Givers, Doers, & Thinkers—A Podcast on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Jeremy Beer)

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with his close friend, Erik Twist, to discuss how school leaders can transform America’s K-12 education system. 

Erik Twist is the Principal Partner and President of Arcadia Education. From 2008 to 2022, Erik helped build Great Hearts Academies into the largest network of classical schools in the country. He served as president of Great Hearts Arizona from 2017 to 2022. Erik was a member of the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools from 2016 to 2021, as well as a member of the Arizona Charter Schools Association.

Jeremy and Erik start by analyzing Great Heart Academies’ development into the largest provider of classical education in the public sphere. During this new age of ideological monism, classical education is the bright light for many parents and students looking for a sanctuary in education. Erik shares that the best classical school are apolitical. They foster rich discourse where students are challenged to hold an idea and pick it apart. To put it simply, they are learning how to disagree and then play together at recess. The hope is that children fall in love with this type of education and will become better citizens through it.

Erik also shares the advice he’d offer to education entrepreneurs, nothing the importance of systems and guidance on hiring teachers. He points out how the school must curate an environment where adults want to be. So often teachers are stuck doing the arduous work of educating students without proper support from leadership, leading to a host of issues within school faculties. And to close the conversation, Erik offers where he thinks the future of education is going—pointing out where it flickers with hope and where it grows increasingly dim.

Interested to learn more from Erik Twist and Arcadia Education? Join Erik Twist and renowned Shelby Steele about the impact of CRT in our school on Thursday, May 5, from 4:30-6:00 pm MT. 

Jeremy also chats with Jason Lloyd, a managing consultant at American Philanthropic. Jason shares three ways to effectively steward donor relationships if you’re a faith-based organization. You might find his call for humility a little hard to swallow. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy talks to historian and journalist Christine Rosen about how American religious leaders, in partnership with philanthropy, helped grow the American eugenics movement in the first part of the 20th century.

Christine Rosen is a senior writer at Commentary Magazine, a fellow of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia, and senior editor at the New Atlantis. Christine holds a Ph.D. in history from Emory University. Her writing has appeared in our most prestigious periodicals, from the New York Times Magazine to the Washington Post, the MIT Technology Review to the New England Journal of Medicine, often covering the science/bioethics/technology beat. Her books include Preaching Eugenics: Religious Leaders and the American Eugenics Movement, My Fundamentalist Education, and the forthcoming book, The Extinction of Experience.

Jeremy and Christine kick off this conversation with a bang, diving right into the eugenics movements in America. Christine shares the key figures involved, like Charles Davenport, Herbert Spencer, Francis Galton, and Margaret Sanger, along with religious leaders, and the influence of eugenics on charity versus philanthropy, the rhetorical uses and misuses to which science is often put, and the dark side of American progressivism. Christine highlights some of the evil bargains made in the name of "charity" by eugenicists, like financial support in exchange for sterilization. This fascinating yet deeply troubling history is well worth your time and was very likely never part of your American history lessons. 

What is a feasibility study, and why do you need it? American Philanthropic's Dan Folta shares the key deliverables that offer insurance against failure in any sort of capital campaign. If you are about to embark on a campaign or already have started, you'll want to listen to this practicalities segment.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

Kicking off the fourth season of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with Tim Reichert to discuss philanthropy and restoring the middle class.

Tim Reichert is an economist and businessman living in Golden, Colorado, and running for Colorado's 7th district congressional seat. He is the founder and CEO of Economics Partners, a firm of economists with offices in the US and Israel. He was a Partner at both Ernst & Young and Duff & Phelps. Tim serves on the board of St. John Vianney Seminary, and is very active in supporting the disenfranchised and homeless through his support and participation in the mission of Christ in the City and the Missionaries of Charity.  

Jeremy and Tim begin their discussion by recalling their youths in the 1970s when America was in stagflation and the lessons learned from Tim's father that set him on a path to becoming an economist and putting forth a plan to restore the middle class. From there, Tim shared why he thinks St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the Missionaries of Charity are so effective: they focus on changing hearts rather than pushing any political agenda or social policy. He believes that when grace is cultivated and shared within the mission of a nonprofit, then real change can happen. Jeremy also asks Tim about different aspects of his congressional platform, like lifting up the middle class, health care prices, college debt, and personal data property rights.

You'll also hear from the founder and CEO of Innovest, Rich Todd, on the importance of value-based investing and why a nonprofit should prioritize it. Rich identifies some of the challenges and reasons for investment committees and why he thinks value-based investing is on the rise.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, we talk to theologian Gary Anderson about the surprising things the biblical tradition has to say about the poor, charity, and charity’s rewards.

Gary Anderson is the Hesburgh Professor of Catholic Theology at the University of Notre Dame and holds a doctorate from Harvard University. He is interested in all dimensions of biblical studies. His specialization is in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, but because of his interest in the history of interpretation, he also works in Second Temple Judaism and early Christian sources. He has written several works on these topics, most notable being Sin: A History and Charity: The Place of the Poor in the Biblical Tradition, which is what we spend time discussing in this episode. 

To kick off this chat, Jeremy and Gary walk through a brief history of charity in the biblical tradition. They touch on weighty questions such as charity’s place in social reform, its “worthy” recipients, and how different faiths and denominations express it. Then they shift gears a bit to discuss the somewhat uncomfortable and confusing ways influential figures like Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Bill Gates practice charity and what that means for ordinary folks. As someone concerned about the flourishing of civil society, this episode will challenge your thinking on the best ways to understand and offer charity and how it impacts your soul. 

You’ll hear from senior consultant Mark Diggs on why he thinks direct response is like fishing from a riverbank and what that means for nonprofit leaders when communicating with donors.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with businessman and philanthropist Dean Riesen about his effort to deliver and access clean water in Tanzania and what the rest of us can learn from his work.

Dean is the Managing Partner of Redrock Partners, a private equity investment firm. As part of the firm’s work, he has served as the Chairman of Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Chairman of Famous Dave’s of America, and Managing Partner of Rimrock Partners, a commercial real estate investment and development firm. He founded and serves as Chairman of the Tanzania Water Fund, which has completed over 35 community-based water systems in the Singida Region of Tanzania.

Does a localist approach translate to international giving? Dean shares his method for charitable sustainability through the Tanzania Water Fund—along with systems, people, and protocols to enact. He outlines what he calls the “human development pyramid” and why clean water is foundational to transformative impact for many developing communities—even more essential than economic development or healthcare. Dean closes out by offering wisdom on starting new endeavors and charitable work, noting the importance of patience and persistence when things fail and measuring the desired output instead of input.

