Break Fake Rules: Change Big Giving For Good

Why does philanthropy resist risk? Ralph Lewin, Executive Director of the Peter E. Haas Jr. Family Fund, joins Glen as co-host to bust one of the biggest fake rules in philanthropy. In this episode, Ralph and Glen make the case for embracing “philanthropic reformers” (not critics!) and courageous risk-taking rather than clinging to a comfortable but broken status quo.Special guest, María Teresa Kumar, Emmy-nominated MSNBC contributor and founding president and CEO of Voto Latino, stops by to reflect on what it really means to be “American” in today’s political climate. As fear-driven narratives and ICE raids targeting immigrants intensify ahead of the midterms, María Teresa reminds us why reengaging and delivering on promises made to the Latino electorate has never been more urgent.💡 María Teresa Kumar: “Recognize that no is for everybody else. Everybody will say no to you. And that's okay, because you only need one yes.”Get involved with Voto Latino.Break Fake Rules is a podcast that brings today’s news and big philanthropic issues into focus to change Big Giving for good.Learn about the Stupski Foundation.Co-Hosts: Ralph Lewin & Glen Galaich Guest: María Teresa KumarExecutive Producer: Claire CallahanProduction Team: PodflyGraphic Design: Middle MGMT

Welcome back to Break Fake Rules! In the season three premiere, Jamie Allison, Executive Director of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, co-hosts with Glen Galaich to discuss the fake rules we need to break to relieve the pressure nonprofits are under at the outset of 2026.Special guest, Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12), joins from Capitol Hill to reflect on her journey from nonprofit leader to federal policymaker. At a moment of intensifying fear and political division, Representative Simon calls on us to reject division, protect nonprofits, and do more for our communities.💡Representative Lateefah Simon: “If we’re not going to go hard, we should go home.”Tune in for a candid conversation about breaking through partisan divides and making real change in our communities.Learn about Representative Lateefah Simon’s work and subscribe to her newsletter.Break Fake Rules is a podcast that brings today’s news and big philanthropic issues into focus to change Big Giving for good.Learn more about the Walter and Elise Haas Fund.Learn about the Stupski Foundation.Co-Hosts: Jamie Allison & Glen GalaichGuest: Representative Lateefah SimonExecutive Producer: Claire CallahanProduction Team: Podfly

Break Fake Rules is back! Join us for a new season of rulebreaking to change the future of Big Giving for good.Get ready for more episodes, more often! This season, we're excited to welcome a few of our favorite rule breakers as recurring co-hosts. Alongside Glen Galaich, CEO of the Stupski Foundation, they will call on us to rethink the stories we tell about money, wealth, and power—and imagine a future where resources are shared, not hoarded. If you have ever questioned why we live by certain rules and wondered what becomes possible when we do things differently, this show is for you.New episodes drop weekly starting January 28, 2026.

That’s a wrap on season 2! In this bonus episode of Break Fake Rules, hear some of Glen and Claire’s favorite moments from the season. And spoiler alert - they drop exciting updates about what’s coming next season on Break Fake Rules. Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest & Producer: Claire Callahan

In the season wrap of Break Fake Rules, Carmen Rojas (CEO & President, Marguerite Casey Foundation) and Jamie Allison (Executive Director, Walter & Elise Haas Fund) bring the vibes to a year-defining conversation with host Glen Galaich. Together, they reflect on how philanthropy showed up in 2025—and how it needs to evolve in 2026.Jamie Allison calls on the sector to embrace courage and purpose: “Our communities and nonprofit leaders need from us what they've always needed from us. They need us to be courageous and to show that the project of philanthropy is about redistributing privilege and resources.”Carmen Rojas offers a bold vision for the road ahead, challenging philanthropy to think generationally and confront its own complicity: “We have an opportunity… to reset that table.” And: “We need to reconcile and have a meaningful conversation about the ways each of our institutions is enabling… this political movement.”Looking ahead at 2026, Glen Galaich reminds us why imagination matters: “So many foundations limit themselves to a cap… It stops us from dreaming and imagining things that could be leveraged for a better society.”Tune in for a finale filled with the kind of rule-breaking energy that sets the stage for a transformative 2026.Learn more about the Walter and Elise Haas Fund and the We Initiative to cultivate belonging. Explore the Marguerite Casey Foundation and learn about their decision to significantly increase grantmaking to protect communities under attack.Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuests: Jamie Allison & Carmen RojasProducer: Claire Callahan

Progressives have lost sight of a central issue: class. Lawyer, professor, and author Joan C. Williams joins Break Fake Rules to unpack how the Left lost touch with working-class Americans—and how we can win them back. As income inequality deepens across the U.S. and Europe, Joan explains how class blind spots and broken promises have fueled distrust and driven voters toward the far right. Joan offers actionable, research-backed steps for funders and policymakers to rebuild trust, restore credibility, and reconnect with the working class.Joan C. Williams: “Not only have we been class clueless, we've often been class condescending.”Read Joan’s book, Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class and How to Win Them Back.Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Joan C. WilliamsProducer: Claire Callahan

