Commonwealth Club of California Podcast Innovative Financing for Innovative Impact: The Future of Humanitarian Assistance
Oct 30, 2025
In this discussion, Janti Soeripto, President and CEO of Save the Children U.S., Fred Koehner, Managing Director at DAF Giving 360, and Caitlin Tulloch, Co-founder of Project Resource Mobilization, delve into the pressing need for innovation in humanitarian finance. They explore strategies like Save the Children's private-first fundraising pivot and emphasize the importance of partnerships for cash assistance. The conversation also highlights the effectiveness of donor-advised funds and the need for evidence-based approaches to maximize philanthropic impact.
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Crisis As Catalyst For Reform
- Save the Children lost 30% of funding and cut 3,500 staff, forcing urgent adaptation and strategic reprioritization.
- Janti Soeripto argues this crisis is a catalyst to use data, cash, and evidence to rebuild more effectively.
Predictability Vs. Flexibility Trade-Off
- Institutional funding offers predictability and scale but is slow and politically constrained.
- Caitlin Tulloch warns losing that coordination and scale risks fragmentation in humanitarian response.
Activate DAFs For Rapid Response
- Use donor-advised funds (DAFs) as ready capital that donors can deploy quickly during crises.
- Fred Koehner urges philanthropists need guidance to translate DAF assets into timely grants.