During our practicalities segment, Jeremy speaks with American Philanthropic consultant Michela Petrosino. She shares her insights and unique approaches to cultivating genuine relationships with your donors that go beyond the typical run-of-a-mill suggestions.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with journalist Teddy Schleifer about how American billionaires practice their philanthropy and why it matters.

Teddy Schleifer is a reporter and founding partner at Puck who covers the influence of Silicon Valley billionaires. He’s based in the San Francisco Bay Area and writes about the tech fortunes being made and deployed during this extraordinary era of capitalism, diving into topics like campaign finance, big philanthropy and tax avoidance. He was originally based in Washington and wrote about similar topics for CNN.

Who are the rich and powerful influencing philanthropy in America today? Jeremy and Teddy kick off the discussion by identifying the surprising tendency of the very rich to be risk averse when it comes to philanthropy and taking on innovative initiatives. Teddy shares who he thinks are some of the most interesting up-and-coming philanthropists and some trendy theories and philosophies of giving he finds particularly interesting. They discuss the different approaches by new money and old money philanthropists. And end the conversation with Teddy’s views of big tech’s key figures and influencers.  

Looking for book recommendations to help strengthen civil society? We are starting a new segment called "GDT Reader's Guide" to share what other nonprofit leaders are reading and found to be particularly insightful in the work they do. Today's recommendation comes from American Philanthropic's Chief Solutions Officer, Kieran Raval. He shares Peter Thiel's book, Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future. Kieran identifies helpful takeaways like "taking risks is good," "having a bad plan is better than no plan," and "sales and product both matter," and how it applies to nonprofits. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Mary Eberstadt about family breakdown, identity politics, and atheism.

Mary Eberstadt holds the Panula Chair in Christian Culture at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C. and is Senior Research Fellow at the Faith & Reason Institute. She has written many works, including How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization; Adam and Eve after the Pill: Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution; and Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics.

Jeremy and Mary waste no time jumping straight into the topic of identity, along with the roots of identity politics—where it comes from and why it falls short. Is the sexual revolution really to blame for the weakening of civil society? Mary shares why she believes the current cultural identity crisis was fostered by a breakdown of families and the collapse of religion. Deprived of traditional ways of understanding “winner takes all,” politics destroys the building blocks of true identity. One survival response? Androgenicity. Mary goes on to outline why she believes such drastic cultural evolutions are happening now. She notes the compounding actions and influences that have created the boiling point we are facing today. All of this and more on today’s episode with Mary Eberstadt.

During this week’s practicalities segment, Jeremy hears from Aaron Brown, a managing consultant at American Philanthropic. Aaron shares how to keep development staffs motivated and focused with the highs and lows of fundraising. With year-end fundraising on the horizon, this segment is particularly beneficial!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

Today on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy talks to investor and commentator David Bahnsen about the intersection of current trends in philanthropy and economics, including why stakeholder capitalism is a bad idea.

David L. Bahnsen is the founder, managing partner, and chief investment officer of The Bahnsen Group, a national private wealth management firm managing over $3.5 billion in client assets. David is a founding trustee for Pacifica Christian High School of Orange County and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Review Institute. He is the author of several best-selling books, including Crisis of Responsibility: Our Cultural Addiction to Blame and How You Can Cure It (2018) and The Case for Dividend Growth: Investing in a Post-Crisis World (2019). His newest book, There’s No Free Lunch: 250 Economic Truths, was released in November 2021.

Jeremy kicks off the conversation by asking David to share how he strives to achieve a good return on investments and how he uses those returns to advance his philanthropic goals. He offers insights on measuring the success of nonprofits and utilizing resources like Charity Navigator. You’ll hear his thoughts on regulatory and bureaucratic systems within charitable institutions and whether it’s a good idea. And are we headed into a recession? David outlines what he thinks will happen in the coming months and how it will impact the world of philanthropy.

You’ll also hear from Iain Bernhoft, a managing consultant for American Philanthropic’s writing and communications department. Iain recommends Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, a book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. What does it have to do with civil society? You’ll have to listen during this week’s GDT Reader’s Guide segment!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week of Giver, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with nonprofit leader Jay Hein about innovative social impact investing, religion and social policy, and what the George W. Bush White House got right. 

Jay Hein is the president of Sagamore Institute and serves as managing director of an impact investing platform called Commonwealth. Together, Sagamore and Commonwealth advance game-changing ideas through innovations and investments. Jay also served President George W. Bush as the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives director. In addition, he formerly directed Civil Society Programs at Hudson Institute and served as a welfare policy advisor to then-Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson. Jay is the author of The Quiet Revolution and The New Wisconsin Idea. 

To kick off today's conversation, Jay shares about his time working for President George W. Bush's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and the controversy surrounding its formation. They discuss the weariness of faith-based organizations receiving government support for their programs and whether the concern is legitimate. From there, Jay shares a little more about the Sagamore Institute and Commonwealth and their innovative approach to social investing. What's the future of America's heartland? Jay answers whether the Midwest has "arrived" and, if so, its implications. To close, Jay offers his thoughts on different legislative reforms that have been proposed that could influence the future of philanthropy.

During this week’s practicalities segment, Jeremy chats with Ben Domingue about major-gifts fundraising. Ben addresses two questions that often come up with his clients: How do you know how much to ask for? Where can I find that million-dollar donor? If you’re wrestling with these questions, I’d suggest listening to this somewhat unconventional advice.

 You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with theologian and journalist Rusty Reno about how and why the strong gods are reappearing in American society and what that means for our common future.

R.R. Reno is the editor of First Things, a journal of religion and public life, and serves on the board of advisers of the Edmund Burke Foundation. After earning his doctorate in religious studies from Yale, he taught theology at Creighton University for twenty years. He is the author of several books, including Genesis: A Theological Commentary, Fighting the Noonday Devil, and Resurrecting the Idea of a Christian Society.

To kick start the conversation, Jeremy discusses Rusty’s recent book, Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism, and the Future of the West. How do we devote ourselves to something greater than ourselves? Rusty outlines what these strong (and weak) gods are. He also touches on hot topics like woke culture, true justice, and the crisis in Ukraine. To close, they discuss the danger of half-truths and the pride of America.

Jessica Cooper is a consultant with American Philanthropic and has extensive experience with government grants. You’ll want to listen to these three tips before applying for your next government grant.  

 You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy chats with the Ian Rowe about why we need to replace our obsession with equity with the empowering concept of agency. 

Ian V. Rowe is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on education and upward mobility, family formation, and adoption. He is co-founder & CEO of Vertex Partnership Academies, a new network of character-based, International Baccalaureate public charter high schools opening in the Bronx in 2022. He is widely published and quoted in the popular press, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, C-SPAN, the New York Post, and the Washington Examiner. With his recent book Agency, Ian Rowe seeks to inspire young people of all races to build strong families and become masters of their own destiny.

