Impact Audio

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features David Callahan, founder and editor-in-chief of Inside Philanthropy. Sam and David explore the current landscape of today’s mega donors and how the ultrarich will shape the future of philanthropy.David breaks down:• The current “cultures” of mega donors in the US.• Why and how mega donors are rejecting the traditional foundation model.• The role heirs will play in changing how philanthropy gets done.

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Project Evident’s founder and CEO Kelly Fitzsimmons and CIO Sarah Di Troia. They dig into how AI is empowering the social impact sector and what practitioners need to do their best work. They break down:• Why “do no harm” is not a solid AI strategy• How evidence powers innovation•Why AI requires a new level of collaboration for the social sector

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Tip Tucker Kendall, executive director of NGMA, and Lashon Brown, president of NGMA. They break down how the role of public sector grantmakers is changing. They cover:• Where grantmakers’ focus should be right now• How public scrutiny is reshaping the landscape• What community means to the sector

In this insightful discussion, Matt Hanson, the Managing Director of Grant and Policy at Witt O'Brien's, shares his extensive experience in the grants world. He dives into the changing dynamics of government grantmaking, emphasizing the expanded roles states will play in funding distribution. Matt highlights how grantmakers can dismantle silos for better collaboration and discusses the essential role of technology in enhancing efficiency. The conversation also underscores adapting strategies in response to new federal funding challenges, especially post-pandemic.

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Andrea Wood, president and CEO of the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP). She shares insights about how today’s CSR professionals can best make the business case for their programs.Andrea digs into:• Data that highlights the value of CSR• Fresh communication strategies for CSR teams• How the current political climate plays a role

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Stacy Huston, executive director of SixDegrees.org. She shares how her organization partners with nonprofits to fill the resource gap and spread the word about community programs.Stacy covers:• Why the resource gap is about more than funding• How to best help nonprofits tell their stories• The strategy behind SixDegrees’ most successful projects

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Submittable colleagues Sam Caplan and Laura Steele, who sat down to discuss takeaways from the 2025 PEAK Grantmaking Conference.They cover:• How the conversation around equity has evolved• The sector’s reactions to new external pressures• What grantmakers are focused on in the year ahead

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Karen Bergin, senior director of employee engagement and disaster response at Microsoft. She shares how the company sustains one of the world’s biggest and most impactful employee giving programs.Karen covers:• How Microsoft creates a personalized experience for employees• The feedback loops that help the program evolve• What it takes to measure the impact of employee giving

This episode of the Impact Audio is a conversation between Submittable Sam Caplan and Ian Witthoeft, who sat down to discuss their experience at the 2025 National Grant Management Association Conference.They cover:• How recent budget cuts are changing government grantmaking • The dueling priorities of compliance and impact reporting • AI’s potential role in fraud prevention

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Abigail Epane-Osuala, president of the GE Healthcare Foundation, and Ash Rogers, Co-CEO of Lwala Community Alliance. They share how they built a partnership that utilizes the inherent strengths of each organization. They cover:• The principles and practices that create strong funder-grantee relationships • How to build short-term benchmarks for long-term impact measurement• Forging partnerships across the public and private sectors