Heather MacIndoe

Heather MacIndoe is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director in the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research applies organizational and urban sociology frameworks to investigate nonprofit sector dynamics, specializing in advocacy, cross-sector collaboration, and philanthropic funding structures.

Education:

• PhD, Sociology, University of Chicago
• MA, Sociology, Stanford University
• BA, Economics and American Studies, Wellesley College

Research Focus: Dr. MacIndoe examines how nonprofits navigate hybrid roles in service delivery and policy advocacy, the impact of funding sources on organizational behavior, and geographic disparities in philanthropic grantmaking. Her work emphasizes practical implications for nonprofit resilience and policy engagement in evolving socio-political contexts.

Teaching: She directs graduate courses including PPOL-G 716 ProSeminar, PPOL-G 611 Research Methods I, PPOL-G 751 Nonprofits, NGOs and Public Policy, and PUBADM 606 Nonprofit Organizations and Public Policy, blending theoretical rigor with applied policy analysis.

Professional Service:

• Editorial Board Member, City and Community journal
• Commissioner, City of Somerville Commission for Women
• Fiduciary Board Member, Boston Cares