Be Giving Podcast

Season 02: Ep 06: Disaster Philanthropy: An Increasingly Important Field of Giving

In the episode, we are joined by Regine Webster. Regine is a philanthropic consultant, guiding foundations to create sustainable and equitable impact. She was the founding executive director and vice president of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, an organization aimed at transforming disaster-related giving worldwide. A trusted voice in the sector, Regine has worked to develop the field of disaster philanthropy over the past twenty years. Regine is one of only a handful of people nationwide who have managed a dedicated disaster portfolio for a foundation; including the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, she has worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Arabella Advisors. In this episode, we discuss: * What disaster philanthropy means and the intersectional nature of disasters * How philanthropy can provide support for disaster-related challenges * The role technology plays in identifying need and targeting response surrounding disasters

Season 02: Ep 05: VUCA—What Is It and What Role Does It Play in Philanthropy?

In this episode, we are joined by Suzanne Elise Walsh. With a background in philanthropy, higher education, community development, and law, today, Suzanne is the President of Bennett College, where she has served since August 2019.   Suzanne is also the Founder and Manager of Discerning SEWlutions, an organization that works with foundations, nonprofits, colleges, and universities to uncover, imagine, and plan for future possibilities. Previously, Suzanne also served as Deputy Director at the Gates Foundation, where she developed a portfolio of over $70 million in postsecondary investments. Additionally, she has held roles at Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, the Lumina Foundation for Education, and The Heinz Endowments. She has received national recognition for her portfolio of work with organizations at the intersection of innovation, technology, and learning.   In this episode, we discuss: ·   The concept of VUCA – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity, and how it informs Suzanne’s role as a leader in higher education ·   How nonprofits and funders can build transparent, effective relationships that lead to better results ·   The value of funders working with grantees as partners and making space in portfolios for nonobvious partners

Season 02: Ep 04: How the 1% Lives: Tales of Billionaire Philanthropy

In this episode, we are joined by Kerry Dolan, an Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes where she examines the world’s wealthiest people and their philanthropic legacies. As part of her work, she oversees Forbes’ annual list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women and the list of America’s Biggest Givers. Her coverage has ranged from a rare interview with Mark Zuckerberg last year on the eve of Meta’s 20th birthday to a recent story about how the next-gen think about their philanthropic endeavors. An award-winning journalist, Kerry has been reporting for over two decades, making her privy to the companies, trends, and people changing the giving landscape. Her reporting has taken her to many corners of the globe – 17 countries on four continents, from the streets of Manila to palaces in Saudi Arabia to Chile’s Atacama Desert, giving her a unique vantage point. In this episode, we discuss: * The role of tax benefits in American philanthropy * How Forbes defines a philanthropic contribution and scores philanthropists on their generosity * Trends in next-gen, billionaire, and ultra-wealthy charitable giving

Season 02: Ep 03: Social Change Ecosystem: Looking at Giving through a Multidimensional Lens

In this episode, we are joined by Deepa Iyer who played many roles over two decades supporting social movements: weaver, frontline responder, storyteller, and guide. Her political and community homes include Asian American, South Asian, Muslim, and Arab ecosystems, where she spent many years in policy advocacy and coalition building in the wake of the September 11 attacks and the ensuing backlash.    Today, Deepa is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Building Movement Project, a national non-profit organization that catalyzes social change through research, relationships, and resources. Deepa is also a writer of three books including We Too Sing America and Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection.   Most recently, she is bringing her social change ecosystem map to young children and their caregivers in a new children's book, 'We are the Builders', with learnings about social change.   In this episode, we discuss:   ·   The components of the social change ecosystem map – core sacred values, showing up in the ten roles of the ecosystem, and understanding connections between the roles ·   The importance of funders being open to exploring new directions with their nonprofit partners and approaching funding through a multidimensional framework ·   How funders and nonprofit partners can both be storytellers who talk about the work they’re doing

Season 02: Ep 02: Investing in our Future: Empowering Women and Girls of Color

In this episode, we are joined by Ada Williams Prince, an established thought leader at the intersection of philanthropy, equity, and global economic development. A creative leader at the cutting edge of global and domestic philanthropy. Ada has worked for two decades to advance the power and influence of women and girls of color around the world, She has conceived groundbreaking disruptions to philanthropic norms and scalable models to transform the field along the way.  She was the Director of Program Strategy at Pivotal Ventures, founded by Melinda French Gates. Prior to that, she held roles at many organizations for change, such as the Marguerite Casey Foundation, OneAmerica, the Women’s Refugee Commission, the International Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims, and the US Aid Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, to name a few. By championing the formation of the first ‘Women and Girls of Color Design Council’ within a premium philanthropic and venture organization, she has envisioned a future in philanthropy and investment built around silo-busting investment strategies and fundamental trust in women and girls at the intersection of gender, race/ethnicity and economics. Ada is leading a growing community of funders committed to transforming capital and decision making. In this episode, we discuss: * Why an investment in women and girls of color is an investment in everyone * The value of funders respecting and trusting the expertise of community members to design solutions for their own lives * How longer-term grants allow nonprofits to ensure continuity in their impact and build trust in philanthropy