The $500 Million Bet on America's Future | Dr. Carmen Rojas

The $500 Million Bet on America's Future | Dr. Carmen Rojas

Every foundation in America operates on a two-way bargain with the public that rarely gets named out loud: accept significant tax advantages, and deploy those resources in service of the public good. Most foundations show you one side of that equation—the grantmaking—and keep the other side, the endowment, largely invisible. Dr. Carmen Rojas thinks that needs to change.  On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/ [https://www.scottmcurran.com/]) is joined by Dr. Carmen Rojas, president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation, for a conversation about what foundations owe the public, why MCF made the decision to expand its grantmaking from roughly $30 million to $130 million in a single year, and what it actually looks like to lead a major institution with courage when the stakes are high. Carmen traces her path from growing up in a Nicaraguan immigrant household in San Francisco to studying democratic fragility at UC Berkeley, building the Workers Lab to support low-wage worker organizing, and now leading one of the country's most consequential foundations. She explains why she believes philanthropy's greatest risk right now is caution, why she treats MCF as a financial institution first, and why she calls on foundations, nonprofits, and everyday people alike to find their own form of courage in action, not just words. This episode explores themes of philanthropic accountability, democratic values, economic justice, and power-building in communities historically excluded from it. Guest: Dr. Carmen Rojas Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios Check out our Podcast: https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran [https://www.scottmcurran.com/] CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:01:22 Early Memories of Doing Good * 00:05:43 The Systems That Made Success Possible * 00:09:22 What MCF Does and Why It Matters * 00:11:46 From Venezuela to Philanthropy * 00:18:34 The Workers Lab and Individual Shame * 00:25:25 Understanding Philanthropy's Two-Way Gift * 00:32:46 Making Government Work for People * 00:36:28 Meeting the Moment with Courage * 00:42:05 Courage is Not the Absence of Fear * 00:45:47 Messages to Philanthropy, Nonprofits, and Everyone * 00:52:26 Books for This Moment * 00:56:27 A Vision of Love, Curiosity, and Learning Better Good is a podcast series where you'll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good — through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won't wait. Neither should you.

Kevin Maguire on Modern Fatherhood and the Evolution of Men

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran  (https://www.scottmcurran.com/ [https://www.scottmcurran.com/]) sits down with Kevin Maguire, author of The New Fatherhood (https://www.newfatherhood.com/book/ [https://www.newfatherhood.com/book/]), for a special Father's Day conversation about what it really means to lead a family today. For thousands of years, fatherhood came with a clear job description: protect, provide, preside. But today's dads are expected to do all of that and more (as they should!): be present, emotionally available, vulnerable, and an equal partner at home. The old rules are fading. The new rules are still being written. But most men didn’t have anyone who prepared them for this. Kevin didn't arrive at this topic as a researcher. He arrived as a father of two confronting the questions millions of men ask quietly: Who am I beyond my job? What kind of father do I want to be? How do I show up for the people I love in a world that keeps changing? His search for answers became a newsletter, then an online community, and now a book and movement that's becoming a go-to guide for modern dads navigating parenting, striving for work-life balance, and building emotional resilience without a map. This conversation is for any—or anyone helping to raise the next generation—looking for clarity, community, and a path forward in modern fatherhood. You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/ [https://www.bettergoodbook.com/] Guest: Kevin Maguire Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios -  Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran [https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran] -  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtMFBX4d6y8] CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:04:44 Early Memories of Fatherhood * 00:07:01 The Three Ps: Traditional Anchors of Fatherhood * 00:10:38 Old Rules vs New Rules * 00:17:37 From Google to Fatherhood * 00:21:25 You Are Not Your Job * 00:24:01 Paternal Postpartum Depression * 00:28:27 Vulnerability as Strength * 00:32:52 Scarcity vs Abundance Fatherhood * 00:43:28 The Last Time Meditation * 00:52:06 Building the New Fatherhood Community * 00:57:12 The Polarized Future of Fatherhood * 01:00:31 The Future: Communities of Care -  Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.

President & CEO of the US Soccer Foundation Ed Foster-Simeon on Why Soccer is More than Just a Game

About 4 billion people will tune in for this year’s World Cup, which is being held on American soil for the first time in over 30 years. But soccer is more than a globally unifying sport. It's a shared language, a lifetime of learning, and something kids, families, and entire communities can rally around almost instantly. You don't need much to start: a ball, a bit of space, a few people willing to play. What you do need is access, a place, some structure, and someone who cares enough to show up consistently. On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/ [https://www.scottmcurran.com/]) is joined by Ed Foster-Simeon, President and CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation for a conversation about youth sports, community development, and how soccer is opening doors for kids in under-resourced communities across the country. Ed explains how the Foundation is hitting 1,000 mini pitches installed nationwide this year, and training 100,000 coaches through its Yes Coach initiative to become mentors who teach life skills alongside soccer skills. He traces his own path from journalism at USA Today to leading one of the most impactful youth development organizations in the country, and makes the case that coaches are among the most underutilized resources in America—and that what happens after the final whistle of the World Cup matters more than the tournament itself. This episode explores themes of youth development, community access, coaching and and mentorship. You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/ [https://www.bettergoodbook.com/] Guest: Ed-Foster-Simeon Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran/ [https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran/] CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:04:28 Early Memories of Doing Good * 00:10:01 From Journalism to Soccer * 00:14:41 Taking the Leap to US Soccer Foundation * 00:16:33 Redefining the Mission * 00:25:22 Safe Places to Play * 00:30:02 Soccer as a Vehicle for Youth Development * 00:36:05 The Power of Coaches as Mentors * 00:41:51 Just Ball and Community Ownership * 00:50:37 Transformation Stories and Community Impact * 00:54:11 Avoiding Parachuting In * 00:58:18 The Future Vision * 01:01:31 How You Can Help Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.

The Leader Who Inspired Sean Penn | Ann Lee on Better Good with Scott Curran

Disasters happen. Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, pandemics. There's little we can do about them. But what happens after the headlines fade and after the cameras leave is something we do have control over. The hardest part of a disaster isn't always the disaster itself. It's the weeks, months, and years of recovery and rebuilding that make the biggest difference. And most of the help, it turns out, doesn't help in all the ways it should. On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/ [https://www.scottmcurran.com/]) is joined by Ann Lee, co-founder and CEO of CORE, for a conversation about disaster recovery, humanitarian response, and what it actually takes to rebuild communities the right way. CORE began in the rubble of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, when Ann met co-founder Sean Penn and built a new model for crisis response rooted in local leadership, demand-driven relief, and long-term commitment. Ann traces her path from surviving domestic violence as a child in Los Angeles, to witnessing 9/11 in New York, to clearing rubble in Port-au-Prince with heavy equipment days after the earthquake. She explains how CORE scaled from a single displacement camp in Haiti to operating on five continents—responding to hurricanes, the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, and the 2025 Los Angeles fires—and why the organizations that parachute in with outside solutions often do more harm than good. This episode explores themes of disaster recovery, community-first development, humanitarian leadership, and climate resilience. You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/ [https://www.bettergoodbook.com/] Guest: Ann Lee Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios -  Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran [https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran] -  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtMFBX4d6y8] CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:03:09 Early Memories of Doing Good * 00:07:49 From 9/11 to Foreign Service Dreams * 00:10:25 Living in Haiti Before the Earthquake * 00:12:22 The Haiti Earthquake and Early Response * 00:19:17 Meeting Sean Penn and Founding Core * 00:29:31 The Core Model and Relief to Recovery * 00:34:13 COVID-19 and Scaling Health Response * 00:45:22 Community-First Approach and Local Empowerment * 00:53:49 The Future of Humanitarian Work -  Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.

Kiva CEO Vishal Ghotge on Closing the Opportunity Gap

There are at least 1.4 billion people on this planet with no connection to the financial system, and no way to turn a good idea into a livelihood. Not because they lack talent, drive, or ambition, but because the system simply wasn't built to include them. This massive divide between talent and opportunity is what today's guest is building a bridge across. On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/ [https://www.scottmcurran.com/]) is joined by Vishal Ghotge, CEO of Kiva, for a conversation about financial inclusion, microfinance, and what happens when you bet on people the traditional banking system ignores. Kiva has delivered nearly $2.5 billion in loans to over 5 million entrepreneurs in 80 countries, often just $25 at a time,  with a 96% repayment rate. Vishal explains how the platform connects everyday lenders with women entrepreneurs, refugees, small business owners in the US, and communities on the front lines of climate change. He traces his own path from Mumbai to Silicon Valley to leading one of the most innovative organizations in global development, and makes a powerful case that talent is universal but opportunity is not. And that closing that gap is one of the most important investments any of us can make. This episode explores themes of financial inclusion, women's empowerment, and refugee entrepreneurship. You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/ Guest: Vishal Ghotge Host: Scott M. Curran Executive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron Banerji Production by Echo Studios Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran -  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtMFBX4d6y8] CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:04:22 Early Memories of Doing Good * 00:06:16 Growing Up with Inequality in Mumbai * 00:08:32 From Mumbai to Microsoft * 00:10:49 Groupon and Helping the Little Guy * 00:15:31 PayScale, Remitly, and Finding Personal Connection * 00:18:49 The Kiva Model and Financial Inclusion * 00:27:29 The Power of Transparency and Connection * 00:32:02 Four Strategic Verticals: Refugees, Women, Climate, and US * 00:44:30 Stories of Dignity and Transformation * 00:48:08 Hope in Humanity and Career Advice * 00:55:59 Take Action and What's Next at Kiva -  Better Good is a podcast series where you’ll meet the visionaries and doers tackling the toughest challenges of our time. With moving stories and practical takeaways, Scott M. Curran brings listeners into the art and science of doing good—through conversations with the social-impact leaders reshaping how we change the world. Whether you lead a global workforce, run a fast-growing nonprofit, or are simply driven to make a difference, this show offers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to leave the world better than you found it. The world's biggest problems won’t wait. Neither should you.