Podcast
What Donors Want
Our award-winning podcast features a series of thought-provoking conversations on the state of the nonprofit sector. We want to collectively imagine solutions to the things that keep us up at night, and inspire more progressive practices and ways of collaborating. This podcast is part of I.G.'s mission to #FixTheFlow of resources for good.
All Episodes
The Legacy of MacKenzie Scott With FRIDA, SAGE & Panorama Global
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Imagine this - you get a call out of the blue from a consultant offering an unrestricted grant of $10 million that you can use however you like, spend on any time frame, and you never have to send a *single* update to the donor. You only have a couple of days to confirm whether or not you want to accept, and it turns out the donor is none other than MacKenzie Scott.
In this episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Emily Collins-Ellis speak with two MacKenzie Scott grantees to talk about their experience of receiving a phone call just like this: FRIDA The Young Feminist Fund (Clara Desalvo, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Manager), and Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders also known as SAGE (Michael Adams, CEO). They’re also joined by Gabrielle Fitzgerald, Founder & CEO of Panorama Global, who shares some fascinating research on the subject.
They discuss:
🟡 What it was like to receive a call out of the blue offering $7 million and $10 million in unrestricted funding (!)
🟡 The ethical implications of accepting money from MacKenzie Scott, and FRIDA’s brilliant ‘Money Is Political’ response (bit.ly/3uqIXiz).
🟡 The benefits - and challenges - of accepting the donation.
🟡 The research Panorama Global has done around MacKenzie Scott’s giving and how it isn’t (yet) leading to others following suit at scale (bit.ly/3SLrdsb).
🟡 Advice they have for others looking to get on the radar of MacKenzie Scott.
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This episode is sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org and get 50% off your Alliance subscription with the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
▪️ FRIDA The Young Feminist Fund: youngfeministfund.org/
▪️ Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE): www.sageusa.org/
▪️ Panorama Global: www.panoramaglobal.org/
Imagination Infrastructure - What We All Need To Bring About The Future We Want - Cassie Robinson
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In this episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Emily Collins-Ellis speak with Cassie Robinson about the need to invest in ‘imagination infrastructure’ to support communities in developing practices around collective imagination to envision new futures beyond the status quo.
Cassie holds roles with Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Arising Quo, and Pro Bono Economics.
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This episode is sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org and get 50% off your Alliance subscription with the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
www.cassierobinson.work/
Feminist Resource Mobilisation With Roz Lee
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Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Emily Collins-Ellis speak with the incomparable Roz Lee - a leader who has dedicated her life to advancing racial, gender, economic and LGBTQ justice through community organising, advocacy, political education and philanthropy.
Roz has held leadership roles at the Equality Fund, Ms. Foundation for Women, and the Arcus Foundation. She is also the first-ever Professor of Practice at the Centre for Feminist, Queer and Transgender Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
While this episode is technically about fundraising - trust us when we say you will walk away a different person, and you’ll probably want to hire Roz as your life coach. Rachel, Emily, Roz - and I.G.’s community of #FixTheFlow Fellows - chat through:
🟡 What Roz has learned from working as both a grant maker and a fundraiser.
🟡 How Roz conceptualises the role of ‘fundraiser’ within the wider activist ecosystem.
🟡 How fundraisers can approach their role with a feminist mindset (both in terms of day to day ways of working, as well as in relationship with funders).
🟡 The incredible abundance mindset Roz brings into her work (and life!) and how this is the best anecdote to burnout.
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This episode is sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org and get 50% off your Alliance subscription with the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
Corporate Kindness With Kurt Geiger
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Rachel Stephenson Sheff speaks with two brilliant executives from the international fashion brand, Kurt Geiger: Neil Clifford, CEO, and Pascale Montaner, Vice President of Global Marketing & Executive Director of the Kurt Geiger Kindness Foundation.
In this wonderfully transparent and energising conversation, they dive into all things corporate impact, including:
🟡 Why Kurt Geiger decided to start a formal charitable Foundation, and the biggest surprises and learnings along the way
🟡 How Kurt Geiger took this one step further, and is now launching a bold and unique in-house flagship programme - Business By Design - which aims to support young professionals entering the creative industries, particularly those from marginalised backgrounds
🟡 The practicalities of co-creating these visions alongside young people, in a true by-and-for model
🟡 The best advice Neil & Pascale have for professionals of all ages (it’s amazing)
At I.G., we’ve been thrilled to work directly with the Kurt Geiger team - and are particularly excited about Business By Design. The pilot launches soon, and is a completely free and subsidised programme for young people - particularly those from marginalised and underrepresented backgrounds. It’s aimed at training them up in all the core functions of a fashion business (from design to finance and marketing) so they can enter and thrive in the industry.
