Eleanor P. Brown

Eleanor P. Brown is the James Irvine Professor of Economics at Pomona College since 1986 and serves as the Coordinator of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. She focuses on resource allocation outside profit maximization through philanthropy, volunteerism, and nonprofit organizations.

• Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton University
• MA in Economics from Princeton University
• BA in Economics from Pomona College

Her research explores personal philanthropy, tax policy, volunteer labor markets, and nonprofit organizations. She examines how households balance charitable giving with economic constraints, the impact of tax incentives on philanthropy, and the role of social capital in voluntary behavior.

Her publications span journals like Review of Economics of the Household and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, addressing topics from intergenerational generosity to racial disparities in charitable giving. She has received multiple teaching excellence awards and contributed to major nonprofit research frameworks.

• Scientific Awards: Wig Distinguished Professorship Award (multiple years), ARNOVA Best Article Award (2007)
• Grants: Fetzer Institute (2002-03), John Randolph and Dora Haynes Foundation (2001-02)

She serves on advisory boards for the National Center on Nonprofit Enterprise, Society for the Economics of the Household, and Women's Philanthropy Institute, and co-edits Review of Economics of the Household. Currently on leave for Spring 2026, she remains a leading voice in nonprofit economics and public policy analysis.