Checking in on the State of Nonprofit Scholarship: A Review of Recent Research

Abstract

The complexity and diversity of the nonprofit sector provides a rich landscape for academic scholarship; and, growing numbers of nonprofit scholars and their associated research publications have established the field of nonprofit research. Yet, it is unclear if this research has been applied appropriately to the evolving landscape of the sector. Although literature reviews have helped us to understand the status of academic scholarship in the field of nonprofit research, these reviews have primarily focused on particular topics without considering the field as a whole. Thus, in this study we review all contemporary nonprofit scholarship (n=972) from three prominent nonprofit journals. The review documents the development of nonprofit research as presented in these journals over the last five years and offers recommendations for future research consideration.