If you want to learn more, or if you are a young person yourself who wants to apply (applications due 12th November!), visit their website www.kurtgeiger.com/business-by-design or get in touch with them directly (foundation@kurgeiger.com).
This episode is sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org and get 50% off your Alliance subscription with the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
#FundingFrontlineImpact With Freedom Fund CEO, Nick Grono
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Rachel Stephenson Sheff speaks with Nick Grono, CEO of The Freedom Fund, all about their new resource for donors and philanthropic advisors: #FundingFrontlineImpact (www.fundingfrontlineimpact.org).
I.G. was thrilled to work with the Freedom Fund to create this resource, which shares advice, stories and tools to help donors of all kinds on their own frontline grantmaking journeys - no matter the cause or geography. Rachel & Nick discuss:
🟡 The importance of funding frontline organisations (and what this term actually means).
🟡 Why The Freedom Fund wanted to create this resource.
🟡 Why funders being transparent in their grant-making processes is necessary - and radical.
🟡 Why sharing the specifics of how you operate as a funder is the most universally helpful thing you can do.
🟡 Why we need to lean into the nuance of what trust-based philanthropy can look like in practice.
🟡 Nick's upcoming book on non-profit leadership.
This episode is sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org and get 50% off your Alliance subscription with the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
And, of course, be sure to check out www.fundingfrontlineimpact.org and let us know what you think!
*Content warning: this episode briefly references sexual slavery, child soldiers and violent conflict, in relation to the Freedom Fund's work in modern slavery.
Power Dynamics In Governance, Jessamyn Shams-Lau & Jane Leu
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Rachel Stephenson Sheff speaks with Jessamyn Shams-Lau and Jane Leu all about power dynamics in governance - particularly in family foundation structures, but also more broadly across the non-profit world.
Following a decade of leading a family foundation, Jessamyn shares her powerful story of navigating these power dynamics during the #BlackLivesMatter protests of June 2020, when her foundation Board let go of the entire staff team overnight. Jane was with her through the experience, and while the particulars of this situation are shocking - the fundamentals are highly resonant across so many different governance contexts in the sector.
This is a hugely important story and episode you won’t want to miss, where we discuss:
🟡 Jessamyn’s experience when her entire staff team was let go overnight
🟡 Why it’s important not to overly blame individuals in situations like this - but rather the systems that enable problematic practices
🟡 Navigating Board collaboration when some people engage in philanthropy as a hobby, whilst others are full time career professionals
🟡 Why it’s important for donors to engage in these conversations, too
🟡 What a ‘dream’ state of governance might look like in future
This episode is sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org and get 50% off your Alliance subscription with the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
Vu Le, Nonprofit AF
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Welcome back to Season 4 of What Donors Want! In episode 36, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Emily Collins-Ellis chat with the legendary Vu Le, founder of @NonprofitAF.
We discuss:
🌟 Self care for non-profit professionals
🌟 Vu’s brilliant #CrappyFundingPractices campaign on Twitter, and the ‘Tipping Points’ that can change bad donor behaviour
🌟 The incredible Community Centric Fundraising Movement
🌟 Fundraiser and donor fragility
🌟 Racial justice in the non-profit sector
🌟 Vu’s favourite vegan food
🌟 And much more …
If you haven’t already, follow Vu immediately on Twitter (@NonprofitAF), and read through his many wonderful blogs (https://nonprofitaf.com/).
A big thank you to our Season 4 sponsor, Segal Family Foundation (www.segalfamilyfoundation.org), for their continued support and generosity; and to our media partner, Alliance Magazine. Head to their website (www.alliancemagazine.org) for lots of great content, PLUS you can get 50% off an Alliance subscription by using the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
Edgar Villanueva, Decolonizing Wealth
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In the fourteenth episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff sits down with social justice philanthropy expert, Edgar Villanueva, to discuss 'Decolonizing Wealth' - his book that offers hopeful and compelling alternatives to the dynamics of colonisation in the philanthropic and social finance sectors. They delve into Edgar's advice on fundraising as a grant-maker and non-profit leader, explore considerations around ethical fundraising, and discuss the unique role of non-profits in decolonisation. Edgar has undoubtedly shaken up the social impact space on both sides of the pond, and has given us all a lot to think about. Have a listen and let us know what you think!
Richard Curtis, Filmmaker & Comic Relief
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In the thirty-first episode, Emily Collins-Ellis and Rachel Stephenson Sheff speak with zohra moosa - Executive Director of Mama Cash - about all things related to feminism, fundraising and activism.
In 1983, Mama Cash became the first international women’s fund; what began as a small-scale - but incredibly visionary - initiative of five lesbian feminists around a kitchen table in Amsterdam, has since grown into one of the largest public funds that supports the rights of women, girls, trans people and intersex people around the world. Their slogan “Because Feminist Activism Works” says it all - Mama Cash mobilises resources from individuals and institutions, and makes grants to self-led, feminist organisations around the world. Mama Cash also helps to build the partnerships and networks needed to successfully defend and advance their rights.
zohra is a passionate feminist activist who has been working with Mama Cash since 2013, and she is also the co-host of Mama Cash’s brilliant podcast, Tea With Mama Cash, which we highly recommend. She shares so much brilliant advice on this episode, and it must be said - gives the best answer to the ultimate speed round question: Beyoncé or Destiny's Child?
This episode is generously sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org/ for lots of interesting, progressive philanthropic insights. Plus, you can get a 25% discount on an Alliance subscription by using the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future What Donors Want guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
zohra moosa, Mama Cash
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In the twenty-eighth episode, Alisha Miranda and Emily Collins-Ellis chat with the legendary Richard Curtis. He is, of course, the BAFTA and Emmy award winning film writer and director, responsible for classics such as Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’ Diary and Love Actually - but films are just one part of his life. In the other half, Richard is a philanthropic leader, responsible for co-founding Comic Relief, leading the SDG-focused Project Everyone, and launching the ethical pension investment campaign Make My Money Matter. Richard has done so much for the social impact space, and is a passionate advocate for many causes. We dive into all of this with him on show and more (+ the ultimate speed round question: Hugh Grant or Colin Firth)?
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future What Donors Want guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
David Simas, The Obama Foundation
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In the thirtieth episode, Carlos Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff speak with David Simas – CEO of the Obama Foundation – about all things related to philanthropy, politics and democracy.
The Obama Foundation, of course, is the philanthropic legacy of former US President and former First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama – and its mission is to inspire, empower and connect people to change their world. David leads the Foundation's core programmes, and works closely with the Obamas on strategy and vision.
David has had an incredible career prior to leading the Foundation – he joined the Obama Administration in 2009 as a Deputy Assistant to the President, served as Director of Opinion Research for President Obama’s re-election in 2012, and following the re-election, returned to the White House as Assistant to the President, and Director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach. As you'll quickly hear, David is a brilliant storyteller and partnership-building expert (and 70s pop culture fan), and there are so many gems of advice you won't want to miss.
This episode is generously sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org/ for lots of interesting, progressive philanthropic insights. Plus, you can get a 25% discount on an Alliance subscription by using the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future What Donors Want guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
Sara Elisa Miller, Miranda Family Fund
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In the seventeenth episode, Alisha Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Sara Elisa Miller, Director of Philanthropy and Special Projects at 5000 Broadway Productions – production company of the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda. We’re often asked by our charity and non-profit clients about the role of celebrity talent in fundraising and advocacy, and how organisations can strategically engage high-profile people in their work. We were thrilled to explore this topic with Sara on the show – trusted collaborator and philanthropic advisor to one of the most A-list, philanthropically engaged celebrities in the world. Let us know your thoughts (and also your favourite Hamilton song)!
Ximena Andión Ibañez, The Ford Foundation
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In the thirty-fourth episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Jasmine Awad speak with Ximena Andión Ibañez, Programme Officer for Mexico and Central America at the Ford Foundation. Today’s episode is a special one because not only did we have a fantastic conversation with Ximena about all things fundraising and philanthropy, but we also announced the release of I.G.’s latest free sector resource: the Field Guide to Relationship-Based Fundraising.
The Ford Foundation is of course the well-known US-based private foundation with the mission of advancing human welfare and supporting diversity, equality, and inclusion globally. It stewards a $13.7 billion endowment – one of the wealthiest private endowments in the world - and makes $500 million in global grants each year.
