Level Up: Helping Funders Give More, Faster - with Jodeen Olguín-Tayler, CHANGE Philanthropy
RSS Feed Synopsis:
In this episode, you’ll learn about a current organizing effort to get institutional funders to ‘level up’ their giving in response to attacks on nonprofits and communities. Host Rusty Stahl speaks with Jodeen Olguín-Tayler (CHANGE Philanthropy) about the Level Up campaign and its three-part pledge, in which funders agree to (1) increase giving for at least two years; (2) move money quickly and equitably to support 'frontline' communities; and (3) share how the commitments are put into practice.
The conversation also explores why increased payout rates matter right now; the role of donor advised funds; protecting racial justice grantmaking; and how funders can learn from one another to overcome internal barriers and turn commitments into action. This Season 10 premiere is an installment of our Defend Nonprofits, Defend Democracy Series. In a companion episode (S10:E2) next week, Brenda Solarzano shares why The California Endowment signed the Level Up pledge, and how its moving money in response to the current crisis.
Download transcript .pdf: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZpRvZ_zQQQkPSyX9t4FL0Uka0OcQgcAP/view?usp=sharing
Guest Bio:
Jodeen Olguín-Tayler (she/ella) is Director of Programs and Campaigns at CHANGE Philanthropy, where she supports the Level Up Campaign. Jodeen has served in executive roles in philanthropy, business, and nonprofits for over 20 years with a focus on democracy and an economy rooted in racial and gender equity. Her board service has included Movement Voter Fund, Poder Latinx, Chicana Empowerment Fund, Inclusive Democracy and Climate Equity Fund, and Movement Strategy Center. Her staff leadership has included the National Domestic and MoveOn. Full bio: https://changephilanthropy.org/about/team.
Essential Links:
Level Up Campaign: http://levelupphilanthropy.org
Level Up Campaign email: levelup@changephilanthropy.org
CHANGE Philanthropy: https://changephilanthropy.org/
Fund the People: http://fundthepeople.org
Fund the People Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/fund-the-people
Fund the People Podcast Premium on Patreon: http://patreon.com/fundthepeople
Key Resources from the Episode:
Racial Equity Advancement and Defense Initiative: https://www.abfe.org/racial-equity-advancement-and-defense-initiative-readi
Free Your Donor Advised Fund (DAF) website: http://freeyourdaf.org
CHANGE Philanthropy Member Organizations:
Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP): https://aapip.org
ABFE - A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities: https://www.abfe.org
Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy: https://www.epip.org
Funders for LGBTQ Issues: https://lgbtfunders.org
Hispanics in Philanthropy: https://hipfunds.org
Native Americans in Philanthropy: https://nativephilanthropy.org
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy: https://ncrp.org
Neighborhood Funders Group: https://nfg.org
Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity: https://racialequity.org
Women’s Funding Network: https://www.womensfundingnetwork.org
Relevant FTP Podcast Episodes:
How Nonprofits Fight Back Against Today’s Biggest Federal Threats w/ Sarah Saadian, National Council of Nonprofits (S9 Summer Bonus, 07.08.26) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-nonprofits-fight-back-against-todays-biggest-federal/id1531813289?i=1000775935067
‘Silence Isolates, Solidarity Shields’ w/ Tonya Allen, McKnight Foundation (S8:E07, 11.05.25) - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/silence-isolates-solidarity-shields-with-tonya-allen/id1531813289?i=100073541767
Meet the Moment: A Call to Action for Funders w/ Shaady Salehi, Trust-Based Philanthropy Project (S7:E17, 04.02.25) - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-the-moment-a-call-to-action-for-funders/id1531813289?i=1000701886889
Want additional relevant episodes? Add our Defend Nonprofits, Defend Democracy Playlist to your Spotify library: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45UnbWYeqzDY9U2DVWDcHm?si=_KJDjjPpSIKNUdiUIhuDnA
