Impact Audio

This Impact Audio LIVE episode brings together five people who came up in the punk scene and now shape philanthropy and the nonprofit world. Together they’ll dig into the overlap between the punk ethos and purpose-driven work, including: • Honest takes on power and gatekeeping• Practical ideas for how the nonprofit sector can keep its edge while doing long-haul change work• How to prioritize real action over performative messagingSam Caplan, VP of social impact at SubmittableSam Caplan is the Vice President of Social Impact at Submittable, a platform that foundations, governments, nonprofits, and other changemakers use to launch, manage, and measure impactful granting and CSR programs. Inspired by the amazing work performed by practitioners of all stripes, Sam strives to help them achieve their missions through better, more effective software.Sam formerly served as founder of New Spark Strategy, Chief Information Officer at the Walton Family Foundation, and head of technology at the Walmart Foundation. He consults, advises, and writes on social impact technology, strategy, and innovation.Connect with or follow Sam on Linkedin, listen to his podcast Impact Audio, and subscribe to his bi-weekly newsletter The Review.John Mohr, CIO of the MacArthur FoundationJohn Mohr is the Chief Information Officer at the MacArthur Foundation. He oversees Foundation-wide technology services and planning and is responsible for developing a strong and sustainable information technology infrastructure. Prior to joining the MacArthur Foundation in 2012, John was the Director of Academic Systems at the University of Chicago. The 20 enterprise applications he supported serve student, academic, and campus activities. He planned initiatives across the academic and student IT areas. In previous roles at the university, John was the Director of the Web Services department where he led the redesign of the university's website. He also led the Project Management office and the implementation of the Alumni Development system. Prior to that, John led IT teams at early stage technology companies in Seattle, Washington. He was a key member of the leadership teams and had responsibility for technical operations, product development, strategic planning, and key relationships with technology partners and investors.Jenny Toomey, former director at the Ford Foundation Jenny Toomey is the former director of the Ford Foundation’s Catalyst Fund, a $50 million, three-year investment to build the field of Public Interest Technology, and previously led efforts to expand access, transparency, innovation, and participation in the internet. Prior to Ford, Jenny co-founded the independent record label Simple Machines, and was a punk rock musician and composer performing on 12 albums, dozens of compilation records and singles, and a musical.Alex Daniels, senior reporter of the Chronicle of PhilanthropyBefore joining the Chronicle in 2013, Alex covered Congress and national politics for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He covered the 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns and reported extensively about Walmart Stores for the Little Rock paper.Alex was an American Political Science Association congressional fellow and also completed Paul Miller Washington Reporting and International Reporting Project fellowships.Aleda Gagarin, VP of influence at Candid As VP of Influence, Aleda leads Candid’s thought leadership, strategic coalitions, and campaigns to increase Candid’s collective impact and support a stronger social sector. She directs the Influence teams, including Communications and Brand Awareness, Development, Partnerships, and Partnership Operations. In close collaboration with the CEO and executive team, Aleda is responsible for creating and executing Candid’s influence strategy, defining how Candid shows up in the world—what we say, how we say it, and who we partner with.Aleda is passionate about making connections, solving problems, advocating for resources, and shifting power structures. She began her career in advocacy as a program assistant at the General Federation of Women’s Clubs in 2004, later served as sales and membership coordinator for Institutional Investor, and worked with North Star Planning and Evaluation Consultants as a researcher. Aleda joined Candid via the Foundation Center in 2013 as a development associate, and with the evolvement of her strong leadership skills, advanced to development manager, director, senior director of development, and associate vice president of development.

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Ann Mei Change, CEO of Candid. She digs into how data can help create a new status quo for the nonprofit sector. She explores:• The tools that are changing how nonprofits use data • How timelines and expectations can shift to better support innovation • How nonprofits should calibrate their approach to AI

This episode of the Impact Audio explores the invisible forces that can nudge people away from (or toward) charitable giving. Sam Caplan digs into research, chats with a social psychologist, and breaks down why some common tactics to encourage donations can actually backfire. He covers:• Why context is more important than you think • How a focus on ROI can get in the way• What to do when the problem feels too bigEpisode Notes:• Read the research on prosocial behavior• Check out the experiments focused on calculative mindset• Dig into the study by Matthew Chao on demotivating incentives in charitable giving• Read about the adverse effect of choice in donation decisions• Learn more about pseudoinefficacy• Find out how unfairness can impact charitable donations• Dig into the role of identity in charitable giving• To learn more about Submittable’s groundbreaking Microsoft Teams integration, visit submittable.com/teams

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Andrea Bell, Director of CSR Learning Programs at ACCP. She sits down with Sam Caplan to share their thoughts and takeaways from the 2025 ACCP Annual Conference.Andrea and Sam discuss:Why CSR leaders must develop serious business acumen alongside their impact expertiseThe shift from measuring only external impact to demonstrating internal business valueWhy resilient leadership matters more than ever in uncertain timesLinks:Follow Andrea on LinkedInFollow Sam on LinkedinLearn more about ACCPRead ACCP’s insights blogMore about the 2025 ACCP Annual ConferenceListen to our recent episode with ACCP CEO, Andrea WoodListen to our 2024 episode with former ACCP CEO, Carolyn BerkowitzCheck out keynote speaker, Luvvie Ajayi Jones’, book “Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual”

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

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Matthew Hanson, managing director of grants and policy at Witt O’Brien’s. He shares the effects of change at the federal level and how public sector grantmakers can help reshape the future of the sector. Matthew covers:• The expanded role states will likely play in delivering funds • How grantmakers can break down silos between departments • Where grant management tech fits into the new landscape of public sector fundingThe episode was recorded just before the Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law on July 4, 2025.

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

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Nick Cain, VP of strategy and innovation at the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. He shares the foundation’s approach to AI, and how the nonprofit sector can start building the technology they need for themselves.He digs into:• Real-world examples of AI shaping social impact outcomes • How the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation builds the technology their grantees need• The story behind Grant Guardian, a financial due diligence tool for foundations

This episode of Impact Audio features Tom Knowlton, CEO of CSR Talent Group. He shares how some companies are tailoring CSR programs to better meet employee needs. He digs into: • The keys to engaging hard-to-reach employees• How to think more holistically about employee engagement• Real-world examples of individualized volunteer programs

One trillion dollars of federal funding was distributed via government grants last year. We all have a stake in how this money moves and how these decisions are made. Today on Impact Audio, David Clark, managing director at BDO and self-described “compliance nerd,” explores how the expectations and goals around government grantmaking are shifting.He covers:• How the legislative process shapes funding • Specifics updates to Uniform Guidance• What transparency and equity look like in the public sector

This episode of the Impact Audio features Fred Tan, head of social impact at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He shares how HPE teams up with their customers to make meaningful progress on some of the world’s most pressing issues.He digs into:• Building partnerships at the personal and organizational level• Strategies to find the right social impact niche for your company • The mechanisms that create real innovation

This episode of Impact Audio features Woodrow Rosenbaum, chief data officer at GivingTuesday. He shares how the organization has stepped up to help solve one of the most common issues facing nonprofits—how to access and derive insights from data.He digs into:• The story behind GivingTuesday’s data strategy• Why standardization is not the endgame• The data that reveals a big opportunity for attracting more donors

This episode of the Impact Audio podcast features Megan Strand, director of strategic consulting at Realized Worth. She lays out how an employee volunteer network can transform employees’ relationships with their company’s social impact work.She shares:• The structures that underpin genuine engagement • How to balance your focus between current state and future state • Why you should be aiming for the IKEA effect