Stephen Heintz, president and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, joins Phil and Grace to discuss the results of the 2024 presidential election, whether there is merit to the argument of journalist Ezra Klein and others that certain nonprofit organizations are having an outsized impact on the Democratic party, the role of nonprofits in a functioning democracy, and what it will take to rebuild trust across ideological divides. Stephen offers insight into the long-term, community-based work he believes will help nurture civic engagement and bolster democracy, suggesting both where donors can give as well as actions they can take. He also shares the story behind the Rockefeller Brothers Fund decision to be a leader in the movement to divest from fossil fuels, and the unexpected ripple effects that created.

Additional Resources

When Will Democrats Learn to Say No? by Adam Jentleson in the New York Times

The End of the Obama Coalition - Michael Lind on The Ezra Klein Show

“The New Class War: Saving Democracy from the Managerial Elite” by Michael Lind

Ezra Klein on Where Democrats Go From Here - Pod Save America 

Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Brennan Center for Justice

Dēmos

Eric Liu on Revitalizing Faith in American Democracy - The Giving Done Right Podcast

Citizen University

Habits of the Heart and Mind: How to Fortify Civic Culture

Trust for Civic Life