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VIVIANA WU, PhD

UMass Amherst School of Public Policy

I am an Associate Professor and the Graduate Program Director in the School of Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Director of the Community For Impact (C4I) Lab. My research examines how nonprofits, philanthropic foundations, and civic actors mobilize leadership, technology, and collective action to address complex public problems. Drawing on computational and mixed-methods approaches, I integrate large language models, machine learning, and human validation to study complex organizational and policy data.

I currently lead an NSF-funded project using AI and network methods to build a longitudinal, publicly accessible database of foundation grants in the United States. Through this and related work, I aim to strengthen the empirical infrastructure of nonprofit research while deepening our understanding of how institutions shape civic participation, resource allocation, and social change.

A critical thread running through this work is inequality in the process of change making, in who holds philanthropic power, whose communities receive resources, and whose voices shape public problem-solving. My scholarship aims to advance a more democratic, community-centered understanding of social change.

Explore My Work

I invite you to explore my ongoing and published work below:

Publications

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About My Work

My work centers on four interconnected areas:

Philanthropy & Grantmaking — How foundations decide where resources flow, and where they don't. I investigate place-based disparities in charitable giving, social justice philanthropy, participatory grantmaking, and philanthropy's role in democratic governance.

Nonprofit and Community Leadership — What makes nonprofit and philanthropic organizations effective? I conceptualize and test the leadership and organizational strategies that shape collaboration, innovation, advocacy, and community impact.

Public Engagement & Advocacy — How do nonprofits mobilize communities and shape policy debates? I study the moral framing and storytelling nonprofits use to deepen civic participation across social media and digital platforms.

AI & Governance — How are emerging AI tools reshaping the public and nonprofit sectors? I examine applications ranging from large language models for text analysis and government chatbots to strategic frameworks for responsible technological transformation.

My research has been featured in leading nonprofit and public management journals, including Public Management Review, Public Administration Review, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Voluntas, and Nonprofit Management and Leadership. My research has earned recognition through several prestigious awards, including the Editors’ Prize for Best Scholarly Paper in Nonprofit Management and Leadership, the ARNOVA Best Conference Paper Award, the Emerging Scholar Award, and the RGK-ARNOVA President’s Research Award.

I am grateful to the following funders who have supported my research and visions, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the RGK Foundation, the Institute for Humane Studies, the Generosity Commission, the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), UMass Amherst, and the University of Pennsylvania.

I was formerly the Managing Editor of NVSQ (2015-2020), and currently serve or served on the leadership teams at ARNOVA, including the Chair of the Data and Analytics Section (DAS), the co-convener of Philanthropy and Fundraising Common Interest Group, the at-large member of the Theory, Issues, Boundaries Section (TIBS), the Development Committee, and the consultative working groups of ARNOVA. I am a worship vocalist (soprano), an aspiring ceramicist, a mom, and a Hongkonger.

Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly. Micah 6:8