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Impact Audio
The podcast for social impact practitioners looking to connect big ideas with real impact. Join host Sam Caplan as he curates practical advice and inspiring stories from the people changing how we think about social change.
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Dispatch from PEAK 2025: Leading with courage
Season 5, Episode 6 | 10:37 Min
Hear about Sam Caplan’s experience at the 2025 PEAK Grantmaking Conference and how he sees philanthropy meeting the moment.
Sam Caplan
Laura Steele
How Microsoft makes giving personal for all of its 228,000 employees
Season 5, Episode 5 | 33 Min
Karen Bergin, senior director of employee engagement and disaster response at Microsoft, shares how she inspires high participation in workplace giving programs.
Karen Bergin
Sam Caplan
Dispatch from NGMA 2025: A seismic shift
Season 5, Episode 4 | 20:24 Min
Hear about Sam Caplan and Ian Witthoeft’s experiences at the 2025 NGMA Conference with government grantmakers.
Ian Witthoeft
Sam Caplan
GE Healthcare Foundation, year one: On choosing a mission and nonprofit partners
Season 5, Episode 3 | 32:57 Min
Abigail Epane-Osuala, president of the GE Healthcare Foundation, and Ash Rogers, Co-CEO of Lwala Community Alliance, share how they built a partnership around a common mission of improving women’s health.
Abigail Epane-Osuala
Ash Rogers
Sam Caplan
Foundations building for foundations: How the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation develops AI tech
Season 5, Episode 2 | 36:47 Min
Nick Cain explores how foundations can step up to fill the gap between the technology nonprofits have and what they need.
Nick Cain
Sam Caplan
CSR’s deskless conundrum: On engaging hard-to-reach employees
Season 5, Episode 1 | 44:15 Min
Tom Knowlton shares real-world examples of companies getting employee engagement right.
Tom Knowlton
Sam Caplan
A compliance wonk breaks down Uniform Guidance changes
Season 4, Episode 18 | 34:01 Min
David Clark explores what transparency and equity mean in the context of public sector funding.
David Clark
Sam Caplan
How to use partnerships + transparency to address big social problems
Season 4, Episode 17 | 19:11 Min
Fred Tan lays out how HPE found its social impact niche and built a network of partners to tackle some of the world’s most complex problems.
Fred Tan
Sam Caplan
How GivingTuesday went from grassroots movement to data powerhouse
Season 4, Episode 16 | 43:48 Min
Woodrow Rosenbaum shares the story behind GivingTuesday’s evolution from a grassroots giving movement to a global institution working to make data more accessible and actionable.
Woodrow Rosenbaum
Sam Caplan
How to (and why you should!) build an employee volunteer network
Season 4, Episode 15 | 34:12 Min
Megan Strand breaks down how to build an employee volunteer network that taps into people’s natural desire to get involved.
Megan Strand
Sam Caplan
Start with the story: A guide to social impact messaging
Season 4, Episode 14 | 24:39 Min
Erin Combs shares the secret to creating a social impact messaging strategy that feels authentic.
Erin Combs
Sam Caplan
The AI imperative: How tech nonprofits are leading the way
Season 4, Episode 13 | 29:14 Min
Shannon Farley digs into the landscape of tech nonprofits using AI for good and reshaping how the social impact sector thinks about technology.
Shannon Farley
Sam Caplan
From inbox filler to company mantra: How to nail your CSR comms
Season 4, Episode 12 | 23:18 Min
Rich Maiore gives tactical advice about how to get your CSR communication plan on track.
Rich Maiore
Sam Caplan
How to adapt when your CSR budget doesn’t match your vision
Season 4, Episode 11 | 21:16 Min
Melanie LeGrande walks through how she scaled her CSR vision to create a lasting employee giving program.
Melanie LeGrande
Sam Caplan
Less boring, more authentic: On the future of nonprofit boards
Season 4, Episode 10 | 22:40 Min
John Brothers sets a new vision for how nonprofit boards can become a stronger force for democracy.
John Brothers
Sam Caplan
25 years in CSR tech: Hard-won advice from an industry insider
Season 4, Episode 9 | 21:48 Min
Chris Battles explores how technology is unlocking a new level of employee engagement in CSR.
Chris Battles
Sam Caplan
Dispatch: EFG 2024 and a peek at the future of CSR
Season 4, Episode 8 | 11:58 Min
Sam and Madi reflect on this year’s EFG conference and share what they learned about the future of CSR.
Madison Silver
Sam Caplan
Dispatch: NASCIO 2024 Midyear & what state CIOs care about most
Season 4, Episode 7 | 22:27 Min
Hear about Sam’s experience at the NASCIO 2024 Midyear conference.
Stacey Sveum
Sam Caplan
FOMO vs skepticism: AI strategy for grantmakers who feel both
Season 4, Episode 6 | 19:02 Min
Jean Westrick explores how funders can navigate the new era of technology without disrupting their mission.
