The Swearer Center at Brown University
The Swearer Center for Public Service, established in 1986 at Brown University, connects undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and 100+ community partners in Providence and Rhode Island through fellowships, engaged-learning courses, the BrownEngage volunteer platform, and community-engaged research initiatives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersProvidence, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Swearer Center at Brown University does
The Swearer Center for Public Service is an academic center within Brown University, established in 1986 as one of the first formal Centers for Public Service in the United States. Operating from 2 Stimson Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island with a secondary community-facing space at the Fidler Family Campus/Community Center (339 Eddy Street), it serves undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, community-based organizations, and alumni through an integrated portfolio of fellowships, academic programs, engagement platforms, and partnership initiatives. The center employs approximately 105 staff and is led by Vice President for Community Engagement and Stark Family Executive Director Mary Jo Callan (since 2023), with Howard R. Swearer having co-founded it alongside the national Campus Compact coalition in 1987. It is funded through Brown's institutional budget, donor contributions, and multiple endowed fellowships.
Its product portfolio spans fellowship programs (Royce Fellowship est. 1996 with 600+ alumni, Laidlaw Scholars, Social Innovation Fellowship, iProv Summer Fellowship, Edward Guiliano Global Fellowships, CBLR Fellowship), academic credentials (Engaged Scholarship Certificate through Sociology), engagement platforms (BrownEngage volunteer portal integrated with Volunteer Center of Rhode Island, RICOMJOBS job board), and specialized initiatives (Brown Votes for civic engagement, BrownCAN alumni network, CEDEC research collaborative engaging 8+ Brown institutional partners). Fellowship stipends range from $500 to $5,500; all programs are free to eligible participants and the center does not charge community partners. CEDEC has completed nearly 200 projects with 68 community partners in three years, and the center engages 100+ community organizations through BrownEngage and the Community Advisory Board.
The business model is community-led and institutionally funded. Go-to-market relies on Brown's academic infrastructure (Registrar, Open Curriculum, Sociology department) and dedicated outreach channels including weekly student newsletters, monthly faculty and community-partner newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), and a Student Advisory Committee of student ambassadors. Customer segments include undergraduate students (primary), graduate students, faculty and staff, community organizations in Providence and Rhode Island, alumni and friends, and government partners (City of Providence). Programs are delivered through coursework, fellowships, workshops, and the BrownEngage volunteer portal, with international reach via the Royce and Edward Guiliano Global Fellowships spanning the Caribbean to East Asia.
The Swearer Center at Brown University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Swearer Center at Brown University
- Legal name
- Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University
- Website
- https://swearer.brown.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Swearer Center for Public Service, established in 1986 at Brown University, connects undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and 100+ community partners in Providence and Rhode Island through fellowships, engaged-learning courses, the BrownEngage volunteer platform, and community-engaged research initiatives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Swearer Center at Brown University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- University Community-Engaged Learning and Public Service
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Engagement & Service-Learning Partnerships (EDALAOAI)
Keywords
Where The Swearer Center at Brown University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Providence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Swearer Center at Brown University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- University Funding: As a center of Brown University, the Swearer Center is funded through university institutional funding, donor contributions, and the Stark Family endowment. Revenue supports fellowships, programs, staff, and community partnerships.
- Donor Contributions: The Swearer Center receives charitable donations through Brown University's advancement office, including specific funds like the Innovation Fund and the Royce Fellowship endowment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Royce Fellowship undergraduate award based on financial need |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Royce Graduate Fellowship Award |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Laidlaw Scholars base award |
| Other | Annual | Social Innovation Fellowship annual stipend |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | iProv Summer Fellowship stipend |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Engaged Research Mini-Grants |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Edward Guiliano Global Fellowship award tiers |
| Other | Annual | Community-Based Learning and Research Fellowship |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Graduate Proctor stipend |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Swearer Center at Brown University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Swearer Center for Public Service is Brown University's academic center for community-engaged teaching, learning, research, and practice. It administers multiple fellowship programs (Royce, Laidlaw, Social Innovation, iProv, Edward Guiliano Global, CBLR), an Engaged Scholarship Certificate, the BrownEngage volunteer platform, and civic engagement initiatives (Brown Votes, BrownCAN alumni network, CEDEC). Its primary mission is connecting Brown students and faculty with community partners in Providence and Rhode Island through experiential learning and reciprocal partnerships.
Product overview
The Swearer Center operates as a comprehensive platform of interconnected programs and initiatives rather than a single product. Its portfolio includes fellowship programs (Royce Fellowship, Laidlaw Scholars, Social Innovation Fellowship, Edward Guiliano Global Fellowships), academic credentials (Engaged Scholarship Certificate, CBLR Fellowship), employment/work-study programs (iProv Summer Fellowship, Off-Campus Federal Work Study), engagement platforms (BrownEngage portal, RI Community Jobs), and specialized initiatives (Brown Votes civic engagement, BrownCAN alumni network, CEDEC research collaborative). These offerings are designed to work together to support community-engaged learning, research, and social innovation across Brown's campus and Providence community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Royce Fellowship An undergraduate fellowship supporting independent community-engaged research projects, established in 1996. Fellows conduct research under faculty guidance while being part of an interdisciplinary cohort, with lifetime membership in the Society of Royce Fellows.
- Laidlaw Scholars Program A two-year scaffolded learning experience combining research and leadership development through community-engaged learning in Rhode Island, domestically, and internationally.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 600 students supported through Royce Fellowship since 1996
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Swearer Center at Brown University
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Swearer Center at Brown University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
The Swearer Center at Brown University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Annenberg Institute at BrowncoreCore campus partner in CEDEC (Community-Engaged Data and Evaluation Collaborative), contributing to public impact research and experiential learning initiatives.
