Untapped Philanthropy

In a new episode of Untapped Philanthropy, Jay Winuk, co-founder and Executive Vice President of 9/11 Day, joins hosts Kerrin Mitchell and Tim Sarrantonio to explore how a day born from tragedy became one of the nation’s largest days of service.

Jay shares how the loss of his brother, Glenn, inspired him and co-founder David Paine to transform the anniversary of September 11 into a day dedicated to remembrance and doing good. The conversation explores how coalition building, national service, and accessible ways to participate have helped 9/11 Day grow over the past 25 years.

Listeners will hear how 9/11 Day is engaging generations with no personal memories of the attacks while preserving the meaning behind the observance. Jay also offers a powerful reminder that meaningful movements can begin with a simple idea and that everybody has the opportunity to make a difference.

Learn more about Jay Winuk:
https://www.911day.org/leaders/jay-winuk/

Learn more about 9/11 Day and how to get involved:
https://www.911day.org/

To learn more about Fluxx, visit:
https://www.fluxx.io/

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Tim Sarrantonio has launched The Generosity Spectrum, an educational gaming company focused on helping nonprofit leaders explore generosity, identity, and motivation through hands-on learning. To learn more, subscribe to Tim’s LinkedIn newsletter:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6907361946723889152/

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording:
https://rocketskatesrecording.com/

In a new episode of Untapped Philanthropy, Olivia Jones, Senior Arts and Culture Funding Manager for the City of San Diego, joins hosts Kerrin Mitchell and Tim Sarrantonio to explore what equitable and accessible grantmaking requires in practice.

Drawing on her experience as both a nonprofit leader and public sector grantmaker, Olivia examines how complicated language, rigid spending restrictions, and traditional reporting requirements can create unnecessary barriers for the organizations seeking support. The conversation explores how funders can communicate more clearly, make application materials accessible, offer greater flexibility in how funds are used, and recognize forms of community impact that cannot always be captured through conventional measurements.

Listeners will come away with a clearer understanding of why equitable grantmaking requires more than changing terminology or following philanthropic trends. It requires trust, consistency, accessibility, and a willingness to design funding systems around the real needs of communities and the organizations serving them.

For more information on Olivia and her work, visit:

Linkedin

City of San Diego Cultural Affairs

Meet the Cultural Affairs Team

To learn more about Fluxx, visit:
https://www.fluxx.io/

Tim Sarrantonio has launched The Generosity Spectrum, an educational gaming company focused on helping nonprofit leaders explore generosity, identity, and motivation through hands-on learning. The work blends research, play, and systems thinking to create practice spaces where people can learn together in more human ways. To learn more about the thinking behind the company and where it’s headed, listeners can subscribe to Tim’s LinkedIn newsletter:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6907361946723889152/

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording:
https://rocketskatesrecording.com/

In a new episode of Untapped Philanthropy, Amber Melanie Smith, award-winning nonprofit founder, social entrepreneur, and creator of Activate Good, joins host Tim Sarrantonio to explore what it means to build a life and career around genuine community service.

Drawing on two decades of mobilizing volunteers and supporting nonprofit leaders, Amber reframes the connection between personal identity and civic action. The conversation examines why so many people want to make a difference but may not know where to start, how social entrepreneurship can become a path to impact, and what philanthropists and funders often miss about the people already doing the work at the grassroots level.

Listeners will come away with a clearer sense of how to align their skills, values, and lived experience with the change they want to help create, and why that alignment is essential to sustainable, meaningful giving.

For more info on Amber, visit: 

Website: https://ambermelaniesmith.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambermsmith/

To learn more about Fluxx, visit: fluxx.io

Tim Sarrantonio has launched The Generosity Spectrum, an educational gaming company focused on helping nonprofit leaders explore generosity, identity, and motivation through hands-on learning. The work blends research, play, and systems thinking to create practice spaces where people can learn together in more human ways. To learn more about the thinking behind the company and where it’s headed, listeners can subscribe to Tim’s LinkedIn newsletter.

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.

In a new episode of Untapped Philanthropy, philanthropic psychologist Jen Shang joins hosts Kerrin Mitchell and Tim Sarrantonio to explore a fundamental question: what if giving is rooted in identity, rather than financial transaction?

Drawing on decades of research, Jen introduces philanthropic psychology as the study of how people love, and how that understanding can reshape fundraising, grantmaking, and the broader social sector. The conversation centers on how generosity connects to meaning, relationships, and psychological well-being.

Together, Kerrin, Tim, and Jen explore how foundations and nonprofits can move beyond strategy to better understand the individuals behind decisions. From authenticity in leadership to the role of identity in shaping philanthropic environments, they discuss why creating space for reflection, listening, and human connection can lead to more impactful and sustainable outcomes.

They also unpack the tension between love and power in philanthropy, and what it looks like to center dignity, trust, and genuine care in the process.