“It's only when you show your own courage that the performativeness of being inspired by others moves to allied-ness.”Ludovic Blain returns to Break Fake Rules, this time at a live recording at California Donor Table’s 20th anniversary convening and celebration! Last season, Ludovic delivered a master class in philanthropic giving across tax statuses. Now he’s back to urge us to play offense — by funding bold, long-term investments to counter the well-coordinated efforts of conservative groups and donors that harm our communities. How can donors fund initiatives that not only defend democracy but also create a better government for all? What lessons can we take from local-level wins to build progressive power at the national level? Tune in to find out. Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn more about the California Donor Table.Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Ludovic BlainProducer: Claire CallahanMentioned in this episode:Designing Tomorrow PodcastCheck out another social impact podcast called Designing Tomorrow. It’s hosted by Eric Ressler — founder of the creative agency Cosmic — and Jonathan Hicken, executive director at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. If you’re looking for a show that’s real, smart, and made for this moment in social impact — give Designing Tomorrow a listen. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Farhad Ebrahimi: “What utility is it for grantmakers to survive this political moment if none of the organizations we believe in survive?”In this episode, Farhad Ebrahimi—Philanthropic Transformation Strategist and co-founder at Solidaire Network—joins Break Fake Rules to deliver a total takedown of philanthropy’s most pernicious fake rules. And he comes with receipts! Hear why Farhad spent down the Chorus Foundation’s endowment in 2023 and what it really means to organize and mobilize funders to support a just transition to a regenerative economy that no longer feeds the philanthropic industrial compex. In a period when fear and political retribution are on the rise, Farhad calls us to prioritize grantee survival over grantmaker self-preservation. Learn about and join the Solidaire Network.Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Farhad EbrahimiProducer: Claire CallahanDesigning Tomorrow PodcastCheck out another social impact podcast called Designing Tomorrow. It’s hosted by Eric Ressler — founder of the creative agency Cosmic — and Jonathan Hicken, executive director at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. If you’re looking for a show that’s real, smart, and made for this moment in social impact — give Designing Tomorrow a listen. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts.

💡Ari: “Spending less now only protects institutions. Spending more now protects communities.”💡Malila: “Foundations in general have the least to lose. This is the time to step up and take on more risk.”What happens when philanthropy stops playing it safe? In this episode, we go behind the scenes at the Stupski Foundation to reveal why we’re speeding up our spend down and putting 76% of our remaining grant funds to work now.Hear from two of Stupski’s resident rule-breakers, Malila Becton-Conusegra, our Bay Area postsecondary success program officer, and Ari Datta, our food justice program manager. They shared why they advocated to push more dollars out today: because communities can’t afford for us to wait and see. Tune in to hear Malila and Ari share how all foundations—not just spenddowns—can spend more to respond to urgent needs in our communities today and prevent future harm. Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski's Foundation decision to accelerate its spend down.Host: Glen GalaichGuests: Ari Datta and Malila Becton-ConsuegraProducer: Claire Callahan

💡Marc Philpart: “I do have fear, but I refuse to be paralyzed by it. I refuse to not take action. I refuse to shy away from our commitment to our community.”How can we respond amid growing fear and political backlash against racial justice? In this inspiring episode, Marc Philpart, President and CEO of the Black Freedom Fund, discusses the Fund’s unwavering commitment to advancing Black freedom through the largest transfer of wealth to Black organizing in history. Tune in to hear Marc speak to the courage required to act in this moment and why we must stay the course.Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about and donate to the Black Freedom Fund.Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Marc PhilpartProducer: Claire Callahan

💡Richard Tate: “It’s time we recognize that there is an increased level of risk, but it's a risk worth taking.” What keeps philanthropy from speaking out? And how can funders overcome fear and use our voices to protect communities against forces that seek to silence us? In this episode, Richard Tate from the California Wellness Foundation takes the mic to talk about how his foundation made the decision to speak out against the rise of authoritarianism. Risky? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. Tune in to hear Richard’s vision for how much more we can accomplish in philanthropy by standing up together.Read more from Richard about the impacts of funding cuts to health services and why “We Shall Not Be Moved.” Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Richard TateProducer: Claire Callahan

💡Leah Hunt-Hendrix: “The 501(c)(3) is a social construct meant to protect wealth and give wealthy people a tax break for making a charitable contribution. It's not a necessity. You don't have to abide by it. A lot of mutual aid can happen outside of that structure.”Can solidarity heal our fractured democracy? In this episode, organizer, donor, and writer, Leah Hunt-Hendrix, shares how solidarity can be the antidote in divisive times. Hear Leah challenge traditional models of philanthropy that limit social change and call for a transformative approach rooted in solidarity. In her recent book, Solidarity for Social Change: The Past, Present, and Future of a World Changing Idea, Leah highlights how standing together can help us overcome the forces that seek to divide us. How can we shed the constraints of how philanthropy "has always been done?” Tune in to find out from Leah.Meet Leah: Leah Hunt-Hendrix is an organizer and writer who works on economic inequality and democracy. She has a Ph.D from Princeton University and is co-author of Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World Changing Idea, with Astra Taylor, which was published by Pantheon in 2024. Leah is the co-founder of Solidaire Network, a network that supports progressive social movements, and Way to Win, a fund that resources progressive electoral strategies. She currently leads Democracy Takes Work, a new project which aims to bolster worker organizing. Read Solidarity for Social Change: The Past, Present, and Future of a World Changing Idea by Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor.Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Leah Hunt-HendrixProducer: Claire Callahan

Dr. Sulma Gandhi: “This is what I mean by the 'frustrating funder.’ When I was a grantee for all those years, I was always trying to fit my proposal or how I was pitching into the box of the funder who had a particular strategy from some other community, not that of ours.”What does it take to break free from frustrating funding practices? This month, Stupski Foundation’s Hawaiʻi health program officer, Dr. Sulma Gandhi, shares her journey from grant-seeker to grant-maker and how she embraces trust-based practices to fully invest in community-led holistic health initiatives across Hawaiʻi. Think multi-year general operating support grants without the burdens of proposals, term limits, and cumbersome reporting— how refreshing! Hear how Dr. Gandhi is giving at the intersection of trust and urgency so communities can direct resources where they know they’ll work best.  Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Dr. Sulma GandhiProducer: Claire Callahan

In this episode of Break Fake Rules, author and philanthropic rule-breaker Dimple Abichandani joins us at the Global Philanthropy Forum Leaders Summit to spill the tea on her new book, A New Era of Philanthropy. 💡Dimple Abichandani: “Philanthropy is unique because the rule that we need to move towards is that these funds are not meant to be maintained and grown. They're actually meant to be transformed.”Learn more from Dimple in her new book, A New Era of Philanthropy: Ten Practices to Transform Wealth into a More Just and Sustainable Future. Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Dimple AbichandaniProducer: Claire Callahan

Sarah Longwell returns to Break Fake Rules, this time at the Forward Global Summit! In this episode, Sarah breaks down the state of American democracy and the fractured media landscape in the wake of the election. How can philanthropists play a positive role in the effort to defend democracy and counter misinformation? Listen to Sarah to find out. 💡Sarah Longwell: “What is the point of having FU money if you don't tell bad people to FU?”Hear more from Sarah and learn what real American voters think on The Focus Group podcast. For honest news and smart analysis, check out The Bulwark.  Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Sarah LongwellProducer: Claire Callahan

In the season two premiere of Break Fake Rules, powerhouse rule-breaking duo Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, and Heather Kinlaw Lofthouse, Director of Inequality Media join Glen Galaich to explore the challenges of polarity and the corrosive forces of wealth and power on democracy. How we can hold onto hope for a more just future in these challenging times? Tune in to find out. 💡Robert Reich: “It has become far more important, even than it was 10 years ago, for people to cause good trouble, to poke the bear, to be courageous, to take on the powers that are now dominating America.”💡Heather Lofthouse: “This is an incredibly important time to be getting the truth out and to use these platforms where so many people are consuming information, news, and fake news.”Check out Robert Reich’s substack and learn more about Inequality Media. Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuests: Robert Reich and Heather Kinlaw LofthouseProducer: Claire Callahan

Welcome back to Break Fake Rules with Glen Galaich, CEO of the Stupski Foundation. This season, we're excited to bring you a new slate of inspiring rule-breakers in media, government, philanthropy, and more. Listen to a preview of the new season. Full episodes drop monthly starting February 26, 2025.

Wait, there’s more! Tune into a bonus episode to hear some of our favorite rule-breaking moments from the season. Stay tuned for a special announcement about what’s next for Break Fake Rules.Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and explores ways it can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Host: Glen GalaichGuest & Producer: Claire Callahan

“We have to find a way to break down the dynamic of power that has created this gulf between us and who gets funded.” - Julián CastroFor the finale of Break Fake Rules, Glen sits down with longtime political rulebreaker, Julián Castro! Filmed in front of a studio audience at the National Forum on Family Philanthropy, hear Glen and Julián discuss the fake rules Julián encountered throughout his career in government and what he is discovering in his new philanthropic role as CEO of the Latino Community Foundation. Learn more about the Latino Community Foundation and their work to unleash the civic and economic power of Latinos. Break Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and explores ways it can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Julián CastroProducer: Claire Callahan

“Philanthropy has these ways of carving out money and setting it aside. Is there another way to think about what to do with money that exists in this world? Shouldn’t we be thinking about different ways of activating it now?” - Jennifer RisherBreak Fake Rules is a podcast from the Stupski Foundation that questions philanthropy’s self-imposed rules and looks for ways philanthropy can better serve communities and contribute to lasting change. In this episode, Glen talks with Jennifer Risher, an author and rulebreaking philanthropist who is motivating donors to move philanthropic wealth off the sidelines and into communities where it is needed today. Hear Jennifer share her initiative, #HalfMyDAF, which is challenging the wealth management system and motivating others to unleash dollars from donor-advised funds. Check out #HalfMyDAF and learn more from Jennifer in her book, “We Need to Talk: A Memoir About Wealth”. Learn about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Jennifer RisherProducer: Claire Callahan