Lester Milton Salamon

Lester Salamon, distinguished researcher and leading research fellow of the Centre for Studies of Civil Society and Nonprofit Sector, died on August 20, 2021.

Professor Salamon was the founder and long-time director of the Center for Civil Society Studies at the Johns Hopkins University (USA). For twenty years, he headed the Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project, a research endeavour of unrivalled scope and duration that examined nonprofits in more than 45 countries. Russia was represented in the project by HSE University’s Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector. It is impossible to overstate the significance of Lester Salamon’s contributions to the study of the voluntary sector. Before the release of his now-classic works on the contribution of the nonprofit sector to welfare in various countries, the voluntary sector had long been overlooked in the social map of the world.

The formation of a modern community of nonprofit researchers around Professor Salamon as a result of the project was an immense personal achievement and a testament to his engaging personality.

In 2014, he was appointed academic supervisor at our centre’s Laboratory for Nonprofit Sector Studies, where he made major contributions to the field of government–nonprofit relations in Russia. He became a leading research fellow of the Centre in 2017, and continued to consult our colleagues and conduct research into the Centre’s main areas of interest.

Other notable achievements by Professor Salemon in recent years include the publication of joint articles with the Centre’s staff on relations between the Russian government and civil society. The articles take an objective approach and are the first empirically based counterpoint to the negative views of such relations in western discourse.

Everyone at the Centre mourns the loss of Lester Salamon. His death is a devastating loss to the global community of nonprofit sector researchers.

In loving memory of our friend and colleague, Lester Salamon.

New Frontiers of Philanthropy Seminar, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Presentation “The New Frontiers of Philanthropy: Social finance for a time of crisis in Europe and beyond”. Jan, 2014. Milan, Italy.

Third Sector Impact Kick-off Meeting. Presentation “Third Sector Impact: WP2 and WP3”. Jan, 2014. Bologna, Italy

National Academy of Sciences Task Force on Nonprofit R and D Measurement. Presentation “Nonprofit America: An Overview”. Feb, 2014. Washington, DC

Westchester County Nonprofits Report Release Conference. Presentation “Westchester County Nonprofits: A Major Economic Force”. Mar, 2014. Westchester, NY

Hanover Philanthropication thru Privatization Release Conference, Volkswagen Foundation. Presentation “Philanthropication thru Privatization: Building Assets for Social Progress”. Mar, 2014. Hanover, Germany

WINGS Conference Forum. Presentation “Philanthropication thru Privatization: Building Permanent Assets for Social Progress”. Mar 2014. Istanbul, Turkey

Kresge Human Services Program Symposium on the State of the Economy and Issues Facing the Human Services Sector: Implications for Networks, Coalitions and Umbrella Organizations. Presentation “The Future of Nonprofit America”. Apr, 2014. Washington, DC

Anne Arundel Community Foundation. Presentation ”New Frontiers of Philanthropy”. Apr, 2014. Annapolis, MD

TSI Project Third Sector Conceptualization Working Group. Presentation “WP2: Conceptualizing the Third Sector in Europe”. May, 2014. Rome, Italy

World Bank Global Partnership for Social Accountability Forum. Presentation “No Silver Bullets: Sustainability Strategies for Social Accountability Organizations in the New Frontiers of Philanthropy Era”. May, 2014. Washington, DC

National Academy of Sciences Workshop on the National Science Foundation Survey on Nonprofit Research & Development. Presentation “Nonprofit America: An Overview”. June, 2014. Washington, DC

Council on Foundations Global Dinner. Presentation “ The Revolution in Social Purpose Finance           “. June, 2014. Washington, DC

4th Impact Economy Symposium & Retreat: Daring for Big Impact – Blending Inspiration, Innovation and Investment. Presentation “A Conversation about the New Frontiers of Philanthropy”. June, 2014. Rorschach, Switzerland

International Society for Third Sector Research Conference. Presentation “Global Data on Philanthropy: What Researchers Need to Know (Panelist)
Interpreting Italy's New Statistical Findings on the Nonprofit Sector”. July, 2014.            Munster, Germany

The Sustainability of Public and Private Welfare. Presentation “Subsidiarity is possible: Welfare and finance for the common good”. Aug, 2014. Rimini, Italy