Jean Westrick
Sam Caplan
How Morgan Stanley finds & funds solutions for youth mental health
Season 4, Episode 5 | 25:32 Min
Joan Steinberg explains why Morgan Stanley focuses their funding on children’s mental health and the mechanics behind getting that funding into the hands of innovators.
Joan Steinberg
Sam Caplan
Closegap & Morgan Stanley: Where innovation arises & how it gets funded
Season 4, Episode 4 | 32 Min
Rachel Miller, founder and CEO of Closegap, and Sam Caplan explore how innovation arises in the social impact sector and how it gets funded.
Rachel Miller
Joan Steinberg
Dispatch: The biggest takeaways from PEAK2024
Season 4, Episode 3 | 17:28 Min
Hear Sam’s biggest insights from PEAK2024 that you might’ve missed.
Sam Caplan
Sam Ellsworth
Dispatch: What You Missed at the Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit
Season 4, Episode 2 | 31 Min
Go behind the scenes of the exclusive event to learn how top social impact experts think AI will redefine their work.
Sam Ellsworth
Sam Caplan
Beth Kanter on AI & the One Question That Will Help You Make Sense of It
Season 4, Episode 1 | 21 Min
Beth Kanter, nonprofit trainer and author, and Sam Caplan explore the nuances of how nonprofits can start using AI today in a responsible way.
Beth Kanter
Sam Caplan
The starvation cycle in corporate social responsibility: How CSR professionals can right the ship
Season 3, Episode 9 | 22:40 Min
Carolyn Berkowitz, President and CEO of ACCP, and Sam Caplan explore how CSR professionals can get their teams out of the starvation cycle.
Carolyn Berkowitz
Sam Caplan
Systemic change requires bold solutions
Season 3, Episode 8 | 69:19 Min
Partners from the Bold Solutions Network sit down with Sam Caplan to share how support from Lever for Change enables them to make long-term, systemic progress.
Native Women Lead
New Mexico Community Capital
Communities United
JUST Community
What is the ‘S’ in ESG, and how do you measure it?
Season 3, Episode 7 | 27:10 Min
Carmen Perez, founder and partner at Better Next, and Sam Caplan tackle one of the trickiest aspects of CSR and grantmaking—measuring impact.
Carmen Perez
Sam Caplan
The challenge model: How to flip the philanthropy script
Season 3, Episode 6 | 30:03 Min
Kristen Molyneaux, vice president of program strategy & learning at Lever for Change, and Sam Caplan break down how to avoid the traps of traditional philanthropy.
Kristen Molyneaux
Sam Caplan
A blueprint for high-engagement CSR programs
Season 3, Episode 5 | 28:23 Min
Patricia Toothman, social impact manager at Splunk, and Sam Caplan explore what it takes to turn employees into CSR champions.
Patricia Toothman
Sam Caplan
What the data says about the future of social impact
Season 3, Episode 4 | 29:42 Min
Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas, managing director of corporate insights & engagement for CECP, and Sam Caplan map out how individual efforts connect to systemic change.
Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas
Sam Caplan
Constructing a Purpose-Built Career
Season 3, Episode 3 | 26:15 Min
Angela Parker, CEO and co-founder of Realized Worth, and Sam Caplan discuss the realities of what it takes to build a career around a strong sense of purpose.
Angela Parker
Sam Caplan
Breakthroughs in Social Impact: How Integrated CSR Unlocks Innovation
Season 3, Episode 2 | 26 Min
Erin Baudo Felter, VP of social impact and sustainability at Okta, and Sam Caplan break down what should drive CSR programs.
Erin Baudo Felter
Sam Caplan
Lessons from the Future of CSR and Corporate Volunteering
Season 3, Episode 1 | 30 Min
Jen Carter, global head of technology & volunteering at Google.org, and Sam Caplan explore what it means to take a “moonshot” approach to social impact.
Jen Carter
Sam Caplan
The Opportunity Motivation: Effective Altruism and Our Impetus to Give
Season 2, Episode 10 | 29 Min
Join Submittable with Giving What We Can's Luke Freeman in a discussion about the motivations and methodology behind effective altruism.
Luke Freeman
Rachel Mindell
Leaders Never Stop Emerging: Embracing the Next Generation of Philanthropic Changemakers
Season 2, Episode 9 | 35 Min
Join Submittable with philanthropy leader Storme Gray in a discussion about how emerging social impact leaders can unlock the right doors and keep them open.
Storme Gray
Laura Steele
Rachel Mindell
From Transactional to Transformative: How Intention Can Remake Corporate Volunteering
Season 2, Episode 8 | 30 Min
Join Submittable’s Sam Caplan in conversation with Chris Jarvis, an expert in volunteerism, corporate giving, and the neuroscience behind lasting change.
Chris Jarvis
Sam Caplan
Conversations at the Heart of CSR
Season 2, Episode 7 | 30 Min
Join Submittable with CSR-insider Alli Murphy for a discussion about the people, ideas, and resources propelling social good.
