Do One Better with Alberto Lidji in Philanthropy, Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship

It's a pleasure to welcome Michael Thatcher back onto the Do One Better Podcast. Michael is President and Chief Executive Officer of Charity Navigator, the largest independent evaluator of nonprofits in the United States, now marking its 25th year and covering roughly 245,000 charities as a free public service to donors.

Michael last joined the show in 2022, and returns with a comprehensive update on how Charity Navigator has evolved since then — including a major overhaul to its rating methodology, a new partnership bringing cost-per-outcome impact data into the platform, and candid reflections on some of the biggest structural challenges facing the charitable sector today.

In this conversation, Michael and Alberto discuss:

A 25-year milestone. How Charity Navigator evaluates nearly 245,000 charities with a team of just 35 people, largely by processing publicly available IRS tax filings.

The April 2026 ratings overhaul. A new methodology spanning 49 metrics across 10 evaluation areas — financial health, governance, leadership and impact measurement among them — plus a new partnership with True Impact to bring cost-per-outcome scoring to the platform.

How curated lists get built. Why a complete, high-quality data set and demonstrated effectiveness are required for an organisation to appear on one of Charity Navigator's roughly 50 curated lists — and how "whimsical" lists (most popular charities, celebrity-favoured causes) sit alongside more rigorously vetted ones.

Giving funds, explained. How Charity Navigator's roughly dozen thematic funds work as pooled, pass-through vehicles (not donor-advised funds), how allocations across organisations are rebalanced, and why full transparency into fund composition matters to donors.

Two unexpected donor demographics. Why younger donors are drawn to cause-based giving over brand loyalty, and why older donors are increasingly using Charity Navigator's funds as a dependable vehicle within estate and legacy planning.

The AI disintermediation challenge. How Charity Navigator's open, free data is increasingly being surfaced directly by large language models — reducing website traffic and, with it, the donation asks that fund the organisation's own operations.

A troubling giving trend. New research showing a steady, multi-year decline in the number of individual donors in the US even as total dollars given continues to rise — and why Charity Navigator's own research points to a "connection" problem rather than a trust problem.

Staying above the fray. How Charity Navigator has maintained credibility with donors across a polarised political landscape by consistently avoiding partisan positioning.

Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.

Martin Burt, Founder and CEO of Fundación Paraguaya (Paraguay Development Foundation) and former Mayor of Asunción, joins Alberto Lidji to discuss a fundamentally different approach to eliminating poverty. Rather than focusing solely on income or government interventions, Burt argues that lasting change begins with families, dignity, and the entrepreneurial spirit.

The conversation explores the Poverty Stoplight, a framework now used in 62 countries that enables families to assess their own multidimensional poverty across objective measures such as housing and income, alongside subjective factors including motivation, self-esteem, and aspirations. By identifying their own priorities and connecting with practical solutions, families become active agents in their journey out of poverty.

Martin explains why empowerment matters as much as economics, why families should define what it means to be "not poor," and how this locally developed methodology from Paraguay is reshaping poverty alleviation across the Global South and the Global North. He also reflects on lessons from four decades in economic development, public service, and social innovation, offering a compelling vision for putting human flourishing at the heart of development.

Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.

What does it take to change systems rather than simply address symptoms? In this episode of the Do One Better Podcast, Alberto Lidji speaks with Don Gips, CEO Emeritus of the Skoll Foundation, about the evolution of social entrepreneurship and the enduring role it plays in tackling the world's most complex challenges.

Drawing on a career spanning the private sector, government, diplomacy, and philanthropy, Don reflects on the Skoll Foundation's pioneering efforts to help establish social entrepreneurship as a global field. He discusses Jeff Skoll's founding vision, the creation of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Oxford, and the growth of the Skoll World Forum into one of the world's foremost gatherings of social innovators.

The conversation explores what distinguishes social entrepreneurship from traditional charitable approaches, emphasizing the pursuit of systems change through innovative models that reshape incentives, institutions, and outcomes. Don explains why successful social entrepreneurs increasingly build enduring organizations rather than relying on individual leadership, and why adaptability is essential when navigating resistance to systemic reform.

