Dr. Una Osili is Associate Dean for Research at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where she oversees groundbreaking studies on charitable giving patterns. A three-time NonProfit Times Top 50 honoree, she specializes in:
"Effective philanthropy requires understanding both heartstrings and spreadsheets." - 2024 Climate Philanthropy Symposium Keynote
Recent Recognition:
Dr. Una Osili has emerged as one of America's foremost authorities on philanthropic economics through a career spanning academia, policy advising, and data-driven social impact analysis. Her trajectory began with rigorous economic training at Harvard and Northwestern, followed by advisory roles with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and United Nations development programs.
This op-ed synthesizes Osili's cross-sector approach, arguing that climate action requires unprecedented collaboration between nonprofits, governments, and corporations. She cites her team's research showing that only 12% of environmental funding reaches grassroots organizations, while proposing concrete metrics for measuring cross-sector impact. The piece notably influenced regional climate partnerships in the Midwest, including a $20M Indiana Clean Energy Fund.
Analyzing 15 years of giving data, Osili reveals a paradoxical trend: while the number of US donors decreased by 6.4% from 2018-2023, average gift sizes increased by 18%. Her team's cohort analysis demonstrates how wealth concentration and donor-advised funds reshape philanthropic participation. This work has become essential reading for nonprofit strategists addressing donor retention.
As lead researcher for this definitive $557B analysis, Osili pioneered new methodologies tracking cryptocurrency donations and disaster relief flows. The report's identification of "rage giving" – donations driven by social justice movements – has sparked academic debates about emotional motivators in philanthropy.
Osili prioritizes stories demonstrating how macroeconomic trends (e.g., interest rates, wage growth) impact giving behaviors. Successful pitches should include:
"The pandemic accelerated wealth concentration, requiring new models for sustained giving" - Giving USA 2023
With 63% of her articles addressing funding disparities, Osili seeks stories on:
Her work on the Global Philanthropy Tracker makes her particularly receptive to:
The only academic to make this list three consecutive years, Osili was recognized for democratizing philanthropic data through tools like the Generosity for Life Index. Her inclusion reflects shifting industry priorities toward evidence-based giving strategies.
This award honored Osili's work establishing Indianapolis as a hub for philanthropic research, attracting $37M in research funding to Indiana University since 2015. The selection committee noted her unique ability to translate academic research into policy white papers.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Philanthropy, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
