Rutgers University–Newark’s School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Lindsey M. McDougle, Associate Professor and Director of the Rutgers Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Development (CNLD), has been elected President-Elect of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA).
ARNOVA is the world’s leading network of nonprofit and philanthropic scholars, educators, and practitioners. Its mission is to advance research that strengthens civil society and improves communities across the globe.
“ARNOVA is a community that has shaped my career and continues to shape the field,” said Dr. McDougle. “To serve in this role is an honor – and a responsibility. The future of nonprofit and philanthropic research depends on how well we connect rigorous scholarship to the real challenges communities face.”
Dr. McDougle is widely recognized for her work in the areas of voluntarism, philanthropy, nonprofit management, and social inequality. Her current research focuses on experiential philanthropy, a form of service-learning that enables students to engage directly in grantmaking. Through this work, she investigates how hands-on philanthropic decision-making shapes students’ civic identities, expands foundation philanthropy, and strengthens university–community partnerships.
At Rutgers, Dr. McDougle leads CNLD – a research and practice hub dedicated to developing nonprofit talent, generating actionable sector data, and building partnerships that strengthen New Jersey’s nonprofit ecosystem.
“Our work at CNLD is about putting knowledge into action,” Dr. McDougle noted. “Nonprofit leaders don’t need more theory – they need insight that helps them solve real problems. ARNOVA is the bridge between research and practice, and I’m committed to widening that bridge.”
Dr. McDougle previously served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs (JPNA). Her research has been published in leading journals, including Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, Social Indicators Research, and Journal of Environmental Planning and Management.
“For me, leadership in this field is about widening access – ensuring our scholarship reaches students, practitioners, foundations, and community partners,” she added. “When research leaves our journals and enters our communities, it has power.”
Dr. McDougle will assume the ARNOVA presidency following her term as President-Elect.
About Dr. Lindsey McDougle
Dr. Lindsey M. McDougle is Associate Professor at Rutgers SPAA and Director of the Rutgers Center for Nonprofit Leadership & Development (CNLD). Her research examines philanthropy, voluntarism, nonprofit management, social inequality, and experiential learning. She has led national studies on student philanthropy, nonprofit workforce challenges, and the evolving identity of nonprofit academic fields.
About CNLD
The Rutgers Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Development (CNLD) is dedicated to strengthening New Jersey’s nonprofit sector and advancing scholarship on nonprofit management and philanthropy. Through research, education, and community partnerships, CNLD prepares students, practitioners, and organizations to lead with impact.