The seventh season of the Givers, Doers, & Thinkers podcast is here! In this special three-part season, we’ll explore the past, present, and future of American exceptionalism as we approach America’s 250th birthday. 

In this season, we will explore how American civil society came about, what challenges threaten its flourishing, and what the future promises for our great country. 

• In part one of the season, we discuss with leading thinkers the historical, religious, and philosophical origins of America's distinctive civil society.
• In part two, we speak to innovative and generous givers who are keeping the wheels of philanthropy turning and have their fingers on the pulse of charitable innovation. 
• In part three, we talk to the doers leading the formation and growth of some of today's most promising mission-driven enterprises. 

These historians and scholars, nonprofit leaders and innovators, and seasoned philanthropists will shed light on the prominent role philanthropy has played in the 250-year history of American civil society, and what it means for the 250 years ahead. 

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To end the sixth season of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, we are opening the archive to share three particularly relevant episodes. The third episode features Patrick Deneen. 

Patrick Deneen, author of Why Liberalism Failed, Professor of Political Science and Chair of the David A. Potenziani Memorial College at the University of Notre Dame. Patrick specializes in the history of political thought, American political thought, religion and politics, and literature and politics.

Jeremy and Patrick dig into why liberalism struggles to sustain itself, today's threat of a new kind of totalitarianism, and the future of American civil society. Patrick points out that the modern interpretation of liberalism paradoxically leads to societal constraints and the erosion of civil society. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, we are opening the archive to share three particularly relevant episodes. The second episode features Timothy P. Carney.

Timothy P. Carney is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he works on economic competition, cronyism, civil society, localism, and religion in America. He is also the a senior columnist at the Washington Examiner.

Jeremy sits down with Jeremy asks about Timothy’s latest book, “Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse,” how social capital patterns predict voting patterns—including fun insights on the midwestern Dutch voter—and why Timothy says the unchurching of culture is at the root of America's economic and social problems. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, we are opening the archive to share three particularly relevant episodes. The first episode features social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who shares his thoughts on the moral intuitions and untruths that separate us but perhaps don't need to.

Jonathan Haidt is a You might know him from his New York Times bestseller, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion and The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure.  He is also a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Jonathan has helped found various organizations to strengthen his corners of civil society through Let Grow, Heterodox Academy, and OpenMind. 

Jeremy chats with Jonathan dive into several provocative questions, including—What is civil society’s exoskeleton? Why are white liberals more depressed? Is social media disastrous for civil society? How did the mental health epidemic among teenagers birth wokeness? What is devasting Gen-Z? How is the death of unsupervised play corrosive in the habits of a democracy? All of this and more in today’s episode with Jonathan Haidt. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode!

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This week on Givers, Does, & Thinkers, Jeremy talks with Amy Sherman about how people of faith can go beyond politics to seek good for their communities. 

Amy Sherman is the director of the Sagamore Institute's Center on Faith in Communities. She obtained her PhD in international economic development from the University of Virginia and is the author of Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society. 

During this episode, Amy challenges believers to reconsider the role of churches in society, focusing on how they can extend their influence beyond their walls to foster true community flourishing, inspired by Jeremiah 29:7. She explores the six key arenas of civilizational life—social mores and ethics, human knowledge and learning, creativity and aesthetics, political and civic life, economic life, and human and natural health. This conversation is full of practical advice for believers and community leaders dedicated to making a tangible difference in their neighborhoods.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with Matthew Crawford about the rise of the Humanitarian Party and what it means for civil society and self-governance.

Matthew Crawford is the author of Why We Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road, The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction, and the New York Times best seller Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work. He has also written several highly penetrating essays and articles, including "The Workings of the Party-State," published last year in American Affairs.

Is sovereignty slipping away from traditional government structures? Matthew shares how power has shifted to a coalition of corporations, foundations, media, universities, and NGOs. Jeremy and Matthew dissect the implications of this shift, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where expert authority often bypassed democratic channels, steering public opinion and political power like never before. They also discuss the victimhood mentality and how figures like Trump have redefined victimhood, and the unsettling role of technology, such as driverless cars, is perpetuating these dynamics. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode!

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This week of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with Dr. Russell James to unveil why donors give.  

Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® is a professor of the CH Foundation Chair of Personal Financial Planning and Charitable Giving Program Director at Texas Tech University’s School of Financial Planning. Before joining Texas Tech University, Dr. James was the Director of Planned Giving for Central Christian College in Moberly, Missouri, and later served as president of the college. His research has been quoted numerous times by various news outlets, including The Economist, The New York Times, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and his financial neuroimaging research was profiled in The Wall Street Journal’s Smart Money Magazine. He has authored several books, including The Storytelling Fundraiser, The Socratic Fundraiser, Inside the Mind of the Bequest Donor, and Visual Planned Giving.

During this episode, Jeremy and Dr. James explore donor identity and what leads to donor retention and meaningful donor engagement. Dr. James highlights the importance of a donor’s backstory—appreciating the “why” behind a gift. He shares his extensive research around legacy giving and how to steer away from its sometimes negative associations. They also discuss Socratic fundraising, the psychology of transformational donations, how scientific research ought to inform fundraising, and what the Bible might have to tell us about fundraising. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with innovator and educator Jeff Sandefer about entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and education. 

Jeff Sandefer founded Sandefer Offshore and Sandefer Capital Partners, both of which performed exceedingly well, the former generating $500 million in profits over a five-year period, before going on to found the Acton School of Business and Acton Academy. Jeff has been a longtime board member of National Review , the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Philanthropy Roundtable, and the Harvard Business School. He belongs to the Mont Pelerin Society and is one of the youngest people ever elected to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.

What makes a great entrepreneur? Some say it is fearless risk-taking, but Jeff argues it is more a tolerance for ambiguity. Jeff offers insights on higher education reform, case-method teaching, and the importance of real-world experience. He also explains why he and his wife created Acton Academy and its unique learner-driven model of education, where children pursue their passions and personal genius. To close, Jeff shares his approach to philanthropy and the wisdom offered to him by Bernie Marcus. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy chats with Christie Herrera about the threats facing the American charitable sector and what we might do to protect it.

Christie Herrera is President and CEO of the Philanthropy Roundtable. At the Roundtable, Christie works with her team to foster excellence in philanthropy, protect philanthropic freedom, and help donors advance liberty, opportunity, and personal responsibility. Christie specializes in turning ideas into action by working nationwide with elected officials, nonprofit policy organizations, and coalition partners. She has testified before Congress and legislative committees in 27 states, and her policy work has been profiled in various news outlets, including The New York Times.

What are the best strategies for impactful philanthropy? With higher education in the hot seat over the past six months, Christie highlights the challenges donors face to ensure donor intent and what to do about it. She also tackles the critical issue of donor privacy, noting the regulatory pressures facing nonprofits and the potential social punishment and scrutiny of donors by those who disagree.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode!

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Today on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Permanent Equity CEO Brent Beshore about what's wrong with private equity, what good organizations have in common, and why small private companies matter. 

Brent Beshore founded Permanent Equity in 2007 and is the author of The Messy Marketplace: Selling Your Business in a World of Imperfect Buyers. He is originally from Joplin, Missouri, but now lives in Columbia, Missouri, with his wife, Dr. Erica Beshore, and three daughters. 

What is private equity, and how does it work? Jeremy and Brent delve into the basics before exploring what sets a business apart. Brent unveils Permanent Equity's distinctive investment approach, placing a strong emphasis on employee well-being, stability, and long-term ownership. They then draw parallels between small to mid-size businesses and nonprofits, humorously remarking that most are "loosely functioning disasters." Lastly, Brent underscores the shared traits of successful businesses (and nonprofits): humility and openness to feedback. 

Interested in joining the Center for Civil Society's "K to Campus: How the Education Reform Movement Can Reshape Higher Ed" conference on October 23-24 in sunny Malibu, CA? Sign up today to receive special early-bird pricing! 

We'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT's producer, an email anytime!

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode! 

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel