Giving Ventures

Is your alma mater soliciting donations from you? Chances are ... they've asked you for money recently. In fact, U.S. colleges and universities raised $52.9 billion in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021, and that is a 6.9 percent increase over the previous year.While the schools make giving easy, giving effectively is much harder. In other words, is your alma mater the best place for your charitable dollars when a different college or university is doing work that better reflects your values?Emily Jae, director of the Fund for Academic Renewal at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, joins Peter on the latest episode of Giving Ventures to discuss ways to make intentional gifts to colleges and universities that live up to our nation's founding ideals.

Peter interviews Bryant Haines of 2ndVote, which scores companies on how liberal, conservative or neutral they are on social and political issues. Also on this episode is Will Hild of Consumers' Research to discuss the social credit system that has become "ESG" standards, a problematic and flawed system that elites increasingly use to signal whether a company is worth investing in. And finally Derek Kreifels, co-founder and chief executive officer of the State Financial Officers Foundation gives a rundown on the role state officials play in the ESG tug-of-war. Listen in and circle back here soon for the show notes.

On this episode of Giving Ventures, Peter talks with author Gideon Bernstein about the upside of giving and how the tragedy of his son's murder changed the way Bernstein views the world and his philanthropy. You won't want to miss this poignant conversation, especially if you need a fresh outlook and roadmap for your giving.

On the third installment of "Inspiring Liberty on Campus," Young Americans for Liberty Executive Director Lauren Daugherty joins Peter on Giving Ventures to give an update on the organization. Born out of the "Youth for Ron Paul" movement, Young Americans for Liberty is defending the First Amendment rights of college students with a particular emphasis on pushing back against campus-free-speech zones. Why? Because all of campus should be fair game for free speech, says Daugherty. Listen to find out what else Daugherty and her team are doing to preserve the First Amendment rights of more than 1.5 million college students every year and what they did to help pass constitutional carry in Indiana.

On the latest episode of Giving Ventures, Peter interviews Charlie Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point USA, "a national student movement dedicated to identifying, organizing, and empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government." Charlie talks about his new book, titled "The College Scam: How Colleges and Universities Are Bankrupting and Brainwashing Away America's Youth," and what TPUSA chapters nationwide are doing to help students embrace liberty and freedom.

On the latest episode of Giving Ventures, Peter interviews Dr. Wolf von Laer, chief executive officer of Students for Liberty. Last year alone, says Dr. Laer, Students for Liberty-affiliated students organized nearly 2,000 events on campuses across the globe. The events included protests, townhalls and creative activities or exhibitions spearheaded by students. The common thread that ensures students walk away empowered and hopeful about the future of academic inquiry? Community, says Dr. Laer. Hear all about it on this week's episode of Giving Ventures, available wherever you get your podcasts.

UPDATE: These pro-family leaders Peter originally interviewed in October already are making big strides toward strengthening family life in America. Hit "Play" and, if you've already listened to the episode, fast forward to the end for updates on each charity. In the fourth episode of Giving Ventures, host and DonorsTrust Vice President Peter Lipsett talk with three great guests working to strengthen families, protect children, and nurture new respect for dads. John-Paul "J.P." DeGance, president and CEO of Communio, works with churches and communities to bolster marriage; Darcy Olsen, CEO of GenJustice, works to ensure foster children have legal representation; and John Papola, CEO of the Emergent Order Foundation, works to engage fathers and encourage them to create an impact in their community. Even if families, foster care, and fatherhood aren't important pieces of your philanthropy, you will find some interesting tidbits in here—and some great reasons to be optimistic.Editor's Note: Gen Justice announced on Oct. 11 that it's changed its name to 'The Center for the Rights of Abused Children." It says the name change is an effort at "better communicating" its mission to help America's abused and abandoned children.

On this episode of the Giving Ventures podcast, Peter interviews Ian Rowe, author of the new book "Agency: The Four Point Plan (F.R.E.E.) for ALL Children to Overcome the Victimhood Narrative and Discover Their Pathway to Power," senior fellow at American Enterprise Institute and co-founder of Vertex Partnership Academies, a world-class charter high school, the first campus of which opened its doors this year in the Bronx. This wide-ranging conversation explores Ian's experience as an education entrepreneur, what donors can learn from his time at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, non-profits that are advancing the idea of agency, and so much more.

2026 will be a big year. No, it isn't a presidential election year. Twenty-twenty-six marks the 250th birthday of our beloved United States of America. The fancy term for that is the semi-quin-centennial. The brand you will get to know it as, though, is America250. That is the name of the organization leading the planning and coordination of a national celebration for this remarkable birthday. Joseph C. Daniels, the new CEO and president of America250, joins host Peter Lipsett on the latest episode of Giving Ventures to talk about his plans for the big birthday bash.

Are free-markets dead? Not a chance. Young entrepreneurs and activists including Cindy Cerquitella of America's Future; Amanda Covo of Teneo Network; and Marissa Gaston of Washington Policy Center join host and DonorsTrust Vice President Peter Lipsett on the latest episode of Giving Ventures to share how they're fanning the flames of freedom in their respective communities.