To kick off the conversation, Ian shares about being a son of Jamaican immigrants in the 1960s and the wisdom and mindset his father passed down to him as a young man. Inspiring questions such as: How do we create better environments for young people to flourish? Why do young people feel like they have little control over their future? Ian identifies the trapping narratives that deprive people of a sense of agency and why it is such a hard concept to accept by those who follow the victimhood narrative. He then outlines how to address this issue in ways attainable for people from all backgrounds. Noting that, shockingly, the “gatekeepers” for the less advantaged don’t always know what is best.

Today's GDT Reader’s Guide recommendation comes from American Philanthropic's Chief Solutions Officer, Kieran Raval. He shares Peter Thiel's book, Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future. Kieran identifies helpful takeaways like "taking risks is good," "having a bad plan is better than no plan," and "sales and product both matter," and how it applies to nonprofits.   

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

To close the fourth season of Givers, Doer, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with political philosopher Mark T. Mitchell about why and how the health of the American constitutional order is connected to private property.

Mark is the Dean of Academic Affairs at Patrick Henry College. He is the author of The Limits of Liberalism: Tradition, Individualism, and the Crisis of Freedom, The Politics of Gratitude: Scale, Place, and Community in a Global Age, and Michael Polanyi: The Art of Knowing. He is co-editor of Localism in the Mass Age: A Front Porch Republic Manifesto, The Humane Vision of Wendell Berry, and The Culture of Immodesty in American Life and Politics. He is the co-founder of the web-zine Front Porch Republic. In 2008-2009, he was a fellow at the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University.

Is the system rigged? Mark dives into the details of how often we are tricked into “playing the game” that favors some and creates barriers of entry for others and the dangers it poses to the health of our republic. What is the real state of play when it comes to property ownership in America? Mark expounds on what is special about private property, how it works to help secure freedom, and what’s left of our constitutional order. Jeremy and Mark also discuss work, the essentials of happiness, and the wisdom of limits. All of this and more are in today’s podcast.  

Are you planning to launch a capital campaign in 2023? Then, you’ll want to hear from American Philanthropic managing consultant Steve Bird about the pitfalls of running a capital campaign during this week’s practicalities segment. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

We’re back with the fifth season of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers! To launch the next ten episodes, Jeremy sits down with Carrie Tynan, CEO of the Adolph Coors Foundation in Colorado.

As CEO, Carrie oversees all the foundation’s operations--both charitable and non-charitable--and implements the trustees’ vision for America. She loves visiting nonprofits and learning how they are improving the lives of the people in their communities, as well as finding new, innovative ways to have a larger impact. Before her current role, Carrie worked for the Adolph Coors Foundation as a program officer, director of programs, and executive director. Her background provides a lens into the framework of a highly effective grantmaking foundation. 

Jeremy and Carrie discuss donor intent and local giving, combining human service and public policy grantmaking, and measuring the impact of initiatives. They also dive into the practical side of grantmaking and the importance of in-person site visits, communication with nonprofits, grant applications, and best practices for supporting grantees. To close the conversation, Jeremy and Carrie discuss the pros and cons of starting a foundation versus a donor-advised fund.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with leading philanthropy scholar Les Lenkowsky about the giving landscape in America and how it may or may not be changing.

Leslie Lenkowsky is a leading scholar on philanthropy and has been a faculty member of Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Policy since 2004, and, for five years, was the director of Graduate Programs at IU's Center on Philanthropy in Indianapolis. From 2001-2004, he was appointed by the Bush Administration as CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Among his other positions, he served as president of the Hudson Institute ('90-'97), president of the Institute for Educational Affairs, a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University, and director of the Philanthropy Roundtable. His writing has appeared in such publications as Commentary, The Weekly Standard, The Wall Street Journal, The Public Interest, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, and the Indianapolis Business Journal.

During this conversation, Les shares where he thinks giving is headed in America and the trends worthy of note. Is the decline of church-goers the source of the decline in household giving? Jeremy and Les discuss the politicization of philanthropy, donor privacy, the origins of the ACE Act, and whether tax rates influence charity. To close, we hear an often-forgotten story of Julius Rosenwald, one of the most impactful civil rights philanthropists of the early twentieth century. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music,  Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

What are the characteristics of genuine charity? During this week's episode of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy Beer and James Whitford explore this question together.

James Whitford is the Founder and CEO of True Charity. James founded the True Charity Initiative to advance the cause of privately funded effective charity at the most local level nationally. His work has appeared in the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Culture and Opportunity, Patrick Henry College’s Newsmaker Series, World, The Christian Post, and The Hill.

Jeremy and James start their conversation with background on the Watered Gardens ministry and how trial and error helped shape its mission to address the root causes of poverty. They cover entitlement mentality, restoring dignity, practical interventions, and more. This week's episode is a perfect transition into your Thanksgiving weekend and the giving season. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music,  Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with journalist Ericka Andersen about why so many women have stopped attending church and what can be done about it.  

Ericka Andersen is a freelance journalist and author of a new book titled Reason to Return: Why Women Need the Church and the Church Needs Women. Ericka writes regularly for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Christianity Today, World, and other outlets. She also has her own podcast called “Worth Your Time.” 

Jeremy and Ericka discuss why women are leaving religion at faster rates than men. Ericka shares insights on the connections between spiritual health and loneliness, faith communities and their impact on rebuilding the church, and how a simple invitation can reengage those who have fallen away. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

During this week's episode of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Joshua Mitchell about how and why today's neo-puritans think our liberation depends on destroying those mediating institutions that constitute civil society.

Joshua Mitchell is a professor of political theory at Georgetown University. He was on the start-team for Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service in Doha Qatar, and has taught courses there periodically for the past 15 years. He was also the Acting Chancellor of The American University of Iraq–Sulaimani. His research interest lies in the relationship between political thought and theology in the West. Dr. Mitchell has written several books including Not by Reason Alone, The Fragility of Freedom, Plato's Fable, Tocqueville in Arabia: Dilemmas in the Democratic Age; and his most recent book, American Awakening: Identity Politics and Other Afflictions of Our Time. 

Jeremy and Joshua start by discussing identity politics’ impact on civil society and its morphism into a religious movement. Joshua shares a bit on the idea of “scapegoating” and the rise of anti-liberal movements in America—it’s not quite what you think. This is an action-packed conversation with Joshua's insights on Trump, political competence, social justice, and rebuilding mediating institutions. 

