The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
  • We create accessible publications that guide funding in social justice areas and explore just, socially responsible philanthropic practice.
  • We design and host free educational programming, webinars, strategy sessions and other gatherings for funders, their advisors and nonprofit leaders.
  • We teach courses, fund fellowships, mentor students and host guest speakers for the Heller-Brandeis community.
  • We collaborate with numerous community-based groups, university-based philanthropy centers, social justice funders and national networks to build strategy, co-sponsor events and long-term projects and to support and learn from each other’s work.
Philanthropy Massachusetts has created a Disaster and Emergency Relief Resource List due to the COVID-19 crisis. This list will be constantly updated and is extremely useful for funders and individuals looking to provide thoughtful resources to our communities. Please stay safe and take care of one another.

The Index Explosion
The purpose of this report is to assist the philanthropic community in using the large and growing number of publicly available indexes and rankings that measure a variety of social conditions and challenges that concern funders in the United States. This report was published in collaboration with PhilanthropyworRx.

The State of Youth Philanthropy: 2020-2021
In this brief we consider the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth philanthropy programs across the United States. This brief was completed in collaboration with Foundation for MetroWest.

From Class Action to Reparative Philanthropy: The Norflet Progress Fund and the Future of Cy Pres Practice
This report explores the process, nature and impact of grants made by the temporary foundation, the Norflet Progress Fund. It also builds on our previous work related to cy pres.

New Report: A Steady Habit of Segregation: The Origins and Continuing Harms of Separate and Unequal Housing and Public Schools in Metropolitan Hartford, Connecticut
This report represents a collaboration with several nonprofit partners. It includes recommendations for grantmakers and policymakers who aspire to redress and reduce racial and economic segregation in housing and public schools. 
Plant with $100 bill wrapped around it

Projects
Our long-term ongoing projects provide learning opportunities for grantmakers and foster community building among funders, scholars and community leaders.
Sillerman folder on table

Publications
Our publications explore contemporary issues in philanthropy, provide guidance and resources to socially concerned grantmakers and illuminate equitable, democratic philanthropic practice.
Wall with "Make Good" mural painted on it

Fellowships
Each year, we select up to three eligible Heller students and help to place them in paid philanthropy-related summer internships.