PODCAST · business
Let’s Hear It
by letshearitcast
Welcome to Let’s Hear It, a podcast about foundation and nonprofit communications (among other things), hosted by non-relatives Eric Brown and Kirk Brown.Let’s Hear It is sponsored through the generous support of the College Futures Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, the Prebys Foundation, and the Stupski Foundation. On Let’s Hear It, Kirk and Eric speak with leaders in the field about who they are, what makes them tick, and how they think about their work. These conversations are freewheeling and (we hope) fun. We’re serious – it’s not all serious.Together, Eric and Kirk have worked in and around hundreds of foundations, nonprofits and campaigns. For over a decade, Eric was Communications Director at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and now runs Brownbridge Strategies, a consulting firm that works with foundations and nonprofits on grantmaking, communications, and fundraising strategies. Kirk is the former President of Resource Media, a nonprofit organization that provide
Episodes
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Philanthropy Shocker! Marguerite Casey Foundation’s Carmen Rojas and Daniel Gould Put Mission Ahead of Hoarding Money
When federal funding for nonprofits started disappearing last year, the Marguerite Casey Foundation didn't put out a pithy statement, they pulled out their checkbook. The foundation cranked up its grantmaking from around $30 million to $130 million in a single year. Now the foundation has pledged...
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Most Conferences Suck, But Not This One! - A Bonus Preview of ComNet26
Eric went to the Communications Network annual conference for 21 years in a row, so he knows a little bit about what makes this gathering special. In this bonus episode, Eric is joined by Communications Network CEO Sean Gibbons, VP of Events and Community Carrie Clyne, and Director of Strategic...
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So You Wanna Start a Podcast? With Emily Shaw and Bridget Conley
This podcast exists because Kirk Brown had what Eric thinks was a very stupid idea, to start a podcast about foundation and nonprofit communications. Seven years later, they're still at it. Our guests today, Emily Shaw and Bridget Conley, started the podcast Disrupting Peace because Bridget had a...
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Eloy Ortiz Oakley Shows How Valuable College Really Is
We are delighted to have College Futures Foundation CEO Eloy Ortiz Oakley back on the show to talk about one of our favorite subjects – the value of a college degree or certificate. Eloy joined us to talk about a new study College Futures commissioned from Georgetown University's Center on...
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Fiona Guthrie of the Innocence Project on Using Story to Fight for the Wrongfully Convicted
Fiona Guthrie spent decades reporting stories as a broadcast journalist and later served as Director of Story at the Ford Foundation. Now, she’s using storytelling to help free people who are wrongfully imprisoned, including those on death row. In this episode, Eric talks with Fiona about the...
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Please Be Good at Philanthropy with Jen Ford Reedy
Jen Ford Reedy has spent more than a decade leading the Bush Foundation, and over that time she has come to a conclusion that should be a challenge to the field—nobody actually has to be good at philanthropy. There's no license needed, no regulators keeping them accountable, and no market that...
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What Every Nonprofit Communicator Can Learn From Arts Marketing Genius Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly is one of the sharpest marketing minds Eric has ever met — and he's spent his career doing something all arts organizations dearly want to do: truly understand what their audiences want, align it with their own artistic vision, and set ticket prices accordingly. Sean is the founder of...
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Marc Moorghen of Lever for Change – the Elvis of the Nonprofit World
On the latest Let's Hear It, Eric sits down with Marc Moorghen, VP of Marketing and Communications at Lever for Change. Founded by the MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change connects donors with bold ideas through massive open calls. In just six years, Marc and his team have helped move $2.5...
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So You Wanna Be a Consultant? Going Independent with Regan Douglass
A lot of people who work in nonprofits and foundations eventually get the tickle. You know the one. What if I just... went out on my own? Regan Douglass did something about it. After years as a communications leader at PolicyLink, California Humanities, and the College Futures Foundation, she...
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Glen Galaich on Why Big Giving Falls Short
Glen Galaich is the CEO of the Stupski Foundation — and he just wrote a book that bites the hand that feeds him and serves it up in a 236-page meal. Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short, out today, makes an argument as simple as it is explosive: when a donor takes a tax deduction to give money…
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From Presence to Power: A Conversation with Rashad Robinson
There's a question Rashad Robinson wants every nonprofit and foundation leader to sit with right now: Are you building power — or just showing up? Rashad spent 13 years leading Color of Change, co-founded the Fight Back Table, forced over 100 corporations to leave ALEC — the American Legislative...
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A Sector in Crisis: CEP’s Elisha Smith Arrillaga Exposes the Dangerous Disconnect Between Foundations and Nonprofits
This might be the most important episode we've ever done, and we swear we’re not just saying that. If you work in or around philanthropy, stop what you're doing and listen. Nonprofits are facing record demand—higher than during COVID—and they're getting less funding. Not just from government.…
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Making Meaning of the Madness With Kristen Grimm
Kristen Grimm is back—and she’s making Let’s Hear It history as the show’s first three-time guest. In this episode, Eric and Kirk dive into Kristen’s latest thinking on how people interpret what’s happening around them, why facts alone don’t change minds, and what this moment of chaos means for...