For more info on Jen, visit: 

Website: https://www.philanthropy-institute.org.uk/vision 

Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/jen-shang-92320967 

To learn more about Fluxx, visit: fluxx.io

Tim Sarrantonio has launched The Generosity Spectrum, an educational gaming company focused on helping nonprofit leaders explore generosity, identity, and motivation through hands-on learning. The work blends research, play, and systems thinking to create practice spaces where people can learn together in more human ways. To learn more about the thinking behind the company and where it’s headed, listeners can subscribe to Tim’s LinkedIn newsletter.

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.

In a new episode of Untapped Philanthropy, futurist Trista Harris joins hosts Kerrin Mitchell and Tim Sarrantonio to explore how the social sector can prepare for an increasingly uncertain future. Drawing on her work at Future Good, Trista reframes futurism as a practical discipline rooted in foresight, preparation, and choice. 

The conversation examines how nonprofits and funders can move from reacting to disruption toward shaping long-term impact. From managing volatility and misinformation to engaging thoughtfully with emerging technologies like AI, Trista shares why values, governance, and human-centered leadership are essential in moments of rapid change. 

Together, Kerrin, Tim, and Trista discuss the importance of scenario planning, long-term vision, and collective sensemaking, along with why hope and imagination remain strategic assets for the sector. 

For more from Trista Harris, visit: wearefuturegood.com

Continue the conversation: Trista Harris will also be joining Fluxx for an upcoming Pulse webinar, where she’ll go deeper into how futurism, foresight, and long-term thinking can help leaders navigate uncertainty in real time.

Learn more and register here: https://www.fluxx.io/pulse-webinar-jan-2026

To learn more about Fluxx, visit: fluxx.io 

Tim Sarrantonio has launched The Generosity Spectrum, an educational gaming company focused on helping nonprofit leaders explore generosity, identity, and motivation through hands-on learning. The work blends research, play, and systems thinking to create practice spaces where people can learn together in more human ways. To learn more about the thinking behind the company and where it’s headed, listeners can subscribe to Tim’s LinkedIn newsletter. 

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.

In this season finale of Untapped Philanthropy, hosts Kerrin Mitchell and Tim Sarrantonio reflect on the moments, shifts, and conversations that defined 2025 for the social sector. From the evolving role of AI to growing expectations around accountability, value, and agency, they explore what surprised them most and what lessons are shaping the year ahead.

This candid conversation looks beyond headlines to focus on how nonprofits, funders, and communities are navigating change in practice. Together, Kerrin and Tim share where they see momentum building, why clarity matters more than ever, and what gives them hope as the sector heads into 2026.

To learn more about Fluxx, visit: fluxx.io

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.

In this episode of Untapped Philanthropy, we sit down with Chris Aurelio, Director of Security and Compliance at Fluxx, to explore how cybersecurity has become a cornerstone of trust in the philanthropic sector. Together, we unpack the latest threat trends, the role of AI in both risk and defense, and how mission-driven organizations can protect their data—and their impact—in an increasingly digital world. This conversation reframes cybersecurity not as a technical burden, but as a fundamental act of stewardship and resilience.

To learn more about Fluxx, visit: fluxx.io

To learn more about Neon One, visit: neonone.com

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.

This week on Untapped Philanthropy, Gloria Feldt, a nationally recognized expert on leadership, power, and movement building, joins us as our guest. As the co-founder and president of Take The Lead, she is championing a bold vision to achieve gender parity in leadership across all sectors. In this episode, Gloria explores what it means to lead with intention, courage, and strategy, drawing from her experiences in activism, philanthropy, and public leadership to offer insight into what’s next.

To learn more about Gloria and her work, visit her official site: gloriafeldt.com

To learn more about Take The Lead, visit: taketheleadwomen.com/gloria-feldt

To learn more about Fluxx, visit: fluxx.io

To learn more about Neon One, visit: neonone.com

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.

Guest: Emily Rasmussen

This week on Untapped Philanthropy, Emily Rasmussen, Founder & CEO of Grapevine, explores how giving circles are reimagining community-driven philanthropy. She discusses the emotional and practical value of collaborative giving, why connection matters more than ever, and how platforms like Grapevine are making generosity more accessible, inclusive, and impactful.

To learn more about Grapevine, visit: www.grapevine.org
To learn more about Fluxx, visit: www.fluxx.io
To learn more about Neon One, visit: www.neonone.com

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.

Guest: David Beckman

This week on Untapped Philanthropy, David Beckman, President of the Pisces Foundation, challenges conventional thinking in environmental philanthropy. From his early legal advocacy to leading a foundation, Beckman shares how narrative, influence, and funding structures—not policy alone—shape the path to real change. He discusses the importance of local engagement, participatory grantmaking, and expanding support for frontline BIPOC-led organizations.

To learn more about the Pisces Foundation, visit: www.piscesfoundation.org

To learn more about Fluxx, visit: www.fluxx.io
To learn more about NeonOne, visit: www.neonone.com

Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.