In 2020, I.G. partnered with the Foundation to develop the Field Guide to Relationship-Based Fundraising: a completely free, interactive resource aimed at organisations of every size wanting to create a realistic, bespoke fundraising strategy that leverages existing assets to grow and diversify their income. The Guide is available for free download at www.fundraisingfieldguide.org/.
This episode is generously sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org/ for lots of interesting, progressive philanthropic insights. Plus, you can get a 25% discount on an Alliance subscription by using the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future What Donors Want guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
Larry Kramer, The Hewlett Foundation
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To kick off Season Three, the Hewlett Foundation is back! But this time with a twist: Alfonsina Peñaloza, Programme Officer at the Foundation (and first What Donors Want guest ever) co-hosts with Rachel Stephenson Sheff, and together they interview Hewlett’s President, Larry Kramer, to understand his unique role from a leadership perspective.
Larry has been President of the Foundation since 2012 – and is a thought leader on issues related to effective philanthropy, including the importance of collaboration among funders and the need to provide grantees with long-term support. This episode is packed with valuable fundraising advice (+ Larry’s musical preferences).
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
What Fellows Want, Imagining the Funding System of the Future
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Emily Collins-Ellis and Rachel Stephenson Sheff speak with some of the Fellows from the very first cohort of I.G. Advisors’ #FixTheFlow Fellowship.
One year ago, we added a bold, systems-change project to our work at I.G.: the #FixTheFlow Fellowship. Born out of frustration with the inequities and challenges of the funding system, we launched this fellowship for fundraisers who want to learn to thrive in the modern nonprofit world and lead the movement for change within the funding system so we can #FixTheFlow of resources for good.
In this episode, we give a platform to a few of our current #FixTheFlow Fellows in Cohort 1 to speak about the challenges they face in their roles as fundraisers, and the change they want to create.
The #FixTheFlow Fellowship is open to fundraisers of all levels, anywhere in the world. Applications for our next cohort are open until June 9th at www.fixtheflow.org, and we would love to see you join our movement. If you have any questions, get in touch!
This episode is generously sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to www.alliancemagazine.org and get 50% off your Alliance subscription by using the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
With and For Girls Collective
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In the twenty-first episode - to celebrate #InternationalWomensDay - Rachel Stephenson Sheff interviews three panellists from the With and For Girls Collective, the world’s only participatory fund by, and for, adolescent girls. Founded in 2014, With and For Girls supports extraordinary girl-led and girl-centred organisations through an annual awards process. The twist? All awards are fully evaluated and decided on by panels of adolescent girls themselves. To explore this unique and inspiring model, Rachel spoke with three 2020 panellists: Andreea Olteanu (from Romania), Adebola Oluchi Aderibigbe (from Nigeria) and Reeya Rayamajhi (from Nepal). Don't let their age fool you - these girls are at the forefront of activism and movement-building in their countries, leaving us with only one question to ask ... who run the world?
Hannah Paterson, Participatory Grant-Making at the National Lottery Fund
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In the twenty-ninth episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Gaby Cervera chat with Hannah Paterson, a Senior Portfolio Manager at the UK's National Lottery Community Fund. The Community Fund is one of the largest funders in the UK and distributes £600m+ a year to communities across the country, raised by players of The National Lottery itself. Our conversation with Hannah dives into all of this and more - including Hannah's passion for, and expertise in, participatory grant-making.
Part of Hannah's role is to iterate and test participatory approaches across the National Lottery, and share best practices on how to operationalise this theory across the sector. Last year she was also the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, which enabled her to explore participatory grant-making in South Africa and the US. This episode is a must listen for fundraisers who are curious about how to navigate this new model - and for funders who are curious about how to implement it.
If you have any questions for Hannah, you can reach out to her directly (Hannah.Paterson@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk). We also recommend reading her brilliant Medium blog (hannah-paterson.medium.com/) and listening to What Donors Want episode #21 featuring the With and For Girls Collective.
As well, we're thrilled to announce our new Media Partner, Alliance Magazine! Head to their website www.alliancemagazine.org/ for lots of really interesting, progressive philanthropic insights. Plus, you can get a 25% discount on an Alliance subscription by using the code ‘WhatDonorsWant’ at checkout.