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Dr. Sacoby Wilson on the Dirty Secret of AI—and the Communities That Are Fighting Back
AI needs power. A lot of power. But what happens when that power comes from 35 unpermitted gas turbines dropped into the middle of a historic Black neighborhood? In this episode, Eric sits down with Dr. Sacoby Wilson, award-winning environmental health scientist and recent Heinz Award for the...
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Amanda Renteria on Making Government Work for Everyone
On the latest Let’s Hear It, Eric sits down with the unstoppable Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America — and wow, is this one a shot of optimism for your civic soul. From growing up in California’s Central Valley to becoming the first Latina Chief of Staff in the U.S. Senate, to running…
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Nonprofit AF: Vu Le on Crappy Funding Practices, Hope, and Hard Truths
Nonprofits are essential, but are they getting what they need to succeed? And what happens when philanthropy clings to old habits while democracy teeters? In this episode, Eric sits down with writer, humorist, and nonprofit truth-teller Vu Le, creator of Nonprofit AF. With his trademark mix of...
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The Public Interest Comms Textbook We Needed Yesterday - with Ann Christiano and Angela Bradbery
In this episode of Let's Hear It, Eric sits down with two public interest comms powerhouses—Ann Searight Christiano and Angela Bradbery—who’ve just dropped what might be the most anticipated textbook in our field: Public Interest Communications Strategy for Change Makers. Ann and Angela share how...
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A Playbook for Change — Rachael Kagan on Journalism, Philanthropy, and Ending Domestic Violence
Let’s Hear It is back after a brief break—and we’re diving into one of the most powerful conversations we’ve had yet. In this episode, Eric sits down with Rachael Kagan, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Blue Shield of California Foundation. With a background in journalism and...
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The Great Doug Hattaway on the Art and Science of Effective Communications
What makes an effective communicator in today’s chaotic political landscape? This week, Eric sits down with the legendary Doug Hattaway—founder of Hattaway Communications, political strategist, and storytelling expert—to find out. From his early days in journalism and politics to helping shape…
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The Politics of Beauty with John de Graaf
What’s the economy for, anyway? Shouldn’t time, happiness, and beauty be at the center of our lives? We know this sounds, er, quaint, given the times, but don’t we all need a bit of beauty right now? This week, Eric sits down with writer, filmmaker, and activist John de Graaf, whose decades-long...
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Transparency, Collaboration, and the Fight Against Misinformation with Wikimedia Foundation’s Anusha Alikhan
Is Wikipedia the last bastion of truth on the internet? Eric speaks with Anusha Alikhan, the Chief Communications Officer for the Wikimedia Foundation – the nonprofit behind Wikipedia, the internet's largest encyclopedia. Anusha shares insights into how Wikipedia grew from a scrappy experiment…
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We Kick Off Season Seven with Mister Mystery - Kirk Brown!
It’s a brand-new year, a new season, and… a brand-new low? Nah!! This week, Let’s Hear It flips the script as co-host Eric Brown interviews the mystery man himself, Kirk Brown. That’s right—our favorite interlocutor steps into the hot seat to reflect on his fascinating journey from humble Iowan...
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Paper Bags and Patience: A Post-Election Pep Talk with Takema Robinson
Need a dose of hope and perspective after a tough election season? Join Let's Hear It co-host Eric Brown for a conversation with Takema Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Converge, a social justice communications consulting firm. Drawing on her background in art and African American studies, Takema...
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What’s Next for Climate Justice? – A Conversation with EPA Advisor Danielle Deane-Ryan
We know that these post-election blues are a thing, but here’s the deal – the need for climate justice isn’t changing. This week on Let’s Hear It, we’re diving deep into the work that’s pushing environmental justice to the forefront of philanthropy, policy, and big-dollar investments. Eric sits...
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The Clean Energy Economy is Coming! – with Rachel Korberg of the Families and Workers Fund and David Etzwiler of the Siemens Foundation
Okay, folks, we know there’s an election happening and that you might be a bit, um, distracted. But one thing is sure, whatever happens this week, a clean energy economy is coming, and we need to do everything we can to make this transition work for everybody. So when you’re finished blowing into...
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Hey Philanthropy, You Can Fund Policy Work! No, Really! - A Conversation with Marc Solomon of Civitas Public Affairs and William Foster of the Bridgespan Group
Fans of Let’s Hear It (and there are oh-so many!) will acknowledge that Eric and Kirk get a little nutty about their guests sometimes. Well, this time, Marc Solomon of Civitas Public Affairs and William Foster of the Bridgespan Group drive Kirk and Eric to 11. The topic this time is Marc’s and...
