What is America’s role in the world? It’s a hotly contested question in American politics that cuts across the left-right divide. Whereas a Reaganite policy view of a strong and robust national defensive capability coupled with American-led diplomacy around the world used to be the norm, leaders on both the left and right can now be found on either side of this issue.

While curmudgeonly complaining about “kids these days” is nothing new, it’s hard to deny that there’s cause for genuine concern about America’s youngest generations. The combination of radicalism and ignorance displayed in campus protests may be a variation on an old theme in higher education, but the fragility and emotional instability of these Gen Z students is notable. And even among their younger peers the effects of pandemic learning loss and years of screen addiction are evident in the aimlessness and prevalence of mental health issues in America’s children. Underneath all of these trends are a set of ideas and attitudes toward parenting that have grown in their prevalence in recent decades.

Autocracy is on the rise. There are only 34 liberal democracies – the lowest number in more than 25 years – and they are home to just 13 percent of the world population. How can we reverse that trend?

Stories have incredible power to shape us. From the bedtime tales we tell our children to the latest installments of multi-billion-dollar film franchises, compelling characters and skillful storytelling grab our attention like nothing else. On the most recent episode of Giving Ventures, Peter is joined by guests from a trio of groups whose visual storytelling is capturing audiences with the message of freedom. First, Nick Reid and Lana Link from the Moving Picture Institute describe how their incubator and workshop programs cultivate the talents of young creatives with stories about human freedom. Then, Free the People president Matt Kibbe considers the power of video content to reach America’s young and “liberty curious.” Finally, Jim Tusty of Sky Films draws on his extensive career to explain how compelling documentaries can persuade without telling the audience what to think.

How do you know if an organization you support is really effective? What are the metrics you as a donor should be looking for? And are they hard metrics like numbers of policy wins, softer metrics like the amount of press coverage, or really amorphous metrics like a feeling that the organization is going in the right direction?

With just 27 words, the 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights secures gun rights for millions of Americans—at least in theory. In practice, the text of the Second Amendment has been subject to legal, political, and cultural controversies, and Americans’ gun rights are not always respected. In this episode of Giving Ventures, we hear from two of the most accomplished organizations in the gun rights space: Second Amendment Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition’s FPC Action Foundation.

Today, we’re digging into the media landscape and talking to three groups helping people to make sense of the narratives that are out there as well as challenge those narratives when they stray from the truth. First up is our watch dog, the Media Research Center. Then we’ll hear from a group that has become a watchdog with teeth, Accuracy in Media. We’ll round things out digging into investigative journalism from a more free-market perspective with Real Clear Foundation. It’s easy to be despondent about the state of media. These three groups will help you lift your chin a little higher and see that all is not lost.

On the latest episode of Giving Ventures, DonorsTrust Vice President Peter Lipsett talks with Darla Romfo, president and CEO of Children’s Scholarship Fund; Norton Rainey, CEO of ACE Scholarships; and Carol Liebau, president of Yankee Institute. The guests share what their nonprofits are doing to ensure every child gets a quality education no matter where they live. Tune in for this and more on the latest episode of Giving Ventures.

On the latest episode of Giving Ventures, DonorsTrust Vice President Peter Lipsett talks with Lawson Bader, president and CEO of DonorsTrust, and Christie Herrera, president and CEO of Philanthropy Roundtable. The two guests share insights and trends in philanthropy and discuss regulatory and legislative threats that, if approved, would chill giving. Tune in for this and more on the latest episode of Giving Ventures.

On the latest episode of Giving Ventures, DonorsTrust Vice President Peter Lipsett talks with Norman Horn, founder and president of Libertarian Christian Institute; Nicholas Sarwark, executive director of the Libertarian Policy Foundation; and Tom DiLorenzo, president of the Mises Institute. The guests, among other things, make the Christian case for Austrian economics.

On the latest episode of Giving Ventures, DonorsTrust Vice President Peter Lipsett talks with Lindsