Giving Done Right

What can donors do to address the seemingly intractable problem of homelessness? Susan Thomas, president of the Melville Charitable Trust, joins Phil and Grace to discuss the systems and barriers in place in the U.S. that result in well over a half million unhoused Americans. Susan draws on her own personal and familial story as well as decades of experience, arguing that homelessness and structural racism are intrinsically linked, both historically and today.

Melville Charitable Trust

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein

The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap by Mehrsa Baradaran

The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee

Listen to “Heather McGhee on the Zero Sum Lie” on the Giving Done Right podcast

Phil and Grace invite their CEP colleagues Elisha Smith Arrillaga and Kevin Bolduc to the recording studio for a candid and lively conversation that covers nonprofit-donor relationships, big gifts, trust in philanthropy, and the challenges facing nonprofits right now. The four bring their considerable collective experience and CEP’s data-based insights to bear on crucial questions like how donors can best support the causes they believe in, what everyday donors can learn from MacKenzie Scott’s approach to giving, how to think about trust in donor-nonprofit relationships, how to be an effective nonprofit board member, and more. For donors looking to embrace nuance and up their giving ‘game,’ this episode is a must-listen.

State of Nonprofits 2024: What Funders Need to Know

CEP’s research on the impact of MacKenzie Scott’s giving: “Giving Big: The Impacts of Large, Unrestricted Gifts on Nonprofits” and “Emerging Impacts: The Effects of MacKenzie Scott’s Large, Unrestricted Gifts”

More CEP research

Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

Candid’s insights on nonprofit leadership demographics

Resources on board effectiveness from BoardSource

CEP’s Grantee Perception Report and other assessments

Nearly everyone will age or be in a caregiving role for aging relatives at some point in their life, yet relatively few major donors or foundations make aging an explicit priority. In this episode, Phil and Grace discuss the importance of enabling everyone to age with dignity with Ramsey Alwin, president and CEO of the National Council on Aging, and Chad Federwitz, manager of Pitkin County Senior Services in Aspen, Colorado. Ramsey and Chad offer insight into the numerous opportunities for donors to support aging programs, from research and advocacy to local community efforts and discuss the vital role that senior centers and community programs play. 

National Council on Aging (NCOA)

Grantmakers in Aging

Information on the Older Americans Act for advocates

Eldercare Locator - find services for older adults and their families

What role do leaders play in the success of nonprofits and how can donors better support effective nonprofit leaders? Phil and Grace chat with Yolanda Coentro, president and CEO of the Institute for Nonprofit Practice about her own journey to leadership and the unique set of challenges that nonprofit leaders face. They also discuss funding dynamics that prioritize programs over people, burnout, and the role of identity as a leader.

Institute for Nonprofit Practice (INP)

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Fund the People

CEP’s State of Nonprofits 2024: What Funders Need to Know

Find CEP’s reports on grantmaker responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and greater focus on racial equity here. 

Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

What happens when you give cash to those in need? In this episode, Phil and Grace discuss direct cash transfers in conversation with Jesús Gerena, president and CEO of UpTogether. Jesús shares insight into how individuals who receive cash transfers invest in themselves, their families, and their communities. Jesús, Grace, and Phil consider attitudes of paternalism and mistrust of the poor among donors. They also discuss related concepts and ideas such as basic income movements and effective altruism.

Additional Resources

UpTogether

The Urban Institute’s evaluation of the Austin Guaranteed Income Pilot

Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the University of Pennsylvania

GiveDirectly

CEP’s research on the impact of MacKenzie Scott’s giving

Could AI help us tackle intractable social problems and create a more just and equitable world? Vilas Dhar, president and trustee of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, believes so. In this episode, Phil and Grace ask Vilas about his vision for how AI can play a pivotal role in promoting equity. Vilas makes the case that now is the time for philanthropy and donors to step in, ensuring that the technology is built ethically. Phil and Grace address many of the fears and hesitations donors may have about AI with Vilas, and learn about the McGovern Foundation’s work to equip nonprofits with AI tools to magnify their impact.

Patrick J McGovern Foundation

Vilas Dhar on the CEP blog: Consumers to Creators: Philanthropy and Nonprofits Can Build AI for Impact

How can donors support a revitalization of civic engagement and a renewed commitment to democratic citizenship? Eric Liu, co-founder CEO of Citizen University, joins Phil and Grace to discuss the crisis in civic faith, our individual power to effect positive change in our communities, and the importance of supporting literacy in power. He also exhorts donors to recognize that democracy and citizenship go beyond electoral politics, addresses the difficult question of when to engage in bridging and when it may be unproductive, and speaks to the importance of inviting youth into the conversation.

Citizen University

You’re More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen’s Guide to Making Change Happen by Eric Liu

Whitney Kimball Coe, Director of National Programs, Center for Rural Strategies, The Aspen Institute 

Report: Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century

Report: Youth Civic Empowerment: Insights from the Student Experience

Report: Habits of Heart and Mind: How to Fortify Civic Culture

Long Family Foundation Executive Director Vivian Long joins Phil and Grace to discuss her family’s approach to giving together, navigating intergenerational philanthropic priorities, and the long-term commitment from funders that true transformation requires. Vivian also addresses the Long Family Foundation’s approach to building close relationships with grantees and their focus on the “how” of giving. She also shares her family’s story of humble beginnings and her own path to leadership at the family foundation, and the surprises that came with it. 

The Long Family Foundation

CEP’s Overlooked reports on the experience of AAPI nonprofit leaders and Native American nonprofit leaders with funders: Overlooked, Part One and Overlooked, Part Two

The Science of Productive Conflict | WorkLife with Adam Grant

Starfish Project

President of the Ford Foundation Darren Walker joins Phil and Grace for a conversation about bold philanthropic leadership, inequality, and the importance of investing in institutions that fight for justice. On the heels of his announcement that he will be stepping down, Darren also reflects on accomplishments and regrets from his tenure. In addition, Phil and Darren offer their different takes on whether “philanthropic pluralism” is really under threat.

Ford Foundation

“We Disagree on Many Things, but We Speak with One Voice in Support of Philanthropic Pluralism,” op-ed in The Chronicle of Philanthropy by Darren Walker and others

“Who Is Threatening ‘Philanthropic Freedom’” by Phil Buchanan, a response to the above op-ed

“Finding Philanthropy’s Forgotten Founder” by Darren Walker

Climate scientist, author, and climate policy expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson joins Giving Done Right hosts Phil and Grace to discuss “what if we get it right” on climate – and the role philanthropy can play in implementing climate solutions. Ayana discusses the opportunities for individuals to take climate action through philanthropy as well as the importance of choosing where and how we invest our wealth. In this wide-ranging discussion on the possibilities of climate action, Ayana offers guidance for finding your niche in climate action both as individuals and as philanthropists.

“What if We Get it Right: Visions of Climate Futures” by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

CEP’s Report Much Alarm, Less Action: Foundations and Climate Change

Climate Action Venn Diagram

TED Talk: How to Find Joy in Climate Action

More writing, talks, and resources from Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

The Crucial Years: Writing by Bill McKibben

EarthJustice

LeadLocally.org

Environmental Voter Project

The All We Can Save Project

Urban Ocean Lab