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Grace Nicolette of the Center for Effective Philanthropy Unpacks the $17 Billion Bombshell - MacKenzie Scott's Philanthropy Revolution
In this dandy episode of Let's Hear It, Eric Brown sits down with Grace Nicolette from the Center for Effective Philanthropy to make sense of the phenomenon that is MacKenzie Scott's revolutionary approach to giving. Grace is the Vice President for Programming and External Relations at the Center...
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Eloy Ortiz Oakley of the College Futures Foundation on the Power of Community Colleges
Hey folks, we’re back after a quick summer break. Hope you missed us! As many parents pack their kids off to college this month, it’s important to remember that almost two out of five college students in the U.S. attends a community college. These are students who are often working full time,...
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Esteban Gast, Climate Comedian - Yes, You Read That Right
Sometimes it's okay to take a moment away from the massive challenges and simply laugh. Thanks to Esteban Gast and the organization he works for, Generation 180, we can even laugh about climate. Well, actually, Esteban helps us better understand how we can take actions that matter, understand…
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ComNet24 is Coming! - With Sean Gibbons, Carrie Clyne, and Tristan Mohabir
We are so excited about ComNet24 in Kansas City! When Sean Gibbons joined the Communications Network as its new leader a decade ago, he was tasked with leading an organization with 400 members and a staff of, um, himself and a ham sandwich. Today, the Network boasts over 4,000 members and a team…
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Suzanne Ehlers of USA for UNHCR Gives Us Hope on World Refugee Day
As we approach World Refugee Day, it’s so good to know that there are people like Suzanne Ehlers who are making an extraordinary difference and people’s lives and providing real hope for the future. Suzanne is the Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR, a nonprofit organization that supports...
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Fatima Angeles of the Levi Strauss Foundation Challenges Foundations to Fund their Partners "Like We Want Them to Win"
A huge thank you to Fatima Angeles, the Executive Director of the Levi Strauss Foundation, for joining us on the latest episode of Let’s Hear It. Fatima talks with Eric about the Levi Strauss Foundation's groundbreaking work in areas like reproductive justice, worker rights, immigrant rights, and...
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Inside Philanthropy’s David Callahan Gets All Carrot-y Stick-y With It
Eleven years ago, David Callahan launched a most audacious project – a new publication that was going to get under the hood of philanthropy (to borrow from that great philosopher, Ross Perot) and expose the good, the bad, and the meh. Some folks chortled, some scoffed, and some cast their eyes...
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Heather McGhee Talks About the Amazing Future that the Multiracial Governing Coalition Will Bring
Join us for a truly extraordinary conversation with the amazing Heather McGhee, the author of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together. Heather exposes the lie of so-called zero-sum thinking—where one person's gain is seen as another's loss—and flips it on its…
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Robert Pérez and the Genius of Upstairs, Downstairs
We’ve been doing this show for a while, and every so often the pieces just elegantly slide into place. In thirtyish minutes, Robert Pérez does this for us. Robert is the founder and Chief Exploration Officer of Wonder: Strategies for Good, a network of experts in messaging, storytelling…
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Kristen Grimm of Spitfire Strategies Takes on the Trust Challenge
Societies can’t thrive without sufficient levels of trust – trust in our elected officials, in our major institutions, the value of the dollar bill in our wallet, and even in our belief that our fellow motorists will abide by the traffic laws when we enter an intersection. You know where this is...
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Chris DeCardy, the President of the Heinz Endowments, Convinces us that Pittsburgh is the Center of the Universe
When Chris DeCardy took the reins of the Heinz Endowments last year, he was one of the very few former foundation communications directors to ascend to the lofty heights of president. And Chris has dived in with the energy of a teenager. Indeed, if there is a more energetic – nay, ebullient –...
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A Marriage Made in Heaven! - Elena Chavez Quezada of Gov. Newsom’s Office and Don Howard of the Irvine Foundation Talk Partnerships
Governments have money and foundations can take risks. Shouldn’t these be marriages made in heaven? Amazingly they’re not, but in California, we’re starting to see partnerships that are bucking the trend, which can be spectacularly good examples of how to make great collaborations work. On this...
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Oscar Nominee John Hoffman Tackles the Racial Wealth Gap with his Amazing Film, “The Barber of Little Rock”
Academy Award season is here, but while the rest of the world may be debating which half of the Barbenheimer phenomenon will take home the most trophies, at Let’s Hear It we’re putting all our chips on Best Documentary Short nominee “The Barber of Little Rock,” co-directed by Christine Turner and...
