About Our Advisors
Two groups of advisors helped us refine our research questions, advised on research methodologies, connected us with stakeholders in the social sector, and provided feedback on the project deliverables: an Urban/GMU advisory committee and an infrastructure research collaborative advisory group.
The advisory committee complemented our team’s knowledge and experience and helped us reach new networks. It joined us in coauthoring a guide to strengthen the sector's infrastructure. Its members are:
- Ana Marie Argilagos, Hispanics in Philanthropy
- Vanessa Daniel, Vanessa Daniel Consulting, LLC
- James D. Gibbons, Forward Impact Enterprises, LLC
- Rahsaan Harris, Citizens Committee for New York City
- Deth Im, Faith in Action
- Sarah Kastelic, National Indian Child Welfare Association
- Kathy Ko Chin, Jasper Inclusion Advisors
- Hanh Le, if, A Foundation for Radical Possibility
- Larry McGill, Ambit 360 Consulting
- Jon Pratt, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
- Chera Reid, Center for Evaluation Innovation
- Pier Rogers, ARNOVA and Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management, North Park University
- Sherece Y. West-Scantlebury, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
The infrastructure research collaborative, hosted by New Venture Fund, is a coordinated effort of funders and practitioners that supports our efforts to better understand the country's social sector infrastructure. Its members are:
- Melanie Audette, Mission Investors Exchange
- Greg Baldwin, VolunteerMatch
- Chris Cardona, Ford Foundation
- Nick Deychakiwsky, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
- Edward Jones, ABFE
- Monisha Kapila, ProInspire
- Frances Kunreuther, Building Movement Project
- Donna Murray-Brown, National Council of Nonprofits
- Urvashi Vaid, the Vaid Group (in memoriam, 1958-2022)
- Victoria Vrana, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
About the Team
The Urban/GMU project team brings experience as social sector infrastructure providers, infrastructure users, researchers, and funders who have observed, studied, and participated in the infrastructure’s expansion and transformation over more than four decades.
Project leads: Laura Tomasko and Faith Mitchell at Urban; Alan Abramson at GMU
Senior advisors: Benjamin Soskis, Elizabeth Boris, and Jesse Lecy at Urban; Stefan Toepler at GMU
Research support: Hannah Martin, Nora Hakizimana, Azhar Gulaid, and Claire Boyd at Urban; Kristen Kinneberg at GMU; Qiaozhen Liu at Florida Atlantic University
Project management: Hannah Martin, Rochisha Shukla, and Annie Heinrichs at Urban
Intern support: Ren MacLean, Adam Goudjil, and Tanvi Punja at Urban
About the Funders
We are grateful to New Venture Fund for its support of this project, made possible by nine donors: the Barr Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Fidelity Charitable Trustees' Initiative, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the Lodestar Foundation, and the Raikes Foundation.