Closing Notes: 
The Center for Civil Society is pleased to announce its 2024 Givers, Doers, & Thinkers conference, which will take place on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Join us in Malibu on October 23rd & 24th, 2024. Our Early Bird registration is now open, and attendees can receive 50% off the standard ticket price for a limited time by using code EARLYBIRD when registering. For information about conference sponsorships, including table sponsorships for your organization, please contact Center Director Jonathan Hannah at jhannah@centerforcivilsociety.org.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Oren Cass about the rising cost of thriving, our broken labor movement, alternative visions of the free market, and how to build stronger families and communities. 

Oren Cass is the executive director of American Compass, an increasingly influential nonprofit policy organization based in Washington, DC. Oren is the author of The Once and Future Worker: A Vision for the Renewal of Work in America, which was published in 2018, and is a contributing opinion writer for the Financial Times. He writes regularly for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere. And this fall, Oren was profiled in New York Magazine as “the nerd trying to turn the GOP populist.”

Jeremy and Oren dive right in by discussing economic dogmas of the past—think Reagan’s response to the 1970s—and how various policies require evolution given the new challenges facing America today. What is America’s economic diagnosis? Is capitalism out? What is the common good? Oren shares his insights on Trump, growing polarization, the middle class, inflation, economic inequality, AI, and what can be done about it all. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, and at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Alexandra O. Hudson about how cultivating the misunderstood virtue of civility can help us overcome our individual anxieties and social pathologies. 

Alexandra Hudson lives in Indianapolis, where she is an Adjunct Professor at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. She was a Novak Journalism Fellow and the creator and developer of a TV series called Storytelling and the Human Condition. She has contributed to the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Politico, and other publications. Most recently, Alexandra is the author of a new book titled The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves.

What’s the difference between civility and politeness? How do we cultivate healing in our society? Jeremy and Alexandra discuss what defines civility and the timeless set of principles that can heal our society. They further expand on the need for civility and its impact on protest, societal change, social media, education, and philanthropy. And most importantly, how Larry David fits into it all.  

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, and Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with Aaron Withe to discuss the peculiar challenges government unions pose for a healthy civil society. 

Aaron Withe is the Chief Executive Officer of the Freedom Foundation. He began his career at the Freedom Foundation in 2015 and was appointed CEO in 2021. Aaron is the author of Freedom is the Foundation: How We Are Defeating Progressive Tyranny by Taking on the Government Unions. 

What are private sector unions, and how are they different from government unions? What is the impact of the 2018 Janus v AFSCME decision? Jeremy and Aaron discuss the influence of unions and what is required to ensure transparency for taxpayers and union members. Aaron shares his experience in resisting the power of government unions and the cost of doing so.  

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Marcus A. Ruzek about how to help and how to hurt our nation's veterans.

Marcus Ruzek is the Senior Program Director at the Marcus Foundation. Marcus is a combat veteran who served as an Army Special Forces Officer (Green Beret). He served in the Army for 13 years and received three Bronze Star medals. His work at the foundation focuses on military veterans and free enterprise programs. 

Jeremy starts this conversation by hearing more about Marcus' background in the military and transition to the Marcus Foundation, created by Bernie Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot. Marcus highlights the foundation's approach toward veteran-focused entrepreneurial philanthropy. He also shares the challenges facing veteran services: entitlement culture, healthcare bureaucracy, mental health, and traumatic brain injuries. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with John Cuddeback about the art of crafting a joyful, rich, and worthy life.  

John Cuddeback is a professor of philosophy at Christendom College, where he has taught since 1997. He writes often for academic and nonacademic publications and is the author of True Friendship: Where Virtue Becomes Happiness. John founded LifeCraft, a community project that applies natural wisdom to the modern world with particular attention to issues relating to household, friendship, work, and stewardship.

Jeremy and John begin with the importance of meaningful relationships in the pursuit of a joy-filled life. John offers insights into the type of home environment humans crave and why the answer is less intuitive to younger parents. What are the daily rhythms and principles that lead families to a life of virtue? What are the makings of genuine friendship? How does a man become a leader in his home? What does it mean to be a good steward? John addresses all of this and more during this season's final episode.
 
You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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Welcome back to a new season of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers! 

To kick off the sixth season, Jeremy sits down with Jeremy Tedesco to discuss how we might better protect viewpoint diversity, free speech, and religious freedom in the workplace. 

Jeremy Tedesco is senior counsel and senior vice president of corporate engagement for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).  Jeremy has litigated First Amendment cases at the highest levels and has been part of legal teams arguing major suits involving religious freedom before the U.S. Supreme Court. He is also the founder of ADF’s Center for Conscience Initiatives, where he led efforts to protect individuals from government-coerced speech. Jeremy’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today, among other places, and he can be seen or heard on Fox News, CNN, PBS, NPR, and other leading networks.

Jeremy Tedesco sheds light on the perils of concentrated power, particularly within private companies. He reveals how the private sector is using its influence to undermine our cherished freedoms. From de-banking to viewpoint discrimination, Jeremy outlines the strategies to combat these issues, including the groundbreaking Viewpoint Diversity Score Business Index pioneered by ADF. Discover its real-time effects on major corporations like JPMorgan Chase and what this could mean for the future of corporate America.

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!

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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! 

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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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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 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 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 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, 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, 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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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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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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Givers, Doers, and Thinkers introduces listeners to the fascinating people and important ideas at the heart of American civil society. 

Join Jeremy Beer every Wednesday, starting September 9, 2020, for discussions with philanthropists, foundation leaders, reformers, social entrepreneurs, nonprofit executives, religious believers, historians, sociologists, philosophers, journalists, and anyone else who will help us understand contemporary civil society’s achievements and failures. Jeremy will also sprinkle in practical advice for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers.

Some of our guests include Alicia Manning (The Bradley Foundation), T.K. Coleman (Director of Entrepreneurial Education at the Foundation for Economic Education), Patrick Deneen (Author of Why Liberalism Failed), Garrett Johnson (Lincoln Network), and many more. 

This is the podcast for anyone interested in that vital space where philanthropy and civil society intersect.

Thanks for joining us. 

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INTERVIEW 
Jeremy speaks with Alicia Manning about her work at The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, how civil society is failing and where it is surprisingly robust, the importance of reciprocity in the world of philanthropy, and how she would advise a donor who wants to give away $20 million. 

PRACTICALITIES 
Chris Kuetemeyer shares three takeaways that every fundraiser working in major gifts fundraising needs to remember when approaching donors. Chris quotes one of his favorite colleagues: "I don't have time for fake relationships." 

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Alicia Manning is a Senior Program Director at The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Learn more about her and the foundation's work here: https://www.bradleyfdn.org/our-people/alicia-l.-manning. 

Chris Kuetemeyer is a Managing Director at American Philanthropic and the former VP of Annual Giving at FOCUS. You can reach out to Chris here: https://www.americanphilanthropic.com/leaders/chris-kuetemeyer/. 