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future What Donors Want guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
Philippa Charles & Flora Craig, Garfield Weston Foundation
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In the nineteenth episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Jasmine Awad chat with Philippa Charles (Director) and Flora Craig (Head of Grants) from the Garfield Weston Foundation. No stranger to UK fundraisers, Garfield Weston is a family-founded, charitable grant-making Foundation, which supports a wide range of causes across the country, donating over £70 million annually - and this is episode is an exclusive, behind-the-scenes view into its grant-making processes. Philippa and Flora share tangible recommendations for anyone applying - including what they look for in a written proposal, what makes a successful in-person meeting, and how the team works with the Board to make decisions. Listen to find out more (including Philippa and Flora's superpowers, favourite movies and other important insights)!
Katy Goodrich, Adobe
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In the twenty-seventh episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Jasmine Awad dive into the world of corporate impact with Katy Goodrich, Customer Success Director and Social Impact Team Lead at Adobe UK.
Adobe, of course, is the American multinational computer software company responsible for Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere and Illustrator, among many other things. Adobe gives back in several different ways, and Katy provides an illuminating behind-the-scenes view into Adobe's impactful approach. On the show, we explore shared-value partnerships, employee volunteering and the dos and don'ts of partnership working - debunking the many misconceptions around corporate fundraising for charities of all sizes.
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future What Donors Want guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
Anna Josse, Prism the Gift Fund
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In the twenty-sixth episode, Emily Collins-Ellis and Rachel Stephenson Sheff dive into the world of Donor Advised Funds (aka DAFs) with Anna Josse, CEO and Co-Founder of Prism the Gift Fund.
Prism is a UK DAF established in 2005 with a mission to increase the flow of funds to the charitable sector. It’s one of the largest and most well-known DAFs in the country, with assets of over £100 million, and an annual donation income of over £45 million.
DAFs have a range of benefits and uses for both donors and charitable organisations, and we explored all of this with Anna on the show. Whether you're looking to engage donors through tax efficient giving, fundraise oversees or even start your own charitable organisation - DAFs might be the solution, and are certainly worth exploring. Tune in to find out more!
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future What Donors Want guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen
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In the eighth episode, I.G.'s Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Amy Whight chat with philanthropist, Paul Lindley - Founder of the UK's number one baby food brand, Ella's Kitchen, and The Lindley Foundation. With Paul, they discuss the varying motivations of individual donors and what they commonly seek from charitable partnerships, entrepreneurs vs. fundraisers, and so much more. He shares incredible stories that illuminate his philanthropic history, and provide an excellent guide for any organisation looking to dive into the bespoke and unique world of individual donor cultivation. Plus our usual cheeky speed round - Paul's brilliance is not to be missed.
Jennifer Alcorn & Emily Inslee, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
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In the fifth episode, I.G.'s Carlos Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Jennifer Alcorn and Emily Inslee of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. They discuss the internal decision-making structures at Gates, the qualities of a dream fundraiser, the importance of complete honesty in a donor partnership, and so much more. This episode is an exclusive deep dive into the world's largest Foundation: from unrestricted vs. restricted support to Britney vs. Christina - it's the conversation no fundraiser should miss.
Alyssa Sweetman & Daniel ‘Kasper’ Bong, Twitch
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In the twenty-fifth episode - streamed originally for IoF's virtual 2020 Convention (#IoFFC)- Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Erin Niimi Longhurst dive into the world of livestream fundraising with Alyssa Sweetman, Twitch's Charity Programme Manager, and Daniel 'Kasper' Bong, one of Twitch’s livestream fundraising influencers (known as 'Kasper' on the platform).
Twitch is, of course, the world's largest live streaming platform, visited by over 15 million people every day. For charities, Twitch represents a huge and unprecedented opportunity for online fundraising. With more than $210 million raised for charities on the platform so far through influencers, it’s literally a complete game-changer.
To learn more about how to take advantage of Twitch, and how to get your approach right, be sure to tune in! And if you're interested in learning more about the world of influencer fundraising more broadly, be sure to check out Alyssa's www.influencerfundraising.com and podcast, Influencer Fundraising (t.co/fJks4qQ9dn?amp=1), for some great insights.
