Talking Philanthropy: Leslie Crutchfield, Co-Author, 'Do More Than Give'

In the latest installment of their Talking Philanthropy podcast series, Larry Blumenthal and Bill Silberg talk to author Leslie Crutchfield about her book Do More than Give: The Six Practices of Donors Who Change the World. In the book (which was co-authored by FSG managing directors John Vania and Mark Kramer), Crutchfield advocates for "catalytic philanthropy" -- a somewhat radical approach that pushes foundations out of the comfortable world of making grants into the dynamic world of being agents of social change. Crutchfield, a leading authority on high-impact philanthropy, is a senior advisor at FSG, a nonprofit consulting firm specializing in social sector strategy, evaluation, and research. 

 

Running time: 00:17:35

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In the podcast, Crutchfield talks about the process and goals of catalytic philanthropy, the challenges donors are likely to face in adopting a catalytic approach to social change, whether private foundations are looking for alternatives to the status quo, and the power of collective action.

Have a topic you'd like to hear Larry and Bill address? Let us know in the comments section below, or drop us a line at [email protected].

Comments

[Cynthia Y. Manick]

Interesting podcast on the benefits of catalytic philanthropy. There were some comments on "pushing" foundations and donors out of thier comfort zone by advocating advocacy and systemic change rather than linear grantmaking. I don't think it's a matter of comfort zone, as it is a resistance to any change and tradition. Donors are adept at giving to a collection plate or a simple nonprofit that serves a cause they believe in. These actions take very little time and energy. Catalytic philanthropy calls for long-term investment of time, money, resources, and passion. Community foundations or independent foudnations could adopt this model easily because they are already aligned with a specific geographic location or population. But corporate foundations or public charities? These entities are suppported by a board of directors and multiple donors, so it would be difficult to do at that level.

[Geri Stengel]

Interesting take on how funders can have more impact, a broader approach than just giving money.