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INTERVIEW 
This week, Jeremy speaks with T.K. Coleman on cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset, growing up as a preacher's kid in the west side of Chicago, and identifying your own creative power to strengthen civil society. 

PRACTICALITIES 
Nicole Rizkallah shares the worst advice anyone can give Gen-Z about the workforce and her recommendations for employers managing Gen-Z employees. 

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T.K. Coleman is the Director of Entrepreneurship Education for the Foundation of Economic Education. Learn more about T.K.'s work here: https://fee.org/people/tk-coleman/. 

Nicole Rizkallah is the Director of Recruitment and Senior Consultant at American Philanthropic  You can reach out to Nicole here: https://www.americanphilanthropic.com/leaders/nicole-rizkallah/. 

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INTERVIEW
This week on the podcast, Jeremy speaks with Gabe Cooper, CEO at Virtuous Software, about what motivates donors to give, how much money is actually raised in the digital world, and how nonprofits can stop failing their donors by creating more personalized experiences.

PRACTICALITIES
You'll also hear from Matt Gerken, Managing Director at American Philanthropic and a frequent Philanthropy Daily author, about his philosophy on the "art of statistical analysis" and how nonprofit leaders should assess the arguments made in charts, graphs, and tables—especially in light of COVID-19. 

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INTERVIEW
This week, Jeremy sits down with Patrick Deneen, author of Why Liberalism Failed, Professor of Political Science and Chair of the David A. Potenziani Memorial College Chair 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 discuss why liberalism struggles to sustain itself, cultural rebellions seeking to preserve institutions and certain ways of life, the threat of a new kind of totalitarianism, and the future of American civil society. 

PRACTICALITIES
You'll also hear from Cecilia Diem, Senior Consultant at American Philanthropic about her 20-minute fundraising fix for development officers. A personalized email goes a long way, and Cecilia says you’ll be surprised by how many of your donors respond to a personal forward. 

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INTERVIEW
 This week, Jeremy speaks with Garrett Johnson, co-founder and executive director at Lincoln Network. Garrett shares how government and technology have operated in “separate silos” rather than embracing the exciting opportunities that sit at the intersection of these two spheres. From his experience in government, it is clear that “technologists and innovators play an important role in addressing our nation’s most pressing problems.” Garrett believes that when both of these worlds come together, individual liberty and economic opportunity increase for all Americans and strengthen civil society.  

PRACTICALITIES
You'll also hear from Devon Ironside, Director of Data Services at American Philanthropic, about the common mistakes organization make in their databases and how to fix them. 

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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!

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This week, Jeremy speaks with Bill Kauffman, an American writer who has been featured in The American Conservative, the Wall Street Journal, Front Porch Republic, as well as various books on American civil society. Jeremy and Bill share their love of baseball, cultivating healthy communities, returning home, and the future of American politics. 

You'll also hear from Iain Bernhoft, managing consultant and director of the Writing and Communications Department at American Philanthropic, about the importance of storytelling and the art of fairy tales. Iain offers his tips for nonprofits when crafting effective donor communications. 

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 Don't miss the seventh episode of Philanthropy Daily's podcast, Givers, Doers, & Thinkers! 

This week, Jeremy speaks with Tom Riley, president of the Connelly Foundation in Philadelphia. Tom is a contributing editor to Philanthropy Magazine, and from 2001 to 2009, he was Associate Director of the White House Office of National Drug Policy. Tom shares the history of his grandparents' foundation, how to honor donor intent over time and apply it well, why the Connelly Foundation relies on personal knowledge over metrics, and, of course, how charity transforms the giver. 

You'll also hear from Liz Palla, partner at American Philanthropic and former senior program officer at the William E. Simon Foundation, where she helped review and make recommendations on funding proposals, evaluate organizational effectiveness, and maintain foundation operations. Liz shares her tips for cultivating foundations. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week, Jeremy speaks with William B. Allen, Ph.D., Chief Operations Officer of Center for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), Emeritus Dean of James Madison College and Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. Dr. Allen has also been a member of the Mackinac Center Board of Scholars since 1995. Dr. Allen discusses maintaining constitutional heritage, personal responsibility, and the implications of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as the role of civil society in molding a national character. 

You'll also hear from Austin Detwiler, managing consultant at American Philanthropic and managing editor of Philanthropy Daily. Austin discusses the giving trends in light of COVID-19 and how this might affect a nonprofit's organizational health.  

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week, Jeremy speaks journalist and author Gracy Olmstead. She's written for The American Conservative, National Review, The Federalist, and The Washington Times, and elsewhere. Her new book is now available for pre-order Uprooted: Recovering the Legacy of the Places We've Left Behind. Jeremy and Gracy discuss whether the trendy concept of localism has any real meaning, our need for rootedness, the comeback of the front porch, and the new sites of community—including CrossFit, SoulCycle, and the 2020 sourdough phenomenon.

You'll also hear from American Philanthropic Partner Justin Streiff. He dives into planning for 2021 and what fundraisers should look back at in 2020. Justin also goes into setting realistic goals and expectations for your development team.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week is the tenth and final episode of Philanthropy Daily's first season of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers. But don't fret, we'll be back with season two in February 2021! 

Today, Jeremy speaks with historian and journalist Ben Soskis. He's been featured in the Washington Post, the Atlantic, the Guardian, New Yorker online, and is the co-editor of HistPhil, an online publication on the history of the philanthropic and nonprofit sector.  Additionally, Ben is a research associate for the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute. Jeremy and Ben discuss the history of philanthropy, its critiques, and how it differs from charity. 

You'll also hear from American Philanthropic managing consultant Laura Pallares. Laura shares how to prepare and plan for the future when its crisis hits and ways to ensure your organization comes out on top once the dust settles. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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To kick off the second season of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with Timothy P. Carney, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he works on economic competition, cronyism, civil society, localism, and religion in America. He is concurrently the commentary editor at the Washington Examiner.

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.  

You'll also hear from American Philanthropic managing consultant Kyle Vander Meulen. His extensive experience advising nonprofits on the best fundraising practices leaves him with a few helpful suggestions on welcoming new donors that you won't want to miss!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week, Jeremy sits down with Elise Westhoff, President and CEO of The Philanthropy Roundtable. Elise has extensive experience in the world of fundraising, from working as the executive director of The Snider Foundation (2013-2020) to managing major gifts fundraising for neuroscience programs at the Indiana University School of Medicine (2009-2013) and developing a successful $500 million capital campaign strategy for the New York Public Library (2004-2008). She also serves on boards for the Commonwealth Foundation and the State Policy Network.

Jeremy and Elise discuss America's tradition of philanthropy and why it is particularly unique. Elise shares her concerns about philanthropic freedoms, donor privacy, the politicization of charitable giving, and other harmful reforms on the horizon in the world of philanthropy—including cancel culture.