A central theme is the growing importance of "systems orchestrators": trusted leaders who convene diverse stakeholders, align incentives, and enable collective action across sectors. Don argues that these often overlooked actors play a critical role in advancing large-scale social change, even when their contributions resist conventional methods of attribution and measurement.

The discussion also examines philanthropy's relationship with risk, the challenges of funding systems change, and the need to move beyond linear models of impact toward collaborative approaches that recognize shared contribution. Don shares practical insights into how foundations can better support both social entrepreneurs and the broader ecosystems that enable transformational change.

Reflecting on his own career, Don recounts lessons from leadership roles including U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, domestic policy advisor to Vice President Al Gore, and CEO of the Skoll Foundation. 

The episode concludes with a simple but powerful principle that has shaped both the Skoll Foundation and Don's own career: bet on good people doing good things, then use your resources, relationships, and influence to help them succeed.

This conversation will appeal to anyone interested in philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, systems change, impact investing, leadership, and the future of social innovation.

Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.

Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett joins Alberto Lidji to explore one of the world's most important—and often overlooked—scientific frontiers: plant science.

As Chair of the John Innes Centre, Sir Thomas shares how this globally renowned research institute is developing the plants of the future—crops that are more nutritious, more resilient to climate change, require fewer chemical inputs, and can help feed a growing global population sustainably.

The conversation examines the remarkable advances emerging from modern plant science, from vitamin D-enriched tomatoes and disease-resistant potatoes to drought-tolerant crops and breakthroughs that could transform biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, and global food security.

A central theme is the distinction between precision breeding and genetic modification. Sir Thomas explains how precision breeding accelerates processes that occur naturally, enabling scientists to develop improved crop varieties far more rapidly while navigating evolving regulatory environments in the UK and Europe.

The discussion also explores the growing role of artificial intelligence in scientific discovery. AI, advanced data science, and international collaboration are reshaping how researchers identify valuable genetic traits, accelerate breakthroughs, and tackle some of humanity's greatest challenges.

Beyond agriculture, the conversation highlights how plant science contributes to medicine, including promising research with potential applications in vaccine development, illustrating how fundamental scientific research often generates benefits far beyond its original purpose.

Sir Thomas also reflects on a challenge familiar to many philanthropists: funding long-term scientific research. While scientific discoveries can take years or even decades to translate into real-world impact, he argues that some of society's greatest advances require patient, visionary philanthropy willing to invest in the future rather than immediate outcomes.

This episode explores:

Why plant science is central to food security, human health, and climate resilience.

How precision breeding differs from genetic modification.

The role of AI in accelerating scientific discovery.

Why long-term philanthropic capital is essential for breakthrough science.

How scientific storytelling can inspire greater public understanding and support.

A fascinating conversation at the intersection of science, sustainability, innovation, and philanthropy—offering an optimistic vision of how research today can help create a healthier future for people and the planet.

Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.

Patrick Dunne, author of "Boards", joins host Alberto Lidji on the Do One Better Podcast for a timely conversation on how boards can become more effective, more agile and more valuable.

Drawing on the third edition of his book "Boards", Patrick explores how governance is changing in a world shaped by AI, faster decision making, dynamic strategy, rising uncertainty and more complex risk. He looks at the growing role of AI in boardrooms, from summarising papers and tracking regulatory change to supporting better decisions, while also considering where human judgement remains essential.

Patrick also discusses the increasing importance of subcommittees, the value of bringing domain experts and next generation voices into governance, and why advisory boards may not always be the best way to access external insight. He reflects on trustee remuneration, generational diversity and the need for boards to move beyond traditional meeting formats.

A highly practical episode for board members, chairs, chief executives, trustees, philanthropists and social entrepreneurs who want to strengthen governance and make better decisions.

Patrick's executive experience includes 26 years in a variety of investment and management roles with 3i Group plc where, until 2012, he was Communications Director, a member of its Operating committee and Chairman of its Operational Risk forum. 

Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.