Our History
The Institute for Nonprofits has its roots in the Nonprofit Initiative begun in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2002. We were formally established in 2003 with a million dollar matching gift from the A.J. Fletcher Foundation. In 2004, we created an undergraduate minor in nonprofit studies. The minor’s innovative curriculum has gained national attention for its emphasis on service-learning and integration of leadership themes. We continue to develop the minor and other educational programs, enhancing the capacity and leadership of nonprofit organizations. In 2005, we received our first research contract, analyzing a healt collaborative for the John Rex Endowment. Since then, we have carried out a range of research projects and supported new research through mini-grants.
We began with a small group of committed NC State faculty and Raleigh community members, and today our Community of Nonprofit Scholars has more than 200 members drawn from NC State, other universities, and the broader community. Community engagement was the defining spirit at our founding and continues to inspire the integration of teaching, research, and outreach activities.