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future What Donors Want guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
Nicolas Patrick, DLA Piper
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In the sixth episode - recorded live with a studio audience - I.G.'s Alisha Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Nicolas Patrick, Partner and Head of Responsible Business at global law firm, DLA Piper. They discuss fundraising from corporate partners, the unique characteristics of law firms, internal decision-making structures at DLA, and so much more. With a live Q&A from fundraisers and corporate impact leaders across London (alongside our usual, cheeky questions) - this conversation is the perfect way to shake up your corporate fundraising ambitions.
Sharna Goldseker & Michael Moody, Generation Impact
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In the twentieth episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Amy Whight chat with Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody – co-authors of the groundbreaking book, ‘Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving.’ Based on years of research and candid insights from hundreds of next gen donors, this book offers a rare profile of the new face of philanthropy; these are the Gen X and Millennial philanthropists who are transforming and revolutionising the philanthropic landscape. Give this episode a listen for tangible recommendations on how to activate, engage and retain a next gen donor audience!
Kabir Kumar, Walmart.org
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In the sixteenth episode, Carlos Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Kabir Kumar, Senior Director at Walmart.org, to explore the philanthropic approach of one of the world's largest corporate donors. From grant-making and in-kind donations, to employee volunteering and shared-value partnerships - this conversation is an exclusive look behind the CSR curtain of the brand we all know, and is a great resource for any fundraiser looking to strengthen their corporate portfolio. Be sure to give it a listen (and 10 points for anyone who picks up on our Fresh Prince reference!).
What Grantees Want (Live at Segal Family Foundation’s 2019 AGM)
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In the eighteenth episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff travelled to New York to host a very special live recording at Segal Family Foundation's Annual General Meeting. We are thrilled to announce that the podcast is now officially sponsored by the Segal Family Foundation - and to kick this off Rachel co-hosted a panel discussion with the Foundation's Director of Partnerships, Cher-Wen DeWitt, featuring three of Segal's brilliant grantees: Solomon King Benge, Ash Rogers and Peggy Walenda Mativo. As we near the end of two seasons, this episode featured What Donors Want with a twist: instead of interviewing a donor, this time we sense-checked the advice donors have given on the show with fundraisers themselves. Their take on this is not to be missed!
Sonal Sachdev Patel, GMSP Foundation (Live at Fundraising Convention 2019)
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In the fifteenth episode - recorded live with a studio audience - Emily Collins-Ellis and Rachel Stephenson Sheff sit down with philanthropist, Sonal Sachdev Patel, at the Institute of Fundraising's 2019 Fundraising Convention in London. They delve into Sonal's experience as the CEO of her family's foundation, explore the crucial elements of relationship-building (in Sonal's words, "it's a lot like dating") and talk about the elements needed for a longer-term funding relationship. That, plus a bunch of live questions from the room and Sonal's excellent ace-ing of our speed round, make this an episode not to miss!
Emma Turner, Barclays Private Bank
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In the thirteenth episode, Emily Collins-Ellis and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Emma Turner, Head of Client Philanthropy Services at Barclays Private Bank. Emma has been leading this service since its inception in 2008, and is an expert advisor to HNWIs and their families on their global giving strategies. With her, they discuss the unique intersection of wealth management and philanthropy, next gen clients and fundraising techniques from the perspective of an intermediary. On top of our usual, cheeky speed round - Emma's brilliance is not to be missed!
Tillie Peacock, Oxfam
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To kick off Season Two, Alisha Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Tillie Peacock, Head of Partnership Insight at Oxfam. They discuss a brilliant piece of philanthropic research Oxfam has just released around donor preferences, ambitions and experiences. From issues of transparency to a deep-dive of donor ambitions, these reports put evidence to intuition and are something no fundraiser should miss. To download the research, simply use the links below - and listen for a short, sharp recap of key findings (and to find out what Beyoncé Tillie is!).
Trusts & Foundations Research: www.oxfam.org.uk/trusts-research
Major Donor Research: www.oxfam.org.uk/philanthropy-research
Zia Khan, The Rockefeller Foundation
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In the tenth episode, I.G.'s Emily Collins-Ellis and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Zia Khan, Vice President of Innovation at the Rockefeller Foundation. They discuss innovative financial mechanisms and how they differ from traditional grant relationships, what motivates a donor to explore these alternative financial models, and their collective fandom for 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.' This conversation is a refreshing look at the world of blended finance and impact innovation that takes the jargon we all hear and distills it into tangible advice for organisations at all stages.