Endowment Donors Forum & HSE Breakfast                . Presentation “Philanthropication thru Privatization: Building Permanent Assets for Social Progress”. Sep, 2014. Moscow, Russia

Philanthropic Foundations Canada Conference Plenary. Presentation “New Frontiers of Philanthropy: The New Actors and Tools Reshaping Philanthropy and Social Investment”, Oct, 2014. Halifax, Canada

TSI European Stakeholders Seminar. Presentation “WP2: Conceptualizing the Third Sector in Europe”. Oct, 2014. 14                                  Brussels, Belgium

Foundations: from privatisation to common good. Presentation “Philanthropication through Privatization: Building Permanent Endowments for the Common Good”. Oct, 2014. Milan, Italy

Scottish Universities Insight Institute "Big Data and the Third Sector" Workshop. Presentation “10 Great Myths of Global Civil Society”. Oct, 2014. Glasgow, Scotland

Institute for Social Research Lecture. Presentation “10 Great Myths of Global Civil Society”. Oct, 2014. Oslo, Norway

Brazilian Philanthropy Forum: Innovation in Philanthropy. Presentation  “Philanthropication through Privatization: Building Permanent Endowments for the Common Good”. Nov, 2014. Sao Paulo, Brazil

Universidad de San Andrés Lecture. Presentation “New Frontiers of Philanthropy: The New Actors and Tools Reshaping Philanthropy and Social Investment”. Nov, 2014. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers: Social-Impact Investing. Presentation “New Frontiers of Philanthropy: The Revolution in Social Purpose Finance”. Dec, 2014. Baltimore, MD

TSI Consortium Meeting. Presentation “Conceptualizing the Third Sector in Europe”. Jan, 2015. Aix-en-Provence, France

Leading Age Leadership Summit. Presentation “The Future of Nonprofit America”. Feb, 2015. Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Department of Employment and Social Development Canada Knowledge Event. Presentation “New Frontiers of Philanthropy: The Revolution in Social Purpose Finance”. Feb, 2015. Ottawa, Canada

Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. Presentation “New Frontiers of Philanthropy: The Revolution in Social Purpose Finance”. Mar, 2015. Annapolis, MD

Maryland Nonprofits Quality of Life Summit. Presentation “In Search of the Nonprofit Value Proposition”. Mar, 2015. Baltimore, MD

Positive Economy Forum. Presentation “New Frontiers of Philanthropy: The Revolution in Social Purpose Finance”. Apr, 2015. San Patrignano, Italy

Neorelationships International Fundraising Festival. Presentation “New Frontiers of Philanthropy: The Revolution in Social Purpose Finance”. Apr, 2015. Czech Republic, via Skype

Higher School of Economics Research Conference. Presentation “The New Governance and the Changing Tools of Public Action”. Apr, 2015. Moscow, Russia

Mid-Term TSI Consortium Meeting. Presentation “Conceptualizing the Third Sector in Europe”. May, 2015. Dubrovnik, Croatia

TSI Meeting with EC Statistical Officials: Putting the Third Sector on the Statistical Map of Europe. Presentation “Measuring the Third Sector in Europe: Why Should the EC Care?”. June, 2015. Brussels, Belgium

LeadingAge State Leadership Summit. Presentation “The Future of Nonprofit America”. July, 2015. Chicago, IL

African Grantmakers Network Assembl. Presentation “Philanthropication thru Privatization: Building Permanent Assets for Social Progress”. June, 2015. Arusha, Tanzania

15th Annual Public-Private Partnership Conference. Presentation “What Can We Do for DC Nonprofits?”. Sep, 2015. Washington, DC

Luxembourg Statistics Agency Conference on  satellite accounts for the social economy. Presentation “Measuring the Social Economy in Europe: A National Accounts Approach”. Oct, 2015. Luxembourg

TSI Project Stakeholders Meeting. Presentation “Measuring the Third Sector in Europe: Why Should Stakeholders Care?”. Oct, 2015. Brussels, Belgium

I-Lab Conference: Government-Nonprofit Relations and Nonprofit Sustainability. Presentation “The New Governance and the Nonprofitization of the Welfare State”. Nov, 2015. Moscow, Russia

Center for Excellence in Development of Nonprofit Organizations. Presentation “The New Governance and the Nonprofitization of the Welfare State”. Dec, 2015. Saudi Arabia

EU Presidency Conference: Boosting Social Enterprises in Europe. Presentation “Leverage for Good: The New Frontiers of Philanthropy and Social Investing”. Dec, 2015. Luxembourg

• Director, Center for Civil Society Studies, Institute for Policy Studies, The Johns Hopkins University and Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Arts and Sciences, 1997-present; Research Professor, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University Bologna Center, 2012- present. 