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Ed Begley, Jr. and Eric Go Way Back
In this episode of Let’s Hear It, our guest is none other than one of Hollywood’s most passionate and entertaining environmentalists – the amazing Ed Begley, Jr. As it happens, Ed and Eric go way, way, back, having worked together in Hollywood in the last millennium. Today, they’re both working…
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Anat Shenker-Osorio – The Magical Message Whisperer of Progressive Causes
We are so delighted to present the legendary Anat Shenker-Osorio. Yes, that’s right, that Anat Shenker-Osorio. Maybe you’ve heard her on Ezra Klein, MSNBC, on her excellent podcast Words to Win By, or read her work in the New York Times, the Guardian, and more. On our latest episode of Let’s Hear...
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Don Chen of the Surdna Foundation Kicks off Season Six of Let’s Hear It
How many of us in the nonprofit world can track our interest in climate to nightmares we had about natural disasters at age ten? Anyone? Oh, right, just Don Chen, President of the Surdna Foundation, former director of the Cities and States program at the Ford Foundation, former CEO (and founder!)...
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Holiday Re-Release - Shanelle Matthews of the Radical Communicators Network
Here is another one of our favorite interviews - Shanelle Matthews, founder of the Radical Communicators Network, former communications director for the Movement for Black Lives, and now Distinguished Lecturer at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College at the City...
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Holiday re-release - the Great Jim Canales
Today, we offer another one of our favorite interviews - a blast from the past with the inimitable Jim Canales, President and Trustee of the Barr Foundation. Jim is charming, funny, and one of they absolute nicest people in philanthropy. If you didn't get a chance to hear this conversation the...
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Holiday re-release Trabian Shorters!
This holiday season we're re-releasing some of our favorite and most popular episodes. Today - Trabian Shorters, one of our leading thinkers on asset framing - defining people by what they're hopes and dreams and what they have to offer. He has been such an important influence on so many of us.
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Alison Smart is Changing How We Talk About Climate Change
In our latest episode, we offer a fascinating conversation with Alison Smart, the Executive Director of Probable Futures - a nonprofit climate literacy initiative. Alison shares her organization's approach to democratizing climate science, making climate predictions accessible, and providing...
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Larry Kramer’s Hewlett Foundation Exit Interview
When Larry Kramer announced recently that he was leaving the Hewlett Foundation to run the London School of Economics, it marked the end of an extraordinarily productive tenure as the head of one of the world’s largest and most influential charitable foundations. In Larry’s nearly twelve years at...
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Jen Carnig, the Brand-Spanking-New Head of Spitfire Strategies
As the new president of the groundbreaking consulting firm Spitfire Strategies, Jen Carnig, who succeeds the legendary Kristen Grimm, might feel a little like whoever takes Megan Rapinoe’s place. It might seem a little daunting and very hard on your hamstrings, but think of the possibilities! Jen...
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Ashwath Narayanan is Proof That There’s Hope for the Future
When our guest, Ashwath Narayanan, was 22, he launched Social Currant, a creative agency that is helping nonprofits and issue organizations use social media to reach audiences more effectively. By contrast, when co-host Eric was 22, he was working as a production assistant on low budget horror...
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Stacy Palmer of the Chronicle of Philanthropy Reflects on Thirty Five Years as a Watchdog and Cheerleader for the Field
On our latest episode of Let’s Hear It, we’ve snagged a giant in philanthropy. Our guest this week may well know more about philanthropy than any human walking the planet. Stacy Palmer created the Chronicle of Philanthropy thirty-five years ago, and since then her publication has simultaneously...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Let’s Hear It, a podcast about foundation and nonprofit communications (among other things), hosted by non-relatives Eric Brown and Kirk Brown.Let’s Hear It is sponsored through the generous support of the College Futures Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, the Prebys Foundation, and the Stupski Foundation. On Let’s Hear It, Kirk and Eric speak with leaders in the field about who they are, what makes them tick, and how they think about their work. These conversations are freewheeling and (we hope) fun. We’re serious – it’s not all serious.Together, Eric and Kirk have worked in and around hundreds of foundations, nonprofits and campaigns. For over a decade, Eric was Communications Director at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and now runs Brownbridge Strategies, a consulting firm that works with foundations and nonprofits on grantmaking, communications, and fundraising strategies. Kirk is the former President of Resource Media, a nonprofit organization that provide
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Let’s Hear It have?
Let’s Hear It currently has 129 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Let’s Hear It about?
Welcome to Let’s Hear It, a podcast about foundation and nonprofit communications (among other things), hosted by non-relatives Eric Brown and Kirk Brown.Let’s Hear It is sponsored through the generous support of the College Futures Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, the Prebys Foundation, and the...
How often does Let’s Hear It release new episodes?
Let’s Hear It publishes regularly with 129 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Let’s Hear It?
You can listen to Let’s Hear It on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Let’s Hear It?
Let’s Hear It is created and hosted by letshearitcast.
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