O’Neill scholars share research and earn top honors at ARNOVA Conference

Scholars from the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs will share their latest research and insights on nonprofit management, public service, and social impact at the 2025 Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) Annual Conference, taking place November 20–22 in Indianapolis.

The ARNOVA conference is the leading gathering of scholars, educators, and practitioners dedicated to advancing the understanding of philanthropy, voluntary action, and nonprofit organizations. This year’s event, which features the theme “The Evolving Role of Philanthropy in Global, National, and Local Contexts,” offers a unique opportunity for faculty, students, and alumni to connect with peers from around the world and highlight the O’Neill School’s leadership in public and nonprofit research.

“The ARNOVA conference is an essential venue for exchanging ideas that shape the future of nonprofit and public affairs scholarship,” said Siân Mooney, dean of the O’Neill School. “We’re proud to see our faculty and students leading those conversations right here in Indiana.”

O’Neill School researchers will present on a range of topics, including nonprofit governance, equity and inclusion in public service, social innovation, environmental policy, and the role of data in improving community outcomes. Their participation reflects the school’s ongoing commitment to addressing society’s most pressing challenges through evidence-based policy and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Two members of the O’Neill School community will also be recognized during the conference. Associate Professor Brad Fulton will be honored with the RGK-ARNOVA President’s Award for his proposal “Philanthropic Redlining: Examining How Structural Racism Shapes Foundation Giving.” Additionally, Assistant Professor Shuyi Deng will receive the Gabriel G. Rudney Memorial Award for an Outstanding Dissertation in Nonprofit and Voluntary Action Research for her dissertation “Racial Disparities in Nonprofit Funding: Bringing BIPOC Nonprofits into Focus.”

For more information about O’Neill School participation at ARNOVA, visit the conference website.

Media Contact

Ken Bikoff, Faculty Liaison and Public Relations Officer
Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs | Indiana University
onnews@iu.edu

About the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs

The O’Neill School is a world leader in public and environmental affairs and is the largest school of public administration and public policy in the United States. In the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report "Best Graduate School" rankings, the O'Neill School is listed as having the top Master of Public Affairs among public universities and ranks #2 overall out of 269 public and private institutions. In addition, the O’Neill School’s Bloomington campus received #1 rankings in the specialty areas of environmental policy and management, nonprofit management, public finance and budgeting, and public management and leadership.