Philanthropisms
Philanthropisms is the podcast that puts philanthropy in context. Through conversations with expert guests and deep dives into topics, host Rhodri Davies explores giving throughout history, the key trends shaping generosity around the world today and what the future might hold for philanthropy. Contact: rhodri@whyphilanthropymatters.com.
Monica Stryker: Philanthropy and the war in Ukraine
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Monica Stryker, the network coordinator of Foundations for Ukraine, about the role philanthropy has played during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Foundations for Ukraine is a global network of philanthropic organisations working in and with Ukraine, bringing together philanthropies from Australia, Ukraine, Europe and North America.
The Network coordinates, convenes, supports learning and amplifies Ukraine on the global philanthropic agenda.
It also supports the development of local philanthropy in Ukraine and traces how engagement in Ukraine is changing philanthropic practices in...
Michael Jarvis: Global philanthropy in a post-USAID world
Send us Fan Mail
On this episode we hear from Michael Jarvis, Executive Director of the Trust, Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative, about the challenges and opportunities for global philanthropy in a post-USAID world. Including:
How are funders responding to the withdrawal of USAID funding?Is there any sense in which this crisis also present an opportunity to make fundamental changes to our models of aid and development that many have been arguing for over many years?Why have we seen such remarkable growth in the scale and profile of Asian Philanthropy in recent years? What is...ERNOP: Connecting Philanthropy Academia & Practice #14
Send us Fan Mail
On the fourteenth edition of our podcast partnership with the European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP), we talk to more academics whose work is featured in the latest batch of short, practitioner-focused ERNOP Research Notes.
 In this episode we hear from: Â
Marlene Walk (University of Freiburg), about her research on how we should understand the role of nonprofit consultants.Tine de Bock & Tine Faseur (KU Leuven), about research on the potential downsides of "charity checkouts" (aka point of sale donations)Silke Boenigk (University of Ha...Jen Ford Reedy: What does it mean to be good at philanthropy?
Send us Fan Mail
On this episode we talk to Jen Ford Reedy, President of the Bush Foundation, about her new book "Please Be Good At Philanthropy" and why it is important for grantmakers to turn good intentions into clear strategy. Including:
Who is the title of the book aimed at? I.e. Who needs to be âgood at philanthropyâ?What does it mean to be good at philanthropy?Are our current narratives about what counts as success and failure in philanthropy creating barriers?Why is it so important not to lose sight of generosity a a gu...Isaac Jones: Teaching children and young people to be philanthropic citizens
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we hear from Isaac Jones, Director of the UK charity First Give, about their work in schools helping children and young people to become 'philanthropic citizens'. Including:
What does First Give do, and how did the organisation come about?What does the program look like for a participant?Is the primary aim to get schoolkids to be more philanthropic, to teach them skills of civic participation/engagement, or to teach personal skills (e.g. presentation, confidence etc)? What is the balance of emphasis between these things?Where does the...Emily Teitsworth: Trust, Risk & Supporting Community-Led Climate Initiatives
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Emily Teitsworth, Executive Director of the Honnold Foundation (the nonprofit set up by world-famous climber Alex Honnold), about trust, risk and the foundation's work supporting community-led climate work and low-cost solar projects. Including:
How did the Honnold Foundation come about, and what is the organisationâs core focus ?How and why was low cost solar energy chosen as an intervention? What makes this so effective?What is the foundationâs operating model and where do its funds come from?Has it helped to have a high-profile foun...Renata Minerbo: taking a holistic approach to philanthropy
Send us Fan Mail
On this episode we hear from Renata Minerbo, co-founder and Head of Philanthropy at Be The Earth Foundation, a family foundation focussed on the environment and social justice. Including:
How did Be The Earth come about?How does Be The Earth implement a trust-based approach to grantmaking?How do you ensure that a trust-based approach doesnât risk becoming exclusionary? (i.e. that you arenât limiting your scope to organisations and individuals you already know and trust, but constantly widening the circle?)Why is it so important for Be The Earth that...Dr Xanthe Scharff: Mackenzie Scott gifts, collaborative funding & combatting modern slavery
Send us Fan Mail
On this episode we are joined by Dr Xanthe Scharff, Managing Director for External Affairs and Editor-at-Large at the Freedom Fund, to discuss their work combatting modern slavery and what it is like to receive not one but two major gifts from Mackenzie Scott. Including:
What is Freedom Fundâs mission, and how does it go about delivering on this?What is the scale of modern slavery as an issue? How much philanthropic funding does modern slavery currently attract? How did the original Mackenzie Scott gift come about? ($35m in 2021).How did the...ERNOP: Connecting Philanthropy Academia & Practice #13
Send us Fan Mail
In the thirteenth edition of our podcast partnership with the European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP), we talk to more academics whose work is featured in the latest batch of short, practitioner-focused ERNOP Research Notes.
