YTD - Best Of 2026: Phil Buchanan: Backing Nonprofits and Pushing Philanthropy

Jul 2

Kristine Michie - PlayFull Podcast Interview - Phil Buchanan

YTD - Best Of 2026: Phil Buchanan: Backing Nonprofits and Pushing Philanthropy

In this rewind episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie speaks with Center for Effective Philanthropy CEO Phil Buchanan about how trust-based philanthropy, moral responsibility, and resilience support the nonprofit sector. They discuss challenges like funding cuts and rising demand, and the need for intentional donor investment in both people and programs. Part of the YTD – Best of 2026 series, the episode highlights how joy and determination can sustain meaningful systems change.

Key Takeaways:

Personal resilience matters: relationships, time outdoors, and restorative practices help leaders sustain energy amid high-stress work.
Organizational joy and low-stakes fun build infrastructure: playful team-building and celebrations maintain morale and strengthen commitment.
Imagination must have guardrails: reimagining systems is important, but dismantling effective programs too quickly puts life-saving infrastructure at risk.
Privilege carries responsibility: those with safety and influence should assess what risks they can take to act meaningfully in the moment.
Faith and values can guide action: spiritual and values-driven networks play key roles in social movements and philanthropy, often overlooked by progressives.
Action is broader than money: showing up, leveraging skills, networks, and voice can drive impact even without titles or financial resources.
Circles of control, influence, and concern help focus efforts: identify what you can directly affect, where you have sway, and the larger issues you share with others.

"A lot of nonprofits that are providing vital services… aren't going to be there anymore, and who's going to suffer? People in those communities. And so I think we will have to step up." — Phil Buchanan

"We have to protect what we can that’s good and important, even as we try to imagine a better future." — Phil Buchanan

"Everybody's got different assets… Take stock of what those are, what you can do, and then do the thing." — Phil Buchanan

More About Phil Buchanan:

Phil Buchanan, president of CEP, is a leading advocate for effective philanthropy and a strong nonprofit sector. Since becoming CEP’s first chief executive in 2001, he has helped build the organization into a major source of data and insight on philanthropic effectiveness. He is the author of Giving Done Right: Effective Philanthropy and Making Every Dollar Count, named Inside Philanthropy’s “Best Philanthropy Book of the Year” in 2019, and co-hosts the Giving Done Right podcast with Grace Nicolette. Phil also writes for the CEP Blog, has published op-eds in The New York Times and Financial Times, and speaks widely on philanthropy. He co-founded YouthTruth, a CEP initiative focused on using student feedback to improve K–12 education. In 2016, he was named Nonprofit Times “Influencer of the Year” and has been repeatedly included in its “Power and Influence Top 50.” Phil has served on several nonprofit boards and currently chairs the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. Born in Toronto and raised in Portland, Oregon, he graduated from Wesleyan University and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Connect with Phil Buchanan:

Website: https://cep.org/, https://givingdoneright.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-center-for-effective-philanthropy

Connect with Kristine:

The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review

Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/

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