Alli Murphy
Rachel Mindell
Riding the Hype Curves: Community Foundations, Crypto, and DAFs
Season 2, Episode 6 | 31 Min
Join Submittable with philanthropy IT insider Leon Wilson for a conversation about tech adoption and strategy in the social sector.
Leon Wilson
Sam Caplan
How Tech Can Turn Silos Into Systems Change
Season 2, Episode 5 | 15 Min
Join Impact Audio for a conversation with Amy Sample Ward and Afua Bruce, experts and leaders in social impact technology.
Amy Sample Ward
Afua Bruce
4 Trends Shaping Philanthropy in 2022
Season 2, Episode 4 | 12 Min
Join Impact Audio producers as they discuss the ideas and people shaping philanthropy in 2022, and beyond.
Laura Steele
Rachel Mindell
Accessibility, Advocacy, Representation: How Philanthropy Can Step Up for the Disability Community
Season 2, Episode 3 | 33 Min
Join Submittable with special guest Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, Founder of RespectAbility, for a powerful conversation on the “A” that’s missing from DEI.
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi
Sam Caplan
Advancing DEI Day to Day: From Why to How with WarnerMedia
Season 2, Episode 2 | 15 Min
Join Submittable with special guests Grace Moss, Sophia Zeinu, and Yvette Urbina of WarnerMedia for a discussion on operationalizing DEI.
Grace Moss
Sophia Zeinu
Yvette Urbina
From Evolution to Revolution: How Grants Managers Can Remake Philanthropy
Season 2, Episode 1 | 29 Min
Join Submittable with special guests Rachel Kimber and Adam Liebling, grants managers at the forefront of philanthropy’s future tense.
Rachel Kimber
Adam Liebling
Sam Caplan
The State of Corporate Purpose: Insights from CECP's 2021 Giving in Numbers Report
Season 1, Episode 10 | 20 Min
Join Submittable’s impact team to hear which trends are shaping the future of philanthropy.
Sam Caplan
Natalya Taylor
Laura Steele
John Mohr and Sam Caplan: Democratizing Philanthropy with the Common App
Season 1, Episode 9 | 31 Min
Join Submittable with special guest John Mohr, Chief Information Officer of the MacArthur Foundation, in conversation about his efforts to create a common grant application.
John Mohr
Sam Caplan
7 Principles for Measuring Impact
Season 1, Episode 8 | 17 Min
Join Submittable's marketing team to shift your perspective and discover seven principles that can help guide your impact measurement work.
Natalya Taylor
Rachel Mindell
Chantal Forster and Sam Caplan: Technology Accelerates Change
Season 1, Episode 7 | 29 Min
Join Submittable with special guest Chantal Forster, executive director of the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG), in a conversation about the power of tech in philanthropy.
Chantal Forster
Sam Caplan
Kari Aanestad: Equity, Honesty, and #FixTheForm
Season 1, Episode 6 | 15 Min
Join Submittable and special guest Kari Aanestad as she shares context, insights, and insider tips from #FixTheForm.
Kari Aanestad
Edgar Villanueva and Sam Caplan: How Can Philanthropy Decolonize Wealth?
Season 1, Episode 5 | 59 Min
Join Submittable for a book club Q&A with Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth, facilitated by Sam Caplan, VP of Social Impact at Submittable.
Edgar Villanueva
Sam Caplan
Shaady Salehi: Tackling Common Misconceptions about Trust-Based Philanthropy
Season 1, Episode 4 | 12 Min
Join Submittable and special guest Shaady Salehi digging into the tenets behind trust-based philanthropy and how funders may misunderstand them.
Shaady Salehi
Luther Hughes and Lydia Boss: Antiracism, Community-building, and Grants for Artists
Season 1, Episode 3 | 12 Min
Join Submittable and special guests Luther Hughes and Lydia Boss in a discussion about strategies for improving equity in the grantmaking process.
Luther Hughes
Lydia Boss
Louise Bleach and Mark Horoszowski: CSR, Social Enterprise, and Doing Well by Doing Good
Season 1, Episode 2 | 14 Min
Join Submittable and special guests Louise Bleach and Mark Horoszowski in a conversation about the evolution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the imperative for social and environmental change.
Louise Bleach
Mark Horoszowski
Satonya Fair and Sam Caplan: Philanthropy, Impact, and the Future of Grantmaking
Season 1, Episode 1 | 56 Min
Join Submittable for an in-depth Q&A between Satonya Fair, President and CEO at PEAK Grantmaking, and Sam Caplan, VP of Social Impact at Submittable, focused on philanthropy’s past, present, and future.
Sam Caplan
Satonya Fair
Impact Audio: Trailer
Season 1, Episode 0 | 3 Min
Join Submittable for a new audio series dedicated to social impact—highlights, insights, and in-depth exchanges. Here’s the lowdown on what’s coming up.
Rachel Mindell
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