- Brown University LibrarycoreCore campus partner in CEDEC, supporting data and research initiatives for community partners.
- Data Science InstitutecoreCore campus partner in CEDEC, providing data science expertise for community-engaged projects.
- School of Public HealthcoreCore campus partner in CEDEC, contributing public health research capacity to community partnerships.
- Watson Institute for International and Public AffairscoreCore campus partner in CEDEC, advancing policy research and public impact initiatives with community partners.
- Center for Computation and VisualizationcoreCore campus partner in CEDEC, providing computational resources for community partner data projects.
- Department of Africana StudiescoreCore campus partner in CEDEC, contributing scholarship and engagement expertise.
- School of Professional StudiescoreCore campus partner in CEDEC, providing professional education connections.
- Social Enterprise Greenhouse (SEG)coreSEG provides curriculum and mentorship for Social Innovation Fellowship students. SEG is a startup accelerator for social impact businesses in Providence, connecting aspiring entrepreneurs to the Rhode Island business community.
- Laidlaw FoundationcoreLaidlaw Foundation funds and supports the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Program at Brown, developing next-generation leaders through research and community engagement.
- Volunteer Center of Rhode Island (VCRI)coreBrownEngage integrates with VCRI through new GetConnected platform, allowing opportunities to appear on both platforms and expanding access to hundreds of volunteer and internship listings.
- Community-Based Organizations in Providencecore100+ community organizations partner with Brown through BrownEngage portal, hosting student volunteers, interns, and collaborating on engaged research projects.
- Youth In ActionminorRhode Island Youth Action Board works collaboratively with Youth In Action to create sustainable solutions to end youth homelessness.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Swearer Center at Brown University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Campus Compact: National coalition co-founded by Howard R. Swearer in 1987 that aggregates civic engagement programming across hundreds of member colleges; comparable as the field-building umbrella organization that the Swearer Center helped originate.
- Center for Community and Citizen Youth at Stanford University (Stanford Collaborative for Student Civic Engagement): Stanford's broader civic engagement ecosystem (Cardinal Service initiative) that incorporates the Haas Center and extends community-engaged learning across the university; comparable as a higher-ed civic engagement umbrella.
Direct peers
- Pace Center for Civic Engagement at Princeton University: Princeton's hub for civic engagement, providing fellowships, service-learning courses, and community partnerships; operates a similar Ivy League model of integrated academic and community programming.
- Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service at Georgetown University: Georgetown's center coordinating community-based learning, service, and justice-oriented research across the university; structurally similar as an integrated civic engagement hub at a research university.
- Center for Civic Engagement at Duke University: Duke's hub for community-engaged coursework, service, and research partnerships; offers comparable fellowships and integrates with academic departments similarly to Swearer's model.
- Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford University: Stanford's dedicated center for public and community service, offering Cardinal Service fellowships, community-engaged learning programs, and university-community partnerships structurally analogous to the Swearer Center's portfolio.
- Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University: Tufts' university-wide civic engagement college offering fellowships, research, and community partnerships; comparable in combining undergraduate programming with applied research and community-based learning.
- Netter Center for Community Partnerships at University of Pennsylvania: UPenn's center for university-community partnerships operating academically based community service courses, student fellowships, and K-12 partnerships; closely mirrors the Swearer Center's community-engaged teaching model.
- Center for Community Engagement at Yale University: Yale's community engagement office coordinating New Haven partnerships, student volunteering, and community-based learning; comparable Ivy League model with strong neighborhood focus.
- Center for Public Service at Harvard University: Harvard's public service center offering fellowships and community-engaged opportunities to undergraduates and graduate students; closest direct peer in the Ivy League context.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Swearer Center at Brown University social profiles
Digital presenceThe Swearer Center at Brown University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Swearer Center at Brown University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Swearer Center at Brown University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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The Swearer Center at Brown University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about The Swearer Center at Brown University
What does The Swearer Center at Brown University do?
The Swearer Center for Public Service is Brown University's academic center for community-engaged teaching, learning, research, and practice. It administers multiple fellowship programs (Royce, Laidlaw, Social Innovation, iProv, Edward Guiliano Global, CBLR), an Engaged Scholarship Certificate, the BrownEngage volunteer platform, and civic engagement initiatives (Brown Votes, BrownCAN alumni network, CEDEC). Its primary mission is connecting Brown students and faculty with community partners in Providence and Rhode Island through experiential learning and reciprocal partnerships.
Is The Swearer Center at Brown University a public or private company?
The Swearer Center at Brown University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Swearer Center at Brown University founded?
The Swearer Center at Brown University was founded in 1986. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Swearer Center at Brown University based?
The Swearer Center at Brown University is headquartered in Providence, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Swearer Center at Brown University make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. University Funding is the primary driver. The others are donor Contributions.
Who are The Swearer Center at Brown University's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Campus Compact and Center for Community and Citizen Youth at Stanford University (Stanford Collaborative for Student Civic Engagement). Direct peers are Pace Center for Civic Engagement at Princeton University, Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service at Georgetown University, Center for Civic Engagement at Duke University, Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford University, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, Netter Center for Community Partnerships at University of Pennsylvania, Center for Community Engagement at Yale University and Center for Public Service at Harvard University.
Does The Swearer Center at Brown University have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Swearer Center at Brown University.
What industry is The Swearer Center at Brown University in?
The Swearer Center at Brown University's product category is University Community-Engaged Learning and Public Service. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAOAI, Community Engagement & Service-Learning Partnerships. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.