Have you ever asked yourself if a donor club is right for your organization or whether it will increase your major gifts fundraising efforts? Well, American Philanthropic senior consultant Matt Smith gets into the details in this week's practicalities segment. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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Jeremy sits down with Kevin Youngblood this week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers.

Kevin served during Desert Shield and Desert Storm and won eight medals. He was the mayor of Carl, Georgia, and has started several businesses, including Odysseyware, an educational software company focused on reaching at-risk students. Most recently, he helped Grand Canyon University launch their Canyon Ventures program—an innovation center for startups in the valley—where he serves as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence. The goal is to help these businesses grow from a napkin idea to sustainable revenue as quickly as possible. Through this role, Kevin realized that a lot of startup founders struggle with selling their ideas, selling their products, and bringing in revenue. To respond to this need, he launched Youngblood Works, which provides sales training, mentoring, and customer acquisition services to young entrepreneurs.

Jeremy and Kevin chat about creating sustainable solutions and innovations from scarcity, the importance of planting trees, businesses, and churches within civil society's poorer communities, as well as his work with Local First Arizona and the impact of local banks on economies. Kevin is truly a jack of all trades, and as Jeremy notes, he might be Phoenix's most interesting man.

After that: Why is visual identity important? How do nonprofits benefit from it? What are a few easy ways you can improve your nonprofit's branding? American Philanthropic's director of creative services, Emma Baugher, addresses these questions and more during this week's practicality segment. 

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Brad Wilcox about how civil society affects our marriages and families for better or worse.

Brad Wilcox is the Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, and a Visiting Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Brad’s research has focused on marriage, fatherhood, and cohabitation—especially on the ways that family structure, civil society, and culture influence the quality and stability of family life in the United States and around the globe.

Are marriages cracking at a higher rate due to COVID-19? Jeremy asks how the pandemic and social and governmental reactions are affecting marriage and family life. Brad shares his prediction that marriages will move away from a soul-mate or individual marriage model of the 1970s  and towards a family-first model—and how the two models differ and influence civil society. He also notes that the past year's social and economic dislocations will likely cause young adults to be even more cautious about tying the knot in the future. They also discuss some factors strengthening or weakening marriages today and within culture, including social justice, education, politics, work, faith, socio-economic status, and much more.

You'll also hear from managing consultant and capital campaigns expert Scott Bucko on preparing and knowing whether your organization is ready for a capital campaign. Scott shares the four components that need to be in place for a successful campaign.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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Jeremy sits down with Helen Andrews this week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers.

Helen Andrews is a senior editor at The American Conservative. She has worked at the Washington Examiner and National Review, and as a think tank researcher at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Yale University. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, First Things, Claremont Review of Books, Hedgehog Review, and elsewhere.

Jeremy dives right into Helen's new book, BOOMERS: The Men and Women Who Promised Freedom and Delivered Disaster. They cover Helen's views on the boomer legacy and their impact on civil society, from leadership roles to influencing millennials and Gen-Z. She also shares the dangers of generational arrogance and its consequences on leadership—highlighting the myth behind "transformational" leaders and the lies boomers have perpetuated to suit their cultural goals. This is one captivating conversation you do not want to miss.

You'll also hear from senior consultant Mallory Staley. She chats with Jeremy about her tips for working with charitable foundations, specifically the importance of following up and how to do so successfully. If you're looking to strengthen your grants program, this will be particularly helpful to you.   

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Tim Kachuriak.

Tim Kachuriak is the founder and Chief Innovation and Optimization Officer for NextAfter, a fundraising research lab and consulting firm that works with businesses, nonprofits, and NGOs to help them grow their resource capacity. Tim is also the co-founder and board member of Human Coalition and serves on several other organizations' boards.

Jeremy and Tim chat about the patterns that lead to unlocking greater digital fundraising. Tim shares what updates nonprofits should make on their donation page and what the data says about the most compelling email copy and format when communicating with donors. He also highlights how to humanize your donor communications while addressing the "mid-level donor crisis." You'll hear what the most effective nonprofits are doing and how to avoid thwarting your organization's growth, and the challenges Tim sees on the horizon within the nonprofit world.

You might be asking yourself: Does direct mail still work? How does it compare to digital fundraising? Is direct mail going out of style, and will it work for young generations? Spencer Kashmanian, a direct response managing consultant at American Philanthropic, dives into all of this during this week's practicalities segment, including the steps to building a strong direct mail strategy.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Howard Husock.

Howard is a Senior Executive Fellow for The Philanthropy Roundtable and an adjunct scholar in Domestic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Previously, he was a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where he served as vice president for research and publications from 2006-2019. He directed the Institute’s Tocqueville Project, which includes the annual Civil Society Awards and the Civil Society Fellows Program. He is also the author of Who Killed Civil Society? The Rise of Big Government and Decline of Bourgeois Norms.

Jeremy and Howard discuss the distinction between norms and material provisions—and why norms are more important for individual flourishing than provisions to scale societal impact. Howard points out that the strength of our civil society has ebbed as the breadth and character of our government have expanded. He emphasizes that he is not anti-government, but there are several things government does not do well that undermine civil society. When the government gets involved, it typically attempts to fix the problem instead of preventing the problem, which Howard sees as reformative rather than formative. Howard also shares wonderful stories of the unsung heroes who have strengthened American civil society in the past and most recently since the coronavirus pandemic. And he beautifully reminds us: “Civil society is its own reward.”

During this week’s practicalities segment, Jeremy chats with American Philanthropic managing consultant Scott Rubush about crafting persuasive messaging for your donors. The assumption that donors are primarily rational decision-makers, Scott explains, is debunked, and he'll have you reaching for some David Hume.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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Today on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with writer Helen Pluckrose about critical social justice ideology, what it is, and what to do about it.

Helen is a liberal, secular humanist writer and cultural commentator. She is the editor-in-chief of Areo Magazine, a broadly liberal humanist digital magazine that focuses on current affairs, politics, culture, science, and art. She is also the founder of Counterweight, an organization that helps individuals resist the imposition of Critical Social Justice on their workplace, university, or children's school. She is co-author, with James Lindsay, of the bestselling book, Cynical Theories.

Jeremy and Helen dive into the theory of critical social justice and how it is reshaping our cultural consciousness and its connection to woke power systems. Helen dissects a postmodernist view of relativism and the movement toward secular moralism. This provocative conversation is full of insights into various aspects of society, from Helen's concerns for American totalitarianism to race, feminism, sexual identity, religion, and much more.

