The Power of Employee-Led Philanthropy with Lauren Coape-Arnold

Employee engagement is rapidly becoming one of the most powerful forces shaping corporate philanthropy today. And skilled volunteerism—where employees contribute their professional expertise to nonprofits—can transform both the organizations served and the employees themselves.We invited Lauren Coape-Arnold, Executive Director of the Apollo Opportunity Foundation (AOF) and Global Head of Citizenship at Apollo Global Management, to speak about how AOF built a model that puts employees at the very heart of the company’s philanthropy. It empowers employees to nominate, evaluate, and partner with grantees, ensuring that they are engaged throughout the entire relationship—not just at the funding stage. Through cross-functional “deal teams,” employees apply their analytical, financial, and strategic skills to help nonprofits thrive, all while cultivating collaboration and leadership within Apollo’s culture. By structuring philanthropy around its people, AOF creates a cycle of giving and growth that benefits communities, strengthens performance, and deepens employees’ sense of meaning at work.Listen for insights on:Establishing relationships with grantees that go beyond check-writingBuilding skilled volunteer programs employees actively want to joinCreating successful grant councils that bolster nonprofits and engage employees Resources + Links:Lauren Coape-Arnold’s LinkedInApollo Opportunity Foundation (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Lauren Coape-Arnold and Apollo Opportunity Foundation (03:02) - Lauren’s Background (05:40) - Apollo (06:29) - Creating the Foundation (08:39) - The Guardrails (10:12) - Picking the Focus (13:24) - Employee Focus (16:11) - How It’s Done (19:10) - Skills-Based (19:53) - Deal Teams (21:28) - Impact (23:03) - Logistics (24:03) - GAIN UK (26:52) - Advice (28:47) - Review Process (29:51) - Integrating AI (31:51) - Last Word (33:00) - Wrap Up