Andy Bryant, Segal Family Foundation
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In the ninth episode - recorded live with a studio audience - I.G.'s Carlos Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Andy Bryant, Executive Director of the Segal Family Foundation. They discuss how to stand out when submitting to an open portal, fundraising from American donors, the unique characteristics of family foundations, and so much more. With a live Q&A from fundraisers (alongside our usual, irreverent questions) - this conversation is a brilliant behind-the-scenes view into the philanthropic philosophy of one of the most generous and influential international development funders.
Ramatu Bangura, NoVo Foundation
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In the seventh episode, I.G.'s Alisha Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Ramatu Bangura from the NoVo Foundation. As one of the most progressive foundations out there, NoVo brings an incredibly unique perspective to the table, particularly around supporting women and girls; they discuss how to fundraise for grassroots movements, the work (and time) that actually goes into building relationships, how to articulate impact in a way that's useful, and so much more. While we are no doubt living in challenging times - Ramatu's brilliant insights, alongside NoVo's powerful and inclusive ideologies, fill this conversation with the hope and inspiration we all need. Trust us on this one.
Victoria Vrana, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
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In the twenty-fourth episode, Alisha Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff speak with Victoria Vrana, Deputy Director of Philanthropic Partnerships at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In this role, Victoria leads the Foundation’s Giving By All initiative, which aims to inspire and enable more informed and intentional generosity by everyday givers.
Giving By All has been at the forefront of the philanthropic response to COVID-19, and this episode is all about that: exploring the current landscape of philanthropy in the time of coronavirus, and understanding what it means for the present (and future) of fundraising. From the loosening of grant restrictions, to more collaboration, rapid response, microdonations and direct cash transfers - the landscape is quickly changing and Victoria and her team are at the centre of it all. This is an episode every non-profit should pay attention to during this extraordinary time.
P.S. Have any burning questions for a future guest? Submit them here and you’ll get a shout out on air! bit.ly/3cLYGea
Nick Jenkins, Dragons’ Den
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In the fourth episode, I.G.'s Juliet Cockram Agnew and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Nick Jenkins - Founder of Moonpig.com and former Dragons' Den judge. They discuss how strategic philanthropists want to really understand the issues and expect approaches to be well researched, as well as what fundraising charities can learn from entrepreneurs on Dragons' Den. They also uncover some of Nick's surprising language skills (which you won't want to miss).
Alfonsina Peñaloza, The Hewlett Foundation
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In the first episode, I.G.'s Carlos Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Alfonsina Peñaloza, a Programme Officer at the Hewlett Foundation. They discuss how best to approach major foundations for funding, how to talk about mistakes, and what goes into a fantastic grantee-programme officer relationship. You'll also learn what her favourite Beatle's song is, what Hogwarts house she would belong to, and much more.
Adam Askew, Comic Relief
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In the third episode, I.G.'s Emily Collins-Ellis and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Adam Askew from Comic Relief. They discuss how to stand out in the written application process, what makes a programme officer's life easy, and how to tell brilliant impact stories. They also deep dive into coffee vs. tea, and Britney vs. Christina (among other important questions).
Lynne & Peter Smitham, The Kiawah Trust
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In the second episode, I.G.‘s Alisha Miranda and Rachel Stephenson Sheff chat with Lynne and Peter Smitham, Co-Founders of The Kiawah Trust. They discuss how best to approach private trusts for funding, how to deliver a compelling pitch, and how to unlock flexible six-figure support. They also deep dive into coffee, music and superpower preferences - among much more.
Season One Recap
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After Season One, producer Rachel Stephenson Sheff sits down with the I.G. team to discuss key insights from the first 10 episodes. In this roundtable discussion, the team reflects on the diverse range of Season One guests - from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to entrepreneurial philanthropists - and highlights the key themes and takeaways. For anyone seeking a short, sharp recap of What Donors Want (as well as some cheeky, behind-the-scenes bloopers) this is the episode for you. And stay tuned for Season 2 coming to your headphones shortly!
Season Two Recap
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After Season Two, producer Rachel Stephenson Sheff sits down with the I.G. team to discuss key insights from this second round of interviews. In this roundtable discussion, the team reflects on the diverse range of Season Two guests - from foundations, to individuals, companies, intermediaries and thought leaders - and highlights key themes and takeaways. For anyone seeking a short, sharp recap of What Donors Want (as well as some cheeky, behind-the-scenes bloopers) this is the episode for you. And stay tuned for Season Three coming to your headphones shortly!