Givers, Doers, & Thinkers—A Podcast on Philanthropy and Civil Society
Published by Jeremy Beer
Non-Profit
Business
Society & Culture
Givers, Doers, and Thinkers introduces listeners to the fascinating people and important ideas at the heart of American civil society. We speak with philanthropists, foundation leaders, reformers, social entrepreneurs, nonprofit executives, religious believers, historians, sociologists, philosophers, journalists, and anyone else who will help us understand contemporary civil society’s achievements and failures. We also sprinkle in practical advice for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers. This is the podcast for anyone interested in that vital space where philanthropy and civil society intersect.
William A. Schambra & the power of everyday philanthropy
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with William A. Schambra to explore the tension between establishment philanthropy and what he calls “everyday philanthropy”—the grassroots efforts that often go unnoticed but play a vital role in strengthening civil society. They discuss the influence of progressivism on modern giving and why top-down approaches can miss the real work happening in communities. He makes the case for trust-based philanthropy, local leadership, and a renewed focus on empowering individuals and neighborhoods to drive change from the ground up. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ #podcast #interview #nonprofit #newepisode Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Nathan Bond & building beauty, business, and purposeful giving
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Nathan Bond, co-founder of Rifle Paper Company, to explore entrepreneurship, education, and philanthropy. Nathan reflects on how his personal experiences have shaped his approach to giving, the importance of clear criteria in philanthropy, and why investing in local communities remains essential. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ #podcast #interview #nonprofit #newepisode Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Romanita Hairston & building stronger nonprofits through regional philanthropy
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Romanita Hairston, CEO of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, to explore the power and challenges of regional philanthropy. Reflecting on the legacy of Jack Murdock, Romanita shares how the Trust is investing in nonprofits through capacity building, leadership training, and a deeply relational approach to grantmaking. They discuss the shifting landscape of nonprofit funding, the growing pressure on organizations amid increasing demand, and why collaboration and innovation are more important than ever. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ #podcast #interview #nonprofit #newepisode Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Sadie Elliott & the new playbook for Christian school funding
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Sadie Elliott, Director of the Herzog Foundation, to explore how innovative philanthropy is transforming K–12 Christian education. They discuss the challenges facing Christian school leaders, the importance of treating donors as mission-driven partners, and the measurable impact of strong donor development on long-term sustainability and growth. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Destiny Rojo & the future of small-town philanthropy
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Destiny Rojo of the PY Foundation to explore how place-based giving can transform a community. Rooted in the legacy of Peyton Yates, the Foundation is deeply invested in Artesia, New Mexico—supporting everything from education and public art to economic development and nonprofit growth. Destiny shares how local philanthropy strengthens community identity, and why unrestricted and operational funding matters. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ #podcast #interview #nonprofit #newepisode Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Hanna Skandera & Reviving Civics in America
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Hanna Skandera, President and CEO of the Daniels Fund, to discuss the urgent need for renewed civics education as America approaches its 250th anniversary. Building on the legacy of Bill Daniels, Hanna shares how the Fund is investing in initiatives like the Civics Bee to inspire active citizenship and civic knowledge among young people nationwide. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ #podcast #interview #nonprofit #newepisode Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Rob Hays & What Great Board Members Get Right
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Rob Hays—business leader, philanthropist, and nonprofit board member. Rob reflects on the experiences that shaped his resilience in business and his approach to philanthropy. They also dive into his work with institutions like the Ethics and Public Policy Center and the Aquinas Institute, and unpack what boards get right and where they often go wrong. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ #podcast #interview #nonprofit #newepisode Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Steve Zabilski & Rethinking the Overhead Myth
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Steve Zabilski, president and CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, to explore how investing in fundraising and capacity can transform nonprofits. Drawing on his experience leading St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix, Steve shares how bold bets on development and marketing led to sustained growth for the organization and its programs. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ #podcast #interview #nonprofit #newepisode Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Season 9 of the Givers, Doers, & Thinkers: America at 250, Part III
Season 9 of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers launches this Wednesday, April 8! 🎉 This season, we’re celebrating the “Givers”—foundation leaders and individual donors who are transforming our country by giving to charities and organizations making a real difference. Join us as we explore why they give and where they choose to make an impact. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ #podcast #interview #nonprofit #newepisode Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Eric Cook & rescuing education from mediocrity
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Eric Cook, president and CEO of the Society for Classical Learning, to discuss the remarkable rise of classical education and its impact on American schooling. Eric unpacks the philosophy behind classical learning—its focus on wisdom, virtue, and human flourishing—and explains why so many families are turning to this timeless approach amid today’s cultural and educational challenges. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ . #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