PREVIOUS POSITIONS:

• Founding Director, Institute for Policy Studies; and Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, 1987-1997.
• Director, Center for Governance and Management Research, The Urban Institute, Washington, D.C., 1980-1986.
• Deputy Associate Director, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 1977-1980.
• Associate Professor of Policy Sciences and Political Science, and Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Development Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, 1973-1980 (on leave, 1977-1980).
• Assistant Professor of Political Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 1970-1973.
• Instructor, Department of Political Science, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, Mississippi, 1966-1967.

• Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Contribution Award. American Political Science Association 2012 Partners in Public Service: Government and the Nonprofit Sector in the Modern Welfare State. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995 (March 2012)
• J. Douglas Gibson Lecture Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada 2005 Speech on “The New Governance and the Tools of Public Action” (January 2005)
• Prize for Best Book on the Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy. Virginia Hodgkinson Prize, Independent Sector 2001 Global Civil Society: Dimensions of the Nonprofit Sector (with S. Wojciech Sokolowski and Associates), Volume II, Bloomfield, CT, Kumarian Press, 2004. (October 2004)
• Gerald Seabury Lecture University of California at Berkeley 2004 Presentation on “The Nonprofit Sector in Global Perspective” (June 2004)
• Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award. Association For Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) 2003 Multiple books and articles on the theory and operation of nonprofit organizations (February 2003)
• Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award. Israel Center for Third Sector Research, Beer-Sheva, Israel 1999 Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project (January 1999)
• Award for Distinguished Book in Nonprofit and Voluntary Action Research Association For Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) 1996 Partners in Public Service: Government-Nonprofit Relations in the Modern Welfare State. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995 (November 1996)
• Laverne Burchfield Award American Society for Public Administration 1978 “Urban Politics, Urban Policy, Case Studies, and Political Theory,” Public Administration Review Vol. 36, No. 4. 1977. pp. 418-428. (June 1978)

1. The Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project. 
1992-present 
A study of size, structure,  financing and history of the nonprofit sector in more than 40 countries around the world involving a network of some 150 researchers and institutes and several hundred nonprofit leaders on six continents. Has transformed understanding of n/p sector and led to adoption of the UN Handbook on Nonprofit Institutionsby UN Statistics and of Manual on the Measurement of Volunteer Workby ILO. These now being implemented 

2. The Johns Hopkins Philanthropy Fellows Programs.
1988-present 
The program provides nonprofit scholars and practitioners from around the world the opportunity to study the nonprofit sector in the U.S at Johns Hopkins. Then convenes participants in annual conf.

3. Johns Hopkins Master of Arts in Policy Studies Program.
1992-present 
Created a new model of public policy studies emphasizing the collaborative nature of public policy. Trained several hundred policy students to date. 

4. The Nonprofit Listening Post Project.
2000-present
Created a unique mechanism for tapping into current challenges of U.S. nonprofits. Produced 16 Communiques to date with influence on policy in several spheres.

5. The Nonprofit Employment Data Project.
2000-present
Tapped a major new data source on nonprofit employment in the U.S.to chart the impact of economic developments on nonprofit employment and demonstrate the huge employment base the nonprofit sector represents.

6. The State of Nonprofit America Project.
1998-2012
Produced a major book on The State of Nonprofit Americaand a subsequent 2d edition. Book is a core resource in nonprofit management courses.

7. Philanthropication thru Privatization Project.
2008-present
First empirical study of charitable foundations that have originated from privatization transactions. Now moving into implementation phase to encourage this approach to establishing charitable endowments in developing and transition 

8. The New Frontiers of Philanthropy Project.
2008-present
First attempt to analyze the new actors and tools that are emerging to finance social- purpose activity around the world. Has led to two forthcoming books being published by Oxford University Press.