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Giving Ventures

Giving Ventures

Hosted by DonorsTrust

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Episodes

118

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN

About the show

As the landscape of nonprofits continues to grow, trying to stay current on all the good work going on can be overwhelming--especially if you target your support to efforts that help reduce government's size and people's dependence on it. Giving Ventures is designed to help charitable givers discover new opportunities to change the world for the better. Twice a month, the Giving Ventures podcast will highlight several non-profit efforts, initiatives, and projects that leverage private philanthropy to solve public problems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 11, 202646 min

Ep. 115 - The Mental Health Foundations of Freedom

John Adams famously said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Perhaps he should have included "a mentally healthy people." In recent years, Americans have become more willing to discuss mental health and seek professional help for anxiety, depression, and other maladies. But this commendable development has had side effects: self-fulfilling self-diagnoses, social media doom scrolling, and a decline in the feeling of agency. As a result, Americans increasingly believe improving their own lives is beyond their control and look to government for help. Clay Routledge is a research psychologist and Executive Vice President of the Archbridge Institute. In this episode of Giving Ventures, he breaks down the latest mental health trends, charts a course for improved mental health, and explains the dangers a mentally unwell population poses for freedom.

July 28, 202639 min

Ep. 114 - The State of American Philanthropy

Americans are known to be the most generous people in the world, giving to charitable causes at rates that far outstrip our peers in other nations. In 2025, giving totaled more than $600 billion. And that number is driven primarily by individuals. At the same time, federal and state-level laws and regulations sometimes disincentivize philanthropy. Attempts to expose the names of anonymous donors, weaponize the IRS against nonprofits for perceived political bias, and add new strictures around giving threaten to undermine America's privately funded civil society. This episode of Giving Ventures explores the latest charitable giving statistics from Giving USA as well as a new report, the Free to Give Index, a recent publication of the Philanthropy Roundtable. Claudia Cummings serves as senior vice president of public affairs at Philanthropy Roundtable, where her bird's-eye view of the philanthropic landscape gives her a unique perspective to break down the new Giving USA numbers. Matthew Mitchell is a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and co-author with Jack Salmon of the Free to Give Index, which draws on the methods of Fraser's often-cited Economic Freedom Indices.

July 14, 202642 min

Ep. 113 - Bridging Theory and Practice for Long-Run Impact

The work of preserving, cultivating, and advancing liberty is a long-term game. Fads come and go, but the principles underlying a free society are fixed. And for decades, one of the shining stars in the constellation of liberty has been the Mercatus Center. Mercatus was founded in 1980 and has grown into a talent cultivator, idea incubator, policy influencer, and all around force for free-market ideas. Its aim is to bridge the gap between ideas and real-world problems while investing in the long-term infrastructure for liberty. In fact, Mercatus does so much and does it so effectively, the organization can be tricky to pin down in your mind. On this episode of Giving Ventures, Mercatus Center Executive Director Ben Klutsey sits down with Peter to explore the history, vision, and scope of Mercatus.

July 7, 202621 min

Ep. 112 - Catalyzing New Opportunities for Your Giving

This year, DonorsTrust is expanding our offerings with the launch of our Catalyst Portfolio funds and foundation-level philanthropic services. This episode of Giving Ventures announces these exciting new programs and casts a vision for how they will enable our community to grow and strengthen the liberty movement.

June 23, 202643 min

Ep. 111 - Shoring Up the Ethical Foundations of Freedom

Many people would say that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles that ought to bring a set of ethics into our public life. But today's political environment seems to be one where ethics are lacking. This episode of Giving Ventures explores the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank that incorporates the Judeo-Christian cultural aspect into its thinking about public policy. EPPC has been around for 50 years and has remained a prominent voice on the right as American culture and politics has continued to evolve over the past half century. How does EPPC view itself in this moment, given its focus on traditional values and the Judeo Christian principles? Ryan Anderson joins Giving Ventures to discuss that question. Ryan has been president of EPPC for the past five years and before that had a long tenure at the Heritage Foundation.

