Avoid the Myths and Give Smarter with Elisha Smith Arrillaga and Kevin Bolduc
Phil and Grace invite their CEP colleagues Elisha Smith Arrillaga and Kevin Bolduc to the recording studio for a candid and lively conversation that covers nonprofit-donor relationships, big gifts, trust in philanthropy, and the challenges facing nonprofits right now. The four bring their considerable collective experience and CEP’s data-based insights to bear on crucial questions like how donors can best support the causes they believe in, what everyday donors can learn from MacKenzie Scott’s approach to giving, how to think about trust in donor-nonprofit relationships, how to be an effective nonprofit board member, and more. For donors looking to embrace nuance and up their giving ‘game,’ this episode is a must-listen.
Guest Info:
Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Ph.D. manages CEP’s Research team, leading the creation, development, analysis, and release of various research projects and initiatives relevant to the philanthropic sector’s most pressing issues. Prior to CEP, Elisha was a faculty fellow and professor of practice in philanthropy and education policy at the University of Texas, and she served as executive director of several national and state level nonprofits, including the Dana Center, a national center on math and science education equity and the Education Trust West.
Kevin Bolduc leads the creation and delivery of CEP’s performance assessments and advisory services, including the development of new tools that help funders improve their effectiveness. Since joining CEP in 2001, Kevin helped design CEP’s groundbreaking Grantee Perception Report and other funder assessments and helped conduct CEP research on issues of strategy and grantmaking. Before joining CEP, Kevin was a consultant with The Parthenon Group, a Boston-based strategy consulting firm. He was formerly a member of the board of directors of PEAK Grantmaking, an inaugural Independent Sector American Express NGen Fellow, and was selected to the Aspen Institute Fellowship for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders.
Credits:
Podcast Production: Rococo Punch
Music: APM Music
Artwork: Jay Kustka
Resources:
State of Nonprofits 2024: What Funders Need to Know
CEP’s research on the impact of MacKenzie Scott’s giving: “Giving Big: The Impacts of Large, Unrestricted Gifts on Nonprofits” and “Emerging Impacts: The Effects of MacKenzie Scott’s Large, Unrestricted Gifts”
More CEP research
Trust-Based Philanthropy Project
Candid’s insights on nonprofit leadership demographics
Resources on board effectiveness from BoardSource
CEP’s Grantee Perception Report and other assessments