Break Fake Rules

💡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

“Spending down enables us to make larger investments in our grantees to take bigger swings at addressing the barriers that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities face when accessing health care.”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. In this episode, Glen talks with Ryan Easterly, executive director of the WITH Foundation, who is dedicated to advancing comprehensive care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Hear Ryan encourage funders to break the fake rules that prevent resources from flowing to people with disabilities who need them today.Learn more about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Ryan EasterlyProducer: Claire Callahan

It’s time to Break Fake Rules, this time with two remarkable rule breakers who delve into race, philanthropy, and humanity. In this episode, Glen speaks with leading antiracist scholar and award winning author, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and CEO of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Marcus Walton. Which rules must we break to create an antiracist world? Tune in to find out. ”Racist ideas and bigotry across different areas not only prevents us from recognizing the full humanity of the other, but in being unable to recognize the full humanity of the other, we're actually not able to live in the full humanity of ourselves.” - Dr. Ibram X. Kendi“Institutionalizing a thing that has existed within human relationships since the beginning of humanity, that is philanthropy, dehumanizes it by definition.” - Marcus WaltonSign up for The Emancipator newsletter for up-to-date news on the people, organizations, and topics shaping the antiracism movement today.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 GalaichGuests: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Marcus WaltonProducer: Claire Callahan

“When we're trying to make the change that we want by only using the tools that have tax benefits to the donors, we should be very explicit about that. And that dynamic is a fake rule that we need to interrupt.”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. In this episode, Glen talks with Ludovic Blain, Executive Director of the California Donor Table. Ludovic dispells the myth of unrestricted 501(c)(3) funding and highlights how we can we better leverage philanthropic dollars to advance a multiracial democracy.Learn more about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Ludovic BlainProducer: Claire Callahan

“A.B.C. Always be challenging.”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. In this episode, Glen talks with Rachel Pritzker, President and Founder of the Pritzker Innovation Fund. Rachel encourages us to lean into humility and curiosity to challenge our assumptions and discover new solutions that lead to progress. Resources:As mentioned in the discussion, find more information about the important function of in-group moderates here. Learn how to navigate conflict in Amanda Ripley’s book, High Conflict. Learn more about the Democracy Funders Network, the Breakthrough Institute, Third Way, and the Energy for Growth Hub.Learn more about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Rachel PritzkerProducer: Claire Callahan

“We only see one side of the story, which is the giving of money but not the getting of money.”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. In this episode, Glen talks with Dr. Carmen Rojas, president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation. Carmen outlines how we can break the fake rules of philanthropy to support a just economy and fully realized democracy that is accountable to communities.Learn more about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Dr. Carmen RojasProducer: Claire Callahan

“We're stuck in our own infrastructure that we've created and we've bought into it. If we were just to take a pause and just think about that for a moment, what could we do more today to mitigate the problems down the road? I mean, we could solve a lot right now.” 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. In this episode, Glen chats with Priscilla Enriquez, CEO of the James B. McClatchy Foundation. Hear them discuss her foundation’s commitment to spend down by 2030 through their Sunrise Plan to fund the people and support a brighter future for California’s Central Valley. Learn more about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Priscilla EnriquezProducer: Claire Callahan

“People should go push to liberate themselves. What do they want to do more of?”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. Glen talks with Sarah Longwell, president and CEO of Longwell Partners, founder of The Bulwark, and host of The Focus Group podcast. In this episode, they discuss her decision to fight against Trump as a Republican and the need for the nation to build strong coalitions to restore Americans’ trust in our institutions and each other.Learn more about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Sarah LongwellProducer: Claire Callahan

“There’s all this wealth that’s locked up, that has been taken from the community that needs to be distributed back to the community.” 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. Glen speaks with Jennifer Thuy Vi Nguyen, director of postsecondary success at the Stupski Foundation, who makes the case for integrating students in decision-making, greater wealth distribution, and why institutional philanthropy should cease to exist. Learn more from Jennifer with, "Philanthropy Confidential, a “Dear Abby”-style quarterly column where Jen answers anonymously submitted questions about the opaque, strange, and often absurdist world of institutional philanthropy. Learn more about the Stupski Foundation’s work.Host: Glen GalaichGuest: Jennifer NguyenProducer: Claire Callahan