Navigating Funding Challenges in Science and Education

Renaissance Philanthropy — in my opinion, the most exciting S&T philanthropic venture in the US — is getting a one-year check-in. Kumar Garg first appeared on the show right before I went on paternity leave, and now we’re back for round two. Before founding Renaissance Philanthropy, Kumar worked in the Obama Office of Science and Technology Policy and spent time at Schmidt Futures.

We discuss…

• How Renaissance ⁠catalyzed⁠ over $200 million in philanthropic funding in its first year,

• The goals of the organization and how it has responded to Trump’s S&T funding cuts,

• What sets Renaissance apart from traditional philanthropic organizations, and lessons for China-focused research foundations,

• AI applications in education, from tutoring to dyslexia screening,

• Donor psychology, “portfolio regret,” and how to build trust within a philanthropic network.

Thanks to ElevenLabs for sponsoring this episode. Check out the ElevenReader text-to-speech app here.

Outro music: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Cannonball Adderley (YouTube Link)

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