Jeff Atwood and Dr. Betsy Burton Are Giving Big and Fast
Phil Buchanan sits down with spouses Jeff Atwood, co-founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse, and Dr. Betsy Burton, a scientist who has helped develop cancer therapies, to talk about their commitment to give away $50 million, half their family’s wealth, over five years, with the bulk of it going toward guaranteed income programs in rural America.
Jeff and Betsy describe a two-part strategy that began with $1 million, no-strings-attached gifts to eight organizations they trusted to “kick ass” with the money, before turning to what they call “fire abatement”: tackling the systemic conditions that create so much need in the first place. That work led them to guaranteed income pilots in West Virginia, North Carolina, and Mississippi, run in partnership with GiveDirectly and built on research from Open Research’s landmark basic income study. They share what that data actually shows about how people spend unconditional cash — including a drop in substance use and unexpectedly high rates of people sharing their payments with neighbors in need — and push back hard on the assumptions that so often shape how donors think about giving directly to people.
The conversation also gets personal, as Jeff reflects on his father’s own path out of generational poverty in West Virginia, and the two discuss raising philanthropically minded kids, their admiration for MacKenzie Scott’s trust-based approach, and their frustration with slow-moving giving pledges that lack a real timeline for getting money out the door.
Guest Info:
Jeff Atwood is a software developer, writer, and entrepreneur dedicated to building tools that help people communicate, collaborate, and learn from one another. He co-founded Stack Overflow, the world’s largest developer community, and Discourse, an open-source platform for civilized online discussion.
Grounded in computer science and driven by a passion for human-centered design, Atwood believes that great software is defined not just by its code, but by its ability to empower people. He writes about programming, user experience, and technology at Coding Horror, exploring the intersection of software and the messy, fascinating reality of the people who use it.
Whether designing community systems, writing code, or reflecting on the craft of software, his mission remains simple: make the internet a better place.
Betsy Burton is a retired scientist, community volunteer, and advocate for economic security. After more than 30 years in academia and the biotechnology industry, where she helped develop novel oncology therapeutics, she turned her attention to addressing the social and economic factors that shape health and well-being.
Betsy has volunteered weekly at the Alameda Food Bank for several years and recently joined its Board of Directors. Working directly with neighbors seeking food assistance reinforced her belief that while emergency food programs are essential, communities also need solutions that address the underlying causes of financial insecurity.
With her husband, Betsy co-founded the Rural Guaranteed Minimum Income Initiative, which focuses on advancing evidence-based approaches that strengthen economic stability and expand opportunity. She is particularly interested in how direct cash assistance can complement existing social supports by giving people the flexibility and dignity to meet their own needs. Her work is guided by a belief that lasting change comes from combining compassionate community service with policies that address systemic barriers.
Credits:
Podcast Production: Cold Italian
Artwork: Jay Kustka
Resources:
Stay Gold, America
“We Have Everything We Need”: Jeff Atwood and Betsy Burton’s Bold Mission to Guarantee Minimum Income in Rural America – Denver Frederick
Giving Cash to Those in Need with Paul Niehaus of GiveDirectly
Fighting Poverty with Direct Cash Transfers, Featuring Jesús Gerena
UBI Data
SEED Project
Breaking the Mold: The Transformative Effects of MacKenzie Scott’s Big Gifts