What Donors Want

I.G.'s Chair, Alisha Fernandez Miranda, just published her second book and first novel, Someone's Gotta Give. How to describe it? Think Devil Wears Prada meets the world of high-value philanthropy. This relatable and heartwarming dramedy follows Lucia, a new mom and expat in London who lands a glamorous job as a philanthropic advisor to the ultra-wealthy. Caught between career ambitions, family needs, and personal growth, Lucia's story explores whether you can make a difference in the world while keeping it all together. This novel is Alisha's love letter and constructive challenge to the philanthropy and social impact sector - a fun, entertaining romp that tackles the real trade-offs we're willing to make to follow our purpose. In this special What Donors Want episode, she sits down with I.G.'s Founder, Carlos Miranda, to chat all things Someone's Gotta Give, and the power of exploring philanthropy through the lens of fiction. Get your copy here: https://bit.ly/4l9Z1tu

In this episode, Rachel and Emily explore the concept of narrative ecosystems with Mandy Van Deven and Jody Myrum. Together, they dive into: 🟡 What is a narrative ecosystem, and why is this important? 🟡 How can philanthropy effectively support narratives of liberation, and fund the infrastructure for narrative power? 🟡 What is the case for supporting narrative ecosystems and what are the stakes? Mandy & Jody shared so many brilliant insights, and also have shared these resources for you if you want to learn more: 🟡 How to Fund Narrative Ecosystems (https://nonprofitquarterly.org/how-to-fund-narrative-ecosystems/) 🟡 Cultivating the Conditions: Philanthropy's Role in Fortifying the Infrastructure for Narrative Power (https://reader.giarts.org/read/cultivating-the-conditions) 🟡 Both/And Solutions (https://www.linkedin.com/company/bothandsolutions/) 🟡 Elemental (https://bit.ly/elemental5-24) 🟡 Our Collective Practice (https://www.ourcollectivepractice.org/) 🟡 Blank Noise Project (https://www.blanknoise.org/) 🟡 How Omidyar Network is working to shift beliefs about capitalism and our economy (https://medium.com/omidyar-network/how-omidyar-network-is-working-to-shift-beliefs-about-capitalism-and-our-economy-75edda791f9d) 🟡 To change the world, transform narrative oceans (https://popcollab.medium.com/to-change-the-world-transform-narrative-oceans-609c942d4d7a) **** 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.

In this episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Emily Collins-Ellis speak with three philanthropy experts on the debate around whether mandatory minimum payout rates should be introduced for charitable foundations in the UK. Drawing on Pro Bono Economics’ recent report on the potential of the UK’s ‘Hidden Dragon’ Foundations that are ‘sitting on assets’, we discuss the opportunity to increase funding for social causes whilst also balancing donor freedom and the long-term sustainability of foundations. Our brilliant guests were: Charles Keidan, Executive Editor of Alliance Magazine; Nicole Sykes, Director of Policy at Pro Bono Economics; and Rhodri Davies, Founder and Director of Why Philanthropy Matters. **** 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.

In this episode, Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Beatrice Onyango speak with three of Segal Family Foundation’s African Visionary Fellows - all about the power of unrestricted funding, and what it can unlock across the Continent and beyond: 🟡 Delphine Uwamahoro, Our Sisters Opportunity (OSO) 🟡 Abaas Mpindi, Media Challenge Initiative 🟡 Jackie Leonard Bomboma, Young Strong Mothers Foundation (YSMF) **** 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.

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. **** 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.

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.

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.

In the thirty-fifth episode, Lauren Gross chairs our launch event for The Mesa! (https://www.themesa.org) The Mesa is the only digital platform designed to help you bring your philanthropic community online to connect, grow, and give better. Created by us at I.G. Advisors, in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Mesa is your completely customizable, private hub for members and clients to learn and explore how they can make a positive impact. Lauren is The Mesa's Managing Director, and an expert on technology and philanthropy. At the launch event, she tells you a little more about what the platform is, shares insights from our extensive design process, and moderates a conversation with three incredible next gen philanthropists + Emily Inslee, Program Officer for Philanthropic Partnerships at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. You can explore the learnings from our Mesa Pilot Period in our report (https://bit.ly/33GMybG) and please do get in touch if you want to learn more! (Contact details are on our website: https://www.themesa.org). This episode is generously sponsored by Segal Family Foundation, and our Media Partner is Alliance Magazine. Head to alliancemagazine.org for lots of interesting 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! https://bit.ly/3cLYGea

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 https://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! https://bit.ly/3cLYGea

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 (https://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 https://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! https://bit.ly/3cLYGea

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! https://bit.ly/3cLYGea

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! https://bit.ly/3cLYGea