Civil society is the sphere of human activity that takes place between government and the market. It is not “of” either, but it is deeply intertwined with both. Philanthropy (which often connotes giving money) and voluntarism (which often connotes giving time and other goods) constitute two pillars of civil society.

The Center for the Study of Philanthropy and Voluntarism was created in 1986 to support scholarly research on civil society and to inform and expand policy conversations about the role of nongovernmental organizations in public life. The Center is part of Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, which offers PhD, MPP, and undergraduate public policy degrees.

The Center’s main objectives are to:

• Provide financial support to graduate students interested in philanthropy and voluntarism;
• Stimulate faculty research on civil society and disseminate findings to policymakers, nonprofits, and the media;
• Partner with other academic units interested in advancing the study of civil society.