David Bobb & the quiet revolution in education
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer speaks with David Bobb, president of the Bill of Rights Institute, about the pressing need to revitalize civic education in America. Together, they explore how a deeper understanding of American history and civic virtue can strengthen citizenship and civil society. Bobb discusses the Institute’s mission to provide teachers with balanced, high-quality resources that highlight both the triumphs and shortcomings of the American story. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ . #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
John Rhee & the crisis of meaning in medicine
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Dr. John Rhee, co-founder of the Hippocratic Society, to explore how the medical profession can recover its moral and spiritual roots. They discuss the challenges facing today’s healthcare professionals—from burnout and loss of meaning to the erosion of moral formation in medical education—and why healing must once again be understood as a deeply moral act. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ . #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Peter Murphy & the power shift in American education
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer sits down with Peter Murphy, senior advisor at the Invest in Education Foundation, to explore the growing movement for education freedom and school choice in America. Their conversation dives into the origins of Invest in Education, the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new federal legislation—the Educational Choice for Children Act—that introduces a tax credit to encourage donations to scholarship-granting organizations. Jeremy and Peter discuss how this landmark policy could reshape the education landscape, from empowering parents and students with more options to challenging the traditional dominance of public schools and teachers’ unions. They also unpack the state-level opt-in process, the bipartisan potential of the initiative, and what this shift means for the future of American education. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ . #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Richard Avramenko, Justin Dyer, and Josh Dunn & rethinking academia for the common good
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy sits down with Richard Avramenko (Arizona State University), Justin Dyer (University of Texas at Austin), and Josh Dunn (University of Tennessee)—three professors leading new civic education initiatives at major public universities. They discuss the rise of civic schools, the challenges of ideological homogeneity in higher education, and why students are increasingly drawn to serious conversations about American civics, political thought, and citizenship. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ . #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Andrew Laubacher & fighting digital addiction and restoring human connection
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers , Jeremy Beer talks with Andrew Laubacher about the silent epidemic of digital addiction and what it’s doing to our mental health—especially among young people. Andrew shares his journey from social media burnout to working for Humanality , a movement helping people reclaim their lives from their screens. They dig into the psychology behind smartphone dependency, the launch of Humanality clubs on college campuses, and practical ways to form healthier relationships with technology. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/ . #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Pastor Corey Brooks & building a blueprint for urban transformation
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy Beer talks with Pastor Corey Brooks about his mission to transform one of Chicago’s most underserved neighborhoods through Project Hood. From launching a leadership and economic opportunity center to building a classical Christian school, Pastor Brooks shares how education, job training, and conservative values can drive lasting community change. They discuss what it means to promote self-reliance in a culture of dependency and why mindset shifts—not just resources—are key to real transformation. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/. #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Cary Sanders and Ralph May & overcoming societal barriers after incarceration
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy Beer sits down with Cary Sanders of JumpStart and Ralph May of St. Vincent de Paul in Boise to talk about what it really takes to break the cycle of incarceration. They share personal stories of re-entry, the challenges returning citizens face, and how their organizations are building paths to rehabilitation through community support, employment, and addiction recovery. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/. #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Joel Penton & Bible education during school hours
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy Beer talks with Joel Penton about how LifeWise Academy brings Bible education to public school students—legally—during school hours. They dive into the 1952 Supreme Court decision that makes it possible, the role of local communities in launching programs, and how a small nonprofit exploded from 2 schools to over 1,100 in just a few short years. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/. #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Pano Kanelos & a fresh model for higher ed
This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy Beer speaks with Pano Kanelos about why he launched the University of Austin (UATX), what’s broken in American higher education, how UATX blends liberal arts with real-world skills, and why academic freedom needs defending. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/. #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
Season 8 of the Givers, Doers, & Thinkers: America at 250, Part II
Season 8 of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers is here! This special three-part season dives deep into the past, present, and future of American exceptionalism as we look ahead to America’s 250th birthday. This season, we're spotlighting "Doers"—the bold leaders and innovative organizations tackling some of the country’s biggest challenges: from higher education and prison reform to religious liberty and the growing crisis of social media addiction. Join us as we explore how these trailblazers are strengthening civil society and advancing human flourishing in America. Let’s go! Sponsored by AmPhil, helping nonprofits advance their missions and raise more money: https://amphil.com/. #interview #podcast #newepisode #nonprofit Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel
