Dave Coplan

Dave Coplan serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pittsburgh across the College of General Studies, School of Social Work, and Graduate School for Public and International Affairs. He concurrently holds the position of Executive Director at the Human Services Center since 1990 and founded Advancing Academics, a nonprofit supporting low-income, high-achieving youth, in 2006.

Education:

• MS in Social Work for Community Organizing, University of Pittsburgh
• MS in Public Administration, University of Pittsburgh
• Certificate in Nonprofit Management, University of Pittsburgh

His expertise centers on nonprofit human services management with emphasis on sustainable funding models, policy advocacy, and organizational leadership. Research integrates community organizing principles with practical applications in resource-constrained environments, particularly focusing on equity-driven service delivery for marginalized populations through strategic lobbying and human capital development.

Scholarly output demonstrates consistent focus on nonprofit financial resilience, with early 1998 publications establishing frameworks for endowment development and pledge campaigns that remain relevant to small organizations, while his 2019 leadership profile contextualizes these strategies within contemporary social impact ecosystems.

Awards & Honors:

• Allegheny Partners for Out of School Time (APOST) Advocacy Award (2019)
• Exemplar Award for Leadership and Management Competencies (2017)
• CAAP Sargent Shriver Community Service Award (2012)
• University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Outstanding Field Instructor (2010)
• GSPIA 4 Under 40 (2009)
• Pittsburgh Magazine 40 Under 40 (2007)
• Student Choice Teaching Award (2018)
• Student Choice Teaching Award

Coplan's mentorship excellence is evidenced by dual Student Choice Awards and the School of Social Work's Outstanding Field Instructor recognition, highlighting his impact on practical training. While specific grant portfolios aren't documented, his career exemplifies sustained commitment to bridging academic theory with nonprofit management practice through community-engaged instruction.