Femida Handy

Femida Handy serves as a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice, where she directs the PhD in Social Welfare program and holds Affiliated Faculty status with the Organizational Dynamics program under the College of Liberal and Professional Studies. Her academic leadership spans nonprofit sector economics, volunteering dynamics, and global philanthropy research, with a focus on cross-cultural comparative analysis.

Her educational credentials include:

• Master of Arts (MA) from York University, Toronto
• Master of Environmental Studies (MES) from York University, Toronto
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from York University, Toronto

Research interests center on nonprofit entrepreneurship, micro-finance mechanisms, and environmental behavior transmission across generations. She investigates pandemic impacts on prosocial engagement, cultural phenomena like Hallyu's influence on youth well-being, and institutional factors affecting philanthropy. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical nonprofit management challenges.

Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal three critical trends: pandemic-induced transformations in volunteer/donor behavior, intergenerational environmental practices, and global philanthropy patterns. Articles analyze refugee nonprofit volunteering, unemployment-prosocial engagement links, and cultural boundary reshaping through phenomena like K-Pop, demonstrating methodological diversity across international contexts.

Dr. Handy co-edited the award-winning Palgrave Handbook on Global Philanthropy and published prize-winning articles in top journals. Her editorial leadership as former Editor-in-Chief of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly further underscores scholarly recognition.

As Director of the PhD in Social Welfare program, she mentors doctoral candidates while shaping curriculum development. Her editorial roles and book authorship indicate substantial research funding history, though specific grants aren't detailed in sources. The children's book on ecological footprint demonstrates public engagement beyond academic publishing.