The Catalytic Philanthropy Podcast

exponentphilanthropy
  • 5.0 (3)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

-Creative Funders Explore Their Art and Craft- Each month, meet some of the most creative, resourceful, and risk-taking funders in the country. These individuals are creating a new kind of philanthropy, shifting from the transactional to the transformational.

  1. 12/18/2025

    Asking "What Do You Need?" Led Us to Fund AI & Other Trainings for Nonprofits

    The Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund shifted its grant reporting process from written reports to inviting conversations with partners. Executive Director Lauren Scott approached these conversations by asking open-ended questions, and listening. What she and her staff heard offered a window into what nonprofit leaders across the city were struggling with. Hear how Lauren opened up these conversations, and the actions taken to respond. The foundation funded and also created capacity building programs for grantees and the wider community of nonprofits. As Lauren reflects on this work, she asks,  "If our partners are asking for something, why wouldn't we provide it?" ----more---- Lauren Scott is Executive Director of the Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund, a place-based family foundation in Galveston, Texas. A systems thinker and coalition builder, she aligns mission and values with strategy to advance the community’s vision for its future, delivering outsized impact through trust-based philanthropy, innovative investments, and intentional partnerships.

    20 min

  2. 10/28/2025

    Making a Case for Foundations Spending More to Meet the Moment

    During a year of massive funding cuts to the nation's social service providers, the Weissberg Foundation is challenging traditional assumptions in philanthropy about foundation spending. As Executive Director Ricshawn Adkins Roane puts it, "Five percent is a floor, not a ceiling." Find out why staff and board members decided to spend twice the amount originally budgeted, to support their nonprofit partners and the vulnerable communities they serve. Hear the case Ricshawn and her board make to other foundations.  ----more----   Ricshawn Adkins Roane works at the intersection of philanthropy, public opinion, and policy for economic, racial, and gender justice.  Since late 2021, she has served as Executive Director of the Weissberg Foundation, a family foundation rooted in Virginia that advances organizations and efforts building the power of those most negatively impacted by racism.

    11 min

  3. 10/28/2025

    How a Lean Foundation Doubled Its Spending to Meet Urgent Needs

    The Weissberg Foundation, a leanly staffed foundation in Virginia, chose to double its spending to support partners and communities in a year of massive funding cuts to nonprofit organizations.  Executive Director Ricshawn Adkins Roane shares the staff and board's decision process for spending considerably more, and their goals for supporting communities facing unprecedented hardship and threats. She also shares how the foundation accelerated funding and streamlined application and reporting.   ----more---- Ricshawn Adkins Roane works at the intersection of philanthropy, public opinion, and policy for economic, racial, and gender justice.  Since late 2021, she has served as Executive Director of the Weissberg Foundation, a family foundation rooted in Virginia that advances organizations and efforts building the power of those most negatively impacted by racism.

    28 min

  4. 07/25/2025

    Building Alliances Between a City's Nonprofits and Its Business Community

    In Oklahoma City, the Expressions of Hope Foundation, the corporate foundation for Express Employment International, leverages its ties to Oklahoma City businesses to build and strengthen nonprofits. Director of Corporate Philanthropy Jessica Gilmore shares how and why she finances memberships for nonprofits to the network of Chambers of Commerce across the city. The idea emerged while Jessica was doing listening interviews as a cohort member in Exponent's Intro to Catalytic Leadership Program. Jessica explores the very tangible and also the more intangible benefits that nonprofits gain from sitting at tables with the city's corporations.  ----more---- Jessica M. Gilmore is Director of Corporate Philanthropy at Express Employment International. Jessica is an Oklahoma native and community advocate, seeking to transform corporate philanthropy as a resource partner and community convener. She manages all the day-to-day aspects of corporate giving, and also oversees the management and administration of Express’ private foundation, Expressions of Hope. Jessica is a graduate of LOKC Signature Class 38. Her areas of service include Central Oklahoma Funders’ Roundtable, Exponent Philanthropy, Leadership Oklahoma City, and the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits.

    19 min

  5. 06/04/2025

    Entrepreneurial Philanthropy: Expanding Childcare by Nurturing New Childcare Businesses - Part 1

    Lean foundations make bets on new, creative ideas for addressing social and environmental challenges. Learn how a foundation with one staff person helped tackle the childcare scarcity in Connecticut, by helping build a new incubator model to help women start and grow family childcare businesses. In this two-part Podcast, Kimberley Russo of the Fund for Greater Hartford shares, step-by-step, how the foundation uses its powers to convene, advocate, collaborate, and champion, to help catalyze a new vision and model for solving a critical issue, while building economic opportunity for women. ----more---- Kimberley Russo is Executive Director of The Fund for Greater Hartford. She is a founding member of the Connecticut Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, past board chair of the CT Network for Children and Youth, and a current board member of CT Voices for Children and the CT Council for Philanthropy. Prior to joining the Fund, Kim was with the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, serving most recently in the role of Director of Community Investment.

    27 min

  6. 06/04/2025

    Entrepreneurial Philanthropy: Expanding Childcare by Nurturing New Childcare Businesses - Part 2

    Lean foundations make bets on new, creative ideas for addressing social and environmental challenges. Learn how a foundation with one staff person helped tackle the childcare scarcity in Connecticut, by helping build a new incubator model to help women start and grow family childcare businesses. In the 2nd part of her Podcast, Kimberley Russo of the Fund for Greater Hartford shares, step-by-step, how the foundation uses its powers to convene, advocate, collaborate, and champion, to help catalyze a new vision and model for solving a critical issue, while building economic opportunity for women.   ----more---- Kimberley Russo is Executive Director of The Fund for Greater Hartford. She is a founding member of the Connecticut Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, past board chair of the CT Network for Children and Youth, and a current board member of CT Voices for Children and the CT Council for Philanthropy. Before joining the Fund, Kim was with the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, serving most recently in the role of Director of Community Investment.

    19 min

  7. 03/12/2025

    Breaking Down Walls Between Foundation and Community: How Transformation Begins

    No matter their mission, culture, or focus, every foundation's first steps toward Catalytic Leadership follow a similar path. A foundation staff person, trustee, donor, or family member ventures into the community to listen, get to know people, and become immersed in an issue. Immersing oneself and getting close to people with knowledge reveals opportunities to use grants and the foundation's other resources in targeted, powerful ways. In this Podcast, we explore these early stages in funders' evolution from grantmaker to changemaker through the lens of funders' experience in Exponent Philanthropy's Intro to Catalytic Leadership Program. The program provides skills training in deep listening and asking powerful questions and then guides participants as they venture into their communities to do listening interviews across the landscape. The experiences of Fayth and Jennifer offer an insider's look at how listening leads to transformation.  Podcast Guest Bios A program officer at the Hau'oli Mau Loa Foundation, Fayth Paekukui leverages over 12 years of expertise in program management, philanthropy, and development. Fayth is dedicated to fostering impactful initiatives and enhancing opportunities for underserved communities. She balances her professional pursuits with family time, travel, and a deep love for her four beloved dogs.  A registered nurse by training, Jennifer Barborak serves as Executive Director of Buhl Regional Health Foundation. The foundation builds upon collaborative efforts to address health disparities and overcome inequities. Jennifer founded Shenango River Watchers, the City of Sharon Beautification Commission, Friends of MERP, WaterFire Sharon, and the Sharon High School Robotics Team.  Want to Learn More? Join Exponent Philanthropy's upcoming cohort, Intro to Catalytic Leadership Program, beginning March 26. Learn more and register here >>

    26 min

  8. 02/18/2025

    Catalyzing Generosity: Newman's Own Foundation Models Giving 100% for Philanthropy

    Leanly staffed foundations can influence how other foundations practice philanthropy. By working in creative, entrepreneurial ways, these agile funders make new or non-traditional practices more accessible for their peers. Newman's Own Foundation is a lean foundation breaking the mold of corporate philanthropy. Paul Newman's legacy of giving 100 percent of the profits from the food company he established, sets the foundation apart from most models of corporate giving, where the norm is giving five percent or less. Join Alex Amouyel, the foundation's President and CEO, as she explores Newman's vision of generosity, and the unique arrangement established between the foundation and the business to amplify that vision.    ***   Alex Amouyel is President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation, a private grantmaking foundation whose mission is to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity. She leads the foundation’s efforts to utilize 100% of the profits from the sale of Newman’s Own products in service of this mission.

    18 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
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3 Ratings

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-Creative Funders Explore Their Art and Craft- Each month, meet some of the most creative, resourceful, and risk-taking funders in the country. These individuals are creating a new kind of philanthropy, shifting from the transactional to the transformational.

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