June 9, 202644 min

Ep. 110 - Bridging Divides with Philanthropy

The 250th anniversary of America's independence presents an opportunity to bridge our political divides rather than deepen them. This episode of Giving Ventures explores Be the People, a nationwide civic effort that aims to resurrect shared American ideals and foster community-driven solutions that last. Peter talks with Sarah Cross, senior vice president at Stand Together about how leveraging the 250th with storytelling and strategic partnerships can rekindle a collective American identity. Sarah breaks down practical ways philanthropists of all sizes can support this long-term movement and emphasizes that lasting change requires a bottom-up approach, with local communities driving the narrative and solutions.

May 26, 202639 min

Ep. 109 - The Fusion Strengthening Free Markets

Making the case for free markets requires sound research and clear communication. The American Institute for Economic Research is one of the top think tanks doing that work today. AIER, founded in 1933 amidst the Great Depression, has long championed classical liberal principles—yet today, it faces the challenge of restoring momentum on both sides of the aisle. In this episode of Giving Ventures, Peter sits down with Sam Gregg, AIER’s newly appointed president, to explore how the organization aims to reestablish free market ideas as essential to America's economic and cultural renewal. They break down AIER’s strategic efforts beyond research—outreach, education, social media, and coalition-building—designed to influence policymakers, journalists, and everyday Americans. Sam emphasizes AIER’s steadfast adherence to principles amid growing ideological divergence on the right. He believes reimagining fusionism can unify conservatives around the principles of liberty and virtue.

May 12, 202642 min

Ep. 108 - Protecting Foster Children by Securing Their Rights

The foster care system remains one of the most overlooked yet urgent issues affecting society’s most vulnerable children. Darcy Olsen, founder and CEO of the Center for the Rights of Abused Children, offers a clear-eyed perspective on why current reforms are insufficient and how legal advocacy can reshape outcomes for millions of kids. With a personal story rooted in her own journey fostering and adopting children, Darcy emphasizes that many kids in the system are victims of drug exposure and neglect, not delinquency, and highlights the dire consequences of government failure. She walks through pragmatic reforms, including constitutional protections, legal representation, and safety measures that could drastically reduce child trafficking and abuse. Darcy’s work demonstrates that systemic change is possible when driven by accountability, rights-based law, and a commitment to creating safe, loving homes for every child.

April 28, 202639 min

Ep. 107 - How Public Interest Law Firms Protect American Freedoms

The legal battles shaping the future of liberty often unfold behind the scenes, yet their impact resonates across society. This episode of Giving Ventures explores how public interest law firms like Liberty Justice Center are leveraging strategic litigation to reinforce constitutional rights and curb government overreach. Sara Albrecht, chairman of the Liberty Justice Center, joins Peter to dissect landmark LJC wins at the Supreme Court like Janus v. AFSCME, which banned mandatory union dues for public-sector employees, and VOS Selections v. Trump, which ruled the Trump administration's tariffs unconstitutional. These cases reveal the intricate, multi-year process of securing a public interest legal win, from identifying plaintiffs to preparing for trial. Sara shares how the organization’s success hinges on disciplined messaging, careful plaintiff selection, and unwavering dedication to constitutional principles. For strategic donors interested in long-term impact, this conversation illustrates how targeted legal action can protect individual freedoms by establishing important precedents.

April 14, 202651 min

Ep. 106 - The Importance of Donor Intent

Most donors overlook the one thing that could undermine their entire legacy: donor intent—and a simple strategy to safeguard it. In this episode of Giving Ventures, we’re sharing a recent webinar we hosted for our clients on the topic of donor intent. Kim Dennis, co-founder of DonorsTrust and a longtime advocate for protecting donor intent, reveals how the concept of donor intent was born out of resistance to external pressures—and why it’s more relevant today than ever. Discover how well-crafted donor intent statements can prevent your philanthropic vision from drifting, even when organizations change or close their doors. You’ll learn specific tactics for clarifying and recording your intent, including the critical importance of granular, airtight language. Kim shares the wisdom behind “sunsetting” accounts, the most effective ways to prepare for organizational shifts, and how engaging your advisors and successors now can ensure your values endure. ⁠Webinar on crafting your donor intent statement (4/22/26)⁠ ⁠Webinar on how DonorsTrust safeguards donor intent (5/12/26)

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