You'll also hear from American Philanthropic senior managing consultant Eric Streiff. Eric chats with Jeremy about digital marketing for nonprofit organizations. He offers insights on the type of content that’s most helpful for nonprofit audiences and how to discover the “why” for your nonprofit’s social media.  

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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Today on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with JP De Gance, president and CEO of Communio, about the status of marriage in civil society.

JP has spent his two-decade career in philanthropy seeking to scale organizations that improve lives. While executive vice president at the Philanthropy Roundtable, he incubated and launched Communio as a program area of that organization to discover the most effective philanthropic strategies to boost marital health and family stability—a leading predictor in poverty rates and upward mobility. After three years of trial and error, JP and Communio’s co-founding business leaders decided it was time to replicate the strategies that proved to be most effective.

Jeremy and JP chat this week about the work Communio is doing to strengthen marriages around the United States and its amazing success in areas like Jacksonville, Florida and Phoenix, Arizona. They discuss some interesting figures involving government-based marital improvement programs, the importance of storytelling, and insights into the millennial marriage. JP also touches on the increasing gender gap, how his work addresses the reality that there are fewer men in the world, and what it means for the future of marriage.

After the year our country has had, many patients are looking to thank the doctors and nurses who cared for them during one of their most vulnerable moments in life. Owen Thomas shares with Jeremy how grateful patient fundraising is a vehicle for patients to express their appreciation and the best way to handle this sensitive topic. Now is the time for hospitals and healthcare institutions to take a look at grateful patient fundraising.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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Wrapping up season two of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy talks with David Patrick King about faith-based nonprofits and how evangelical Christianity specifically has helped shape America’s philanthropic landscape.

David is the Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. His research interests broadly include exploring the practices of 20th and 21st century American and global faith communities and, more specifically, investigating how the religious identity of faith-based nonprofits shapes their motivations, rhetoric, and practice. And he is the author of the recent book, God’s Internationalists: World Vision and the Age of Evangelical Humanitarianism (UPenn Press 2019), which traces the seventy-year history of World Vision, the world’s largest Christian humanitarian organization, as a lens into the religious history of international relief and development organizations.

Jeremy and David discuss the longevity of religion-sourced giving in light of the growing demographic of "nones" and what that means for philanthropy moving forward, given that the majority of charitable gifts come from faith-oriented givers. David offers insights to congregations on their fundraising messaging and suggestions about connecting with younger givers and preparing older givers to leave a lasting legacy with the organizations they cherish the most. They also get into fascinating details behind the creator of World Vision International, Robert Pierce, an American Baptist minister and relief worker whose personality was one for the books—literally.

And last but not least, you'll hear from senior consultant Abigail Alberti about the wisdom of planned giving programs and why it is easier to get started than you might think. She demystifies "legacy fundraising" and shares how to implement this tool into your development strategy.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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We are kicking off season three of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers with Jonathan Haidt.

Jonathan is a social psychologist whose research examines the intuitive foundations of morality. You might know him from his New York Times bestseller, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion. 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 about the moral intuitions and untruths that separate us but perhaps don’t need to. They 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. 

You’ll also hear from American Philanthropic Partner Doug Schneider on strategic development planning. He shares the importance of taking time to slow down towards the end of the year to assess your work and how to best plan for the future. 

Interested in learning more about how to prepare your organization’s 2022 strategic development plan? Join Doug Schneider and Austin Detwiler on Thursday, November 4 for a master class on planning for success in 2022, use coupon code PODCAST to receive a 10% discount.

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

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This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with longtime National Review publisher Jack Fowler to discuss the place of magazines of ideas in civil society, fundraising for periodicals, and how to manage those pesky creative types.

Jack Fowler is the Director of the Center for Civil Society. For over three decades he served at National Review in various capacities, including as publisher, and oversaw publishing, promotion, and fundraising and development operations. He also contributed articles regularly and hosts a popular podcast with Victor Davis Hanson. He has served on numerous boards, including the American Mental Health Foundation, The Human Life Foundation, The Frontier Center, and GenJustice, and for over a decade was a White House Fellows program regional judge.

Jeremy and Jack begin the podcast by discussing the early days of National Review and how it evolved, along with the great influence of William F. Buckley Jr. and both of their experiences of him. They tackle the uniqueness of fundraising for a magazine while managing donors who disagree with a writer’s point of view. And to wrap up, Jeremy and Jack share several insights into the importance of civic associations in combatting despotism in America, noting the prime differences between national and local associations and their effect on an unrepressed civil society.

Is your fundraising copy at the correct reading level for your donors? Are your visual assets resonating with your target audience? How are you managing all of your marketing efforts? American Philanthropic’s Chris Baggett shares the three digital tools that help answer these questions and why he thinks you should incorporate them in your toolbox.

Also, if you want to participate in the 2021 Performance Fundraising Survey that Jeremy mentioned at the end of the podcast, click here. By joining this survey, you will receive a free digital copy of the final report and be entered into a drawing with prizes ranging $100-$3,000 in value. The survey closes October 31—participate before it is too late!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with filmmaker John Papola about the power of storytelling and how it can be deployed to deepen our appreciation for the value of human freedom.

John Papola is CEO and chief creative officer of the Emergent Order Foundation (EO). The organization’s mission is to build a bottom-up movement that celebrates American freedom and the potential it unlocks in each of us. Prior to co-founding EO, John worked as a video producer and director for Spike TV, Nickelodeon, and MTV.

Jeremy and John cover entertainment media’s influence on politics and culture. The purpose and impact of heroic storytelling in preserving and enriching American ideals and the stories that are slowly destroying the American dream. John also comments on the dangers of the disease of wealth and the feedback loops crippling younger generations. All this and more on this week’s episode with John Papola.

Are you linking content correctly? How many emails does a nonprofit send to its donor base? American Philanthropic consultant Stephanie Walker shares a few tips to improve your next email to donors.

If you want to participate in the 2021 Performance Fundraising Survey that Jeremy mentioned at the end of the podcast, click here. By joining this survey, you will receive a free digital copy of the final report and be entered into a drawing with prizes ranging $100-$3,000 in value. The survey closes October 31—participate before it is too late!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

Today Jeremy speaks with Mark Roosevelt about what a genuine liberal arts education looks like, how it contributes to a healthy civil society, and how philanthropy can be deployed to make college more or less affordable again.

Mark Roosevelt is the president of St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After running for governor of Massachusetts as the Democratic nominee in 1994, Mark turned his attention toward education and served in various roles over the years before becoming president of St. John's College in 2016. Another interesting fact, Mark is the great-grandson of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.

Jeremy and Mark discuss the unique structure of St. John's College's philanthropy-centered tuition model. What that means and how it's deployed. The college's distinct curriculum and the relationships that exist or don't exist between certain kinds of educational models and principles and outcomes with respect to civil society. 

As you prepare your upcoming Giving Tuesday and yearend digital campaigns, take a listen to this conversation with American Philanthropic's Carmen Natschke. During this practicalities segment, Carmen shares the three essential components of a yearend digital campaign.

If you want to participate in the 2021 Performance Fundraising Survey that Jeremy mentioned at the end of the podcast, click here. By joining this survey, you will receive a free digital copy of the final report and be entered into a drawing with prizes ranging $100-$3,000 in value. The survey closes October 31—participate before it is too late!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

Today Jeremy speaks with Philip Hamburger about the surprising origins of the IRS's restrictions on a charity's political speech, and why those restrictions ought to be regarded as unconstitutional. 

Philip Hamburger is the Maurice and Hilda Friedman Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, and President of the New Civil Liberties Alliance. He writes on constitutional law and its history—with particular emphasis on religious liberty, freedom of speech and the press, judicial office, administrative power, and unconstitutional conditions. He also studies Anglican, Baptist, and Quaker history, early secularism, and the Ku Klux Klan. He has twice received the Sutherland Prize for the most significant contribution to English legal history, and has been awarded the Henry Paolucci-Walter Bagehot Book Award, the Hayek Book Prize, and the Bradley Prize.

Jeremy dives in by asking Philip about his book, Liberal Suppression: Section 501(c)(3) and the Taxation of Speech. His argument that the IRS essentially taxes speech is both compelling and provocative. Philip connects the origins of the 501(c)(3) free speech restrictions to former Ku Klux Klan imperial wizard Hiram Evans and his hatred of the Catholic Church. Philip argues that the net effect is that all theologically orthodox speech is treated as a threat to democracy. He continues that the mere history behind this tax law should cause Americans to pause and ask whether it is constitutional or not. All of this and more during this week’s episode with Philip Hamburger.

On this week's Practicalities segment, American Philanthropic partner Matt Gerken discusses the influence and importance of donor surveys for nonprofits. Donor surveys provide the unique opportunity to cultivate and identify major gift opportunities in your donor file. This allows your organization to understand donor priorities and learn what they believe and care about. Learn more about American Philanthropic's donor surveys here.

Do you want to participate in the 2021 Performance Fundraising Survey that Jeremy mentioned at the end of the podcast? You can join the survey by clicking here. When you participate in this survey, you will receive a free digital copy of the final report and be entered into a drawing with prizes ranging $100-$3,000 in value. The survey closes October 31—participate before it is too late!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts,

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with Ismael Hernandez, founder of the Freedom and Virtue Institute, to discuss how civil society can come together to promote or to undermine healthy self-reliance.

Before founding the Freedom and Virtue Institute, Ismael was the executive director of the African Caribbean American Catholic Center (AFCAAM). Ismael frequently lectures at Acton University and the American Enterprise Institute, and he is the author of Not Tragically Colored: Freedom, Personhood, and the Renewal of Black America.

After growing up in a communist household in the 1960s, Ismael was shocked to experience his “lungs filled with the air of freedom” once on American soil. His unique history and experience suffering with the poor, asks the question civil society often forgets to ask: Is it working? Ismael suggests that true charity is both intelligent giving and intelligent withholding. He suggests that we infantilize the poor and see them as victims of circumstances that are outside their control instead of active participants in their own freedom. This compelling conversation will have you questioning more than welfare public policy. You might find that the bigger problem is in fact one’s superficial resolve to do something about it. 

You’ll also hear from American Philanthropic consultant, Jake Loel. If you’re a nonprofit looking for new donors—and who isn’t?—you’ll need a few research tools to find the right individual and foundation donors for your organization. Jake shares the three resources he suggests every nonprofit invest in to help identify prospective donors.

Are you a giver? A doer? Maybe a thinker? Join American Philanthropic and the Center for Civil Society on November 17th for a conference on Restoring American Community. You’ll hear from leading philanthropists, scholars, and nonprofit leaders, with ample opportunity for serious discussion of how concerned citizens might strengthen local communities, advance charity, and conserve the natural and cultural goods of our communities and our nation. Sign up by Wednesday, November 10th to secure your seat!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

During this episode of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy chats with acclaimed journalist Christopher Caldwell about the surprising implications of the reforms of the 1960s, including civil rights legislation for the American community.

Christopher Caldwell is a contributing editor at the Claremont Review of Books and a contributing opinion writer at The New York Times. He was formerly a senior editor at The Weekly Standard and an opinion columnist for the Financial Times. Christopher is also the author of The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixities published in early 2020.

Jeremy and Christopher dive right in by discussing the “1960’s new order” that has shaped much of our modern politics. Christopher shares that the civil rights style of doing politics became a second constitution that overrode the first. He covers the two different perspectives on civil rights, the perpetrator perspective and the victim perspective, and the origins of critical race theory. They discuss the winners and losers of the “new order” and its influence on the Vietnam war and late 20th-century economics, along with the root of 21st-century populism. All of this and more on today’s episode with Christopher Caldwell.

You’ll also hear from the brilliant Nicole Rizkallah, managing consultant of talent recruitment and development for American Philanthropic. She shares the common mistakes nonprofits make when hiring. Some of which are quite unconventional. You won’t want to miss this practicalities segment!

You can find Givers, Doers, & Thinkers here at Philanthropy Daily, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel

Today on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy speaks with Michael E. Hartmann about what he sees as the major problems in the philanthropy sector today, and about the ideas that are being put forth to address those problems.

The Giving Review co-editor Michael E. Hartmann is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Strategic Giving at the Capital Research Center (CRC) in Washington, D.C. He also curates RealClearPolicy’s “Philanthropy and Giving” section. For almost 20 years, Mike served in various roles on the program staff of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation in Milwaukee, including as its Director of Research. Mike is a past Visiting Fellow of the Philanthropy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., for which he researched and wrote Helping People to Help Themselves: A Guide for Donors. He is co-author of CRC’s The Flow of Funding to Conservative and Liberal Political Campaigns, Independent Groups, and Traditional Public Policy Organizations Before and After Citizens United, hailed as “an unprecedented study” by RealClearPolicy.

To start the conversation, Mike shares lessons from his time at the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and how philanthropy works well and other dynamics effecting major philanthropic institutions. They cover the concerns around wealth disparities and donor diversity in philanthropy. And lastly, Mike  turns to the populist critiques of establishment philanthropy, and talk about “Accelerating Charitable Efforts Act” introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley and Angus King. 

You'll also hear from Cecilia Diem, a managing consultant at American Philanthropic. She has written various articles on major gifts fundraising like how to avoid bombing a donor meeting or the importance of emailing your donors. Well, today Cecilia shares her five insights to a successful donor meeting.

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel