promoting public information about policy issues, the Cowles Family (through a past gift from John and Elizabeth Bates Cowles) endowed the Cowles Chair for the Study of Public Service. The endowment supports the work of Professor Joe Soss, a leading scholar on the reformed US welfare system.

THOMAS H. SWAIN
To honor this public servant’s 80th birthday, friends of Thomas Swain established the Thomas H. Swain Fellowship in Public Leadership at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. The scholarship is awarded to students entering the Master of Public Affairs program who intend to study civic engagement or public leadership.

DICK GRAHAM
To honor the leadership of Dakota Area Resources and Transportation for Seniors (DARTS) Founder and President Dick Graham, friends and DARTS board members created a fellowship for nonprofit leaders. The Graham/DARTS Fellowship for Studies in Nonprofit Leadership provides financial support for a mid-career Master of Public Affairs student with a demonstrated commitment to community-based nonprofit leadership.

Avner Ben Ner, professor Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

Ellis Bullock, executive director The Grotto Foundation

Gary Cunningham, vice president of programs Northwest Area Foundation

Susan Hill Gross, community volunteer and philanthropist

Kirsten Gronbjerg, Efroymson chair School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University

Kent Eklund, president Fairview Foundation

Eric Jolly, president Science Museum of Minnesota

Bill King, president Minnesota Council on Foundations

Ron McKinley, project lead Fieldstone Alliance

H. Brint Milward, professor School of Public Administration and Policy, University of Arizona

Jon Pratt, executive director Minnesota Council on Nonprofits

David R. Riemer, policy director Community Advocates

Steve Rothschild, founder and chair Twin Cities RISE!

Lupe Serrano, executive director Casa de Esperanza

Edson Spencer, principal Spencer Associates