 In this episode we hear from:Â
Lauren Dula (Binghamton University, State University of New York) & Laurie Paarlberg (Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University), about their research into the literature on how power manifests in philanthropic foundations.Marius van Dijke (Nottingham Trent University) about his paper (with Gijs van Ho...Craig Newmark on philanthropy
Send us Fan Mail
On this episode we are joined by Craig Newmark - founder of Craigslist, philanthropist and recent Giving Pledge signatory - to discuss his thoughts on the importance of philanthropy and how he approaches it. Including:
What was it that particularly made him decide to sign the Giving Pledge last year, given that he has been doing philanthropy at a significant level for a long time now?Part of Craig's stated aim in signing the Giving Pledge is to âinspire really rich people to pony up some doughâ â is this something he is planni...Myths of Philanthropy #3: Individualism and Scarcity, with Zaineb Mohammed & Devi Leiper O'Malley
Send us Fan Mail
In the third and final episode of our "Myths of Philanthropy" series, Rhodri and Chiara are joined by Zaineb Mohammed (Kataly Fund) and Devi Leiper O'Malley (Closer Than You Think) to discuss individualism and scarcity. Including:
What does it mean to have a scarcity mindset, and why is it so common in the nonprofit sector?What does a scarcity mindset lead to?How can funders and nonprofits overcome the scarcity mindset themselves, and how can they help the nonprofits they fund to do so? (E.g. by giving big grants up front...Myths of Philanthropy #2: Presumed Expertise, with Ă©lysse marcellin & Tesmerelna Atsbeha
Send us Fan Mail
For the second episode in our "Myths of Philanthropy" series, we are joined by Ă©lysse marcellin (Whose Knowledge?) and Tesmeralna Atsbeha (philanthropic strategist & advisor, formerly Wellspring Philanthropic Fund) to discuss presumed knowledge. Including:
Why do we equate wealth with expertise across a broad range of domains, and why is this a mistake? Do we also make judgements about those who do not have money (i.e. that they have less knowledge or less capacity to absorb funding)?To what extent does the way in which a wealthy donor has made their money in...Myths of Philanthropy #1: Legacy, with Lisa Cowan and Dimple Abichandani
Send us Fan Mail
In the first episode of our mini-series on "Myths of Philanthropy", Rhodri and Chiara are joined by Lisa Cowan (Director of The Haven Fund, previously Vice President of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation) and Dimple Abichandani (author of A New Era of Philanthropy: Ten Practices to Transform Wealth Into a More Just and Sustainable Future) Â to discuss the notion of legacy.
Including:
To what extent do foundations exist in perpetuity as a default, rather than an active choice?Would it be enough to shift this norm?Is there evidence that n...Myths of Philanthropy: Introduction, with Mandy van Deven & Chiara Cattaneo
Send us Fan Mail
Rhodri is joined by Mandy van Deven and Chiara Cattaneo from Elemental, to introduce a new 3-part collaborative series on "Myths of Philanthropy". Including:
Why curate a series about the myths of philanthropy? How did the series take shape? Who are the contributors?What are the myths of philanthropy, and where did they come from?What do we hope readers and listeners will take away from this series?Further Resources:
ElementalThe Myths of Philanthropy Filantropia, e se cambiassimo le narrative?Of monsters and margins, or why narrative work should be at t...David Campbell & Lindsey McDougle: Can You Teach Philanthropy?
Send us Fan Mail
In our 100th episode we talk to David Campbell (Binghamton University, State University of New York) and Lindsey McDougle (Rutgers University - Newark) about their work on "Experiential Philanthropy" (EP) and using giving as a teaching tool. Including:
What is experiential philanthropy?What are some of the different models for delivering EP courses? Is EP primarily a way of learning about philanthropy, a tool for learning about other subjects, or a means of promoting active citizenship? Do EP courses tend to give participants a primer on what philanthropy is first (i.e. ke...Jonathan Heawood: Philanthropy and Public Interest Journalism
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Jonathan Heawood, Executive Director of the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF), about the role philanthropy can play in funding public interest journalism, and some of the opportunities and challenges this might bring. Including:
How do we define public interest journalism?What are the key challenges for news providers in the modern digital landscape? What role can philanthropy play in addressing these challenges?Why is local news particularly important, and why does it face particular challenges?Do philanthropic funders tend to see journalism funding as a means...Ann Mei Chang: Data and Civil Society
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Ann Mei Chang, CEO of Candid, about the opportunities and challenges when it comes to collecting and publishing data on the nonprofit sector. Including:
How does Candid decide what data to collect beyond whatâs available from IRS filings?How can we ensure that data collection benefits nonprofits rather than burdening them? Â How are nonprofits using Candid data?What role could the nonprofit sector take in modeling more ethical and transparent approaches to data collection and use?What kinds of data does Candid publish on federal fun...ERNOP: Connecting Philanthropy Academia & Practice #12
Send us Fan Mail
In the twelfth edition of our podcast partnership with the European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP), we talk to more academics whose work is featured in the latest batch of short, practitioner-focused ERNOP Research Notes.
 In this episode we hear from:Â
Peter Vandor (WU Wien), about his research (with Fabian Dober, Michael Meyer and Reinhard Millner) into how social investors make decisions about what to fund.Jo Bacon & Claire Routley (University of Kent) about their paper (with Beth Breeze) looking at the motivations and needs of do...What Next? 2026 Trends and Predictions for Philanthropy & Civil Society
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we offer thoughts on the trends and topics that are going to shape philanthropy and civil society in 2026. Including:
Philanthropy & Charities
Ongoing political challenges for US philanthropy (more attacks on the legitimacy of foundations; will Trump weaponise the IRS?)More billion-dollar gifts; more donors signalling intent (e.g. by joining the Giving Pledge); the emergence of some new big-money philanthropists (including some high-profile women?)How will global civil society adapt to a new normal post-USAID?Will Asia start to shape global philanthropy?As the âimpact ec...Philippa Charles: Foundations and Grantmaking
Send us Fan Mail
On this episode of the Philanthropisms podcast we speak to Philippa Charles OBE, Chief Executive of the DFN Foundation, about the role of foundations and what it means to be a good grantmaker. Including:Â
What is required to make core cost funding work from the funderâs point of view?What challenges do current grant application processes present for charities? How can we minimise or overcome these challenges?The relationship between fundraisers and funders (or donors) is often portrayed as somewhat antagonistic. How do we reframe it as a partnership in which bot...Rachael Jarosh & Suzanne Ehlers: Women-led philanthropy in support of refugees
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Rachael Jarosh and Suzanne Ehlers, Chair and CEO respectively of USA for UNHCR, the US-based support organisation for the United Nations refugee agency, about their new women-led philanthropy project Building Better Futures. Including
What is the aim of the Building Better Futures campaign and how did it come about?Why was it decided to focus on access to education? What makes that such an powerful catalyst for wider change?Why do female refugees face particular challenges when it comes to accessing education?Does fundraising from female...Asha Curran: Radical generosity & the power of everyday giving
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Asha Curran, CEO of GivingTuesday, about the evolution of Giving Tuesday from its origins as a US-based giving day to its current incarnation as a global generosity movement operating in over 100 countries worldwide; and what she has learned about the power of everyday acts of giving. Including:
How has GivingTuesday evolved since its inception over a decade ago?What are the key aims of the organisation today?How important does the actual Giving Tuesday day itself remain? What does success look like on the day?What...Sonal Sachdev Patel: Reflections of a Philanthropist in Residence
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Sonal Sachdev Patel, CEO of GMSP Foundation, inaugural Philanthropist In Residence at the Marshall Institute at the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) and executive coach working with philanthropists and senior leaders. In a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss:
How did the LSE Philanthropist in Residence role come about? What is the aim of the role, and what are the key insights so far?How did Sonal and her family get started in philanthropy, and what shaped their approach?What can philanthropists bring to the table...ERNOP: Connecting Philanthropy Academia & Practice #11
Send us Fan Mail
In the eleventh edition of our podcast partnership with the European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP), we talk to more academics whose work is featured in the latest batch of short, practitioner-focused ERNOP Research Notes.
 In this episode we hear from:Â
Maria Jedicke (formerly of University of Freiburg), about her research on how to design effective volunteering appeals.Georg von Schnurbein (University of Basel) about his paper (with Alice Hengevoss) looking at the different strategies used by spend-down foundations.Tine Faseur & Tine de Bock (KU...Oli French & Sally Vivyan: Why and how do foundations spend down?
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Oli French (freelance consultant) and Sally Vivyan (Co-Director of Gower Street and Grants Advisor/Trustee to the Sir Ernest Cassel Education Trust) about why and how foundations choose to spend themselves down. Including:
Are decisions to spend down more commonly about mission, principles or practicalities? Or is it a mixture of all 3 (and how does the balance shift over time)?Who tends to make the decision to spend down in an existing perpetual foundation? How do they justify their legitimacy to make this decision?How often...Philanthropy in an Era of Populist Politics
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we consider the rise of political populism across the world, the impact this is having on philanthropy and civil society, and what the response might be. Including:
What are the key features of populist politics?Has philanthropy played a role in creating the current populist moment?How are funders and NGOs in the US responding to populist attacks on their legitimacy? Are these challenges set to intensify?Can and should philanthropic funders step in to cover gaps left by government withdrawal?Should funders and nonprofits vocally stand up for...Liv Egholm & Pia Gerber: Philanthropy & Democracy in Europe
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Liv Egholm, Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School, and Pia Gerber, Director of Freudenberg Stiftung, about philanthropy and democracy in Europe. Including:
What is the core role of philanthropy within a democratic society, which differentiates it from either state or market provision? Can philanthropy be used to strengthen democracy, or is it inherently anti-democratic, because it offers a means for those with wealth to bypass the electoral system and exert unwarranted influence on public debate and public policy?Are there concerns about the influence of philanthropic âdar...Alisha Fernandez Miranda: Writing fiction about philanthropy
Send us Fan Mail
On this episode of the Philanthropisms podcast we talk to Alisha Fernandez Miranda, author of Someone's Gotta Give (out 5th August), a comic novel about the struggles of an American former fundraiser to balance motherhood, life in the UK and a new job working as a philanthropy adviser.
Including:Â
How did the book come about?How did the experience of working in philanthropy inform the book?Which archetypes and situations are people who work in nonprofits and philanthropy most likely to recognize?The book centres on the ethical and moral c...ERNOP: Connecting Philanthropy Academia & Practice #10
Send us Fan Mail
In the tenth edition of our podcast partnership with the European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP), we talk to more academics whose work is featured in the latest batch of short, practitioner-focused ERNOP Research Notes.
 In this episode we hear from:Â
Bouke Klein Teeselink (Assistant Professor in Economics at the Department of Political Economy, King's College London), about his research on how political affiliation affects charitable giving.Elizabeth Dale (Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy, Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University), ab...RĂłisĂn Wood: Philanthropy & Civil Society in Northern Ireland
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode of the Philanthropisms podcast we talk to RĂłisĂn Wood, CEO of the Community Foundation Northern Ireland (CFNI), about the landscape for philanthropy and civil society in Northern Ireland. Including:
How and why was CFNI originally formed, and what is the organisationâs focus today?What is the history and current context for civil society in NI?What is the overall makeup of the NI civil society sector, in terms of formalised vs informal orgs, large vs small, different cause areas etc.?What is the history and current cont...The Gates Foundation and timescales for philanthropy
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we take a look at the recent announcement by Bill Gates that he now plans to give away 99% of his wealth and spend down his foundation over the next 20 years. Including:
Should we be excited about this news?Why has the announcement been made now? Should it be seen in part as a response to the Trump administration? Do the sums stack up? Can we square what has been said so far about the total amounts that will be given away with the projected annual spending rates?Is the G...Allison Fine: Using AI to make fundraising better
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Allison Fine (President of Every.org and nonprofit tech expert) about the impact of AI on philanthropy, and how it can be used to make fundraising more relational at scale. Including:
 Is everyday giving in decline? If so, what are the key drivers?Are there particular declines among certain demographics or age groups?Has this led to an over-reliance on a small group of donors giving larger amounts? What are the practical and ethical issues with this?Has fundraising become too transactional? If so, why?Has a...Sarah Jeffrey, Victoria Tayler & Lonnie Hackett: Risk, Success & Failure in Philanthropy & International Development
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we discuss risk, success and failure in the context of international development and philanthropy, with Sarah Jeffrey (Vitol Foundation), Victoria Tayler (Risk Pool Fund) and Lonnie Hackett (Healthy Learners). Including
What is the Risk Pool Fund and how does it work?What are the key market failures or needs it is designed to address?Are grantees often unwilling to highlight âfailuresâ to their funders, for fear of losing future support?Are funders less likely to be objective in evaluating challenges faced by grantees when their own money is directly affe...Natasha Friend and Maria Ahmed: Participatory Grantmaking
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we discuss participatory grantmaking with Natasha Friend, Director of Camden Giving, and Maria Ahmed, a participant in Camden Giving's own participatory grantmaking work. Including:
 How did Camden Givingâs experiments with participatory grantmaking first come about?How does it work in practice?What has been the primary driver for keeping going?What have been the main insights from grantmaking meetings? Do the citizen grantmakers have full autonomy over grant decisions, or do they make recommendations that are then considered and implemented by foundation staff? How do you manage disagreements or di...ERNOP: Connecting Philanthropy Academia & Practice #9
Send us Fan Mail
In the ninth edition of our podcast partnership with the European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP), we talk to more academics whose work is featured in the latest batch of short, practitioner-focused ERNOP Research Notes.
Â
In this episode we hear from:Â
Marina Jones: The history of fundraising
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Marina Jones, Executive Director of Development & Public Affairs at the English National Opera and project lead on the history of fundraising for the fundraising think tank Rogare. Including:
Why is a historical perspective on fundraising valuable? Is fundraising a particularly hidden part of the history of charity/philanthropy? If so, why?  Are there useful practical lessons modern fundraisers can learn from their historical counterparts about techniques and approaches that work? Are there relevant historical lessons about some of the potential ethical issues that arise from fundraising?Can...Farai Chideya: Philanthropy, Democracy & Multiracial Pluralism
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, we talk to Farai Chideya, journalist, writer, academic and lead author of a recent report from Bridgespan Group, "Philanthropy for a Multiracial Democracy: How Investing in Pluralism Can Open the Aperture for Democracy Funders". We discuss:
Why is pluralism so important as an ideal, and what barriers/threats prevent it being realised?Why is it particularly important to emphasise multiracialism as an aspect of pluralism?What does it look like in practice to foster pluralism as a philanthropic funder?Does philanthropic pluralism naturally lead to a pluralistic society, or...Edouard Morena: Climate philanthropy
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we discuss climate philanthropy with Edouard Morena, Senior Lecturer in French Studies and International Politics at the University of London Institute in Paris. Including:
How much philanthropy is currently aimed at climate issues?Can philanthropy play a meaningful role with respect to an issue of the scale of climate? If so, what is that role?In terms of existing climate philanthropy, what is the balance between downstream activity (i.e. direct interventions designed to address climate breakdown symptoms) and upstream activity (i.e. advocacy and influencing aimed at addressing...Ted Lechterman: The philosophy of philanthropy
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to political philosopher Ted Lechterman about why philanthropy should be an important topic of study for philosophers, and what some of the key questions a philosophical approach raises are. Including:
Why is a philosophical perspective on philanthropy valuable/important?Is there a danger that philosophical critiques of philanthropy too often confine themselves to the realms of ideal theory, or fall into the trap of comparing worst-case examples of philanthropy with idealized conceptions of the alternatives (e.g. government)? Are there substantive qualitative differences between the giving of e...Daniel Stid: Philanthropy, Pluralism & Democracy
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode we talk to Daniel Stid, Director of Lyceum Labs and former Program Director of U.S. Democracy at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, about philanthropy, pluralism and democracy. Including:
