Dana Schmidt of Echidna Giving: Deploying $6 Billion for Girls’ Education While Staying Close to Communities

What does thoughtful philanthropy look like when the ambition is to deploy $6 billion over the next 35 years in support of girls’ education? In this episode of the Do One Better Podcast, Alberto Lidji speaks with Dana Schmidt, Program Director at Echidna Giving, about the realities of large-scale grantmaking, the responsibility that comes with stewarding significant philanthropic capital, and why supporting girls’ education remains one of the most evidence-backed pathways toward long-term social change. Echidna Giving is expanding rapidly, with annual grantmaking projected to grow from roughly $50 million to $200 million. Dana explains why giving money away well is far from straightforward. The conversation explores how funders can remain responsive to grantees, learn continuously, and avoid becoming disconnected from the communities they seek to support. Central to Echidna Giving’s approach is a commitment to listening to those closest to the problems, investing in long-term relationships, taking measured risks, and embedding clear values into day-to-day decision making. The discussion also examines how philanthropic organizations can preserve culture and effectiveness while scaling. Dana shares how Echidna Giving formalized guiding principles for its work, used independent grantee perception surveys to gather honest feedback, and saw stronger results even as the organization grew and expanded geographically. A major theme throughout the conversation is proximity. As Echidna Giving has built teams closer to the regions where it works, including East Africa, its grantmaking has evolved. The organization has increased direct engagement with locally led institutions and is supporting efforts to strengthen African-led education research, with the aim of shifting who produces evidence and shapes educational priorities. Dana also outlines the areas where Echidna Giving concentrates its funding, including early childhood, foundational learning, and adolescent girls’ education, recognizing these as pivotal moments that influence whether girls remain in school and thrive over the long term. The conversation considers how philanthropy can complement, rather than replace, public systems, acknowledging that governments remain the largest investors in education worldwide. This episode is a thoughtful exploration of effective philanthropy, trust-based grantmaking, systems change, and the challenge of turning substantial resources into meaningful, lasting impact. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.