Michael Moody
Michael Moody, Ph.D.,
Frey Foundation Chair for Family Foundations and Philanthropy at the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Frey Chair is the nation’s only endowed chair focusing on family philanthropy, and Dr. Moody became the first holder of the chair in July 2010. In this role, Dr. Moody works with a network of advisors and partners to pursue a comprehensive program of applied research, teaching, professional development, and public service, all designed to advance and promote the field of family philanthropy.
Dr. Moody is trained as a cultural sociologist and has been actively working to understand and improve philanthropy and nonprofit organizations for over 20 years. He earned a master’s degree in social science from the University of Chicago and a doctorate in sociology from Princeton University, served on the faculty at Boston University and the University of Southern California, and ran his own philanthropic consulting business for two years.
Dr. Moody is co-author (with Robert L. Payton) of the book, Understanding Philanthropy: Its Meaning and Mission (Indiana University Press, 2008), as well as numerous other publications about family foundations, next generation giving, donor education, ethical giving, venture philanthropy, and “giving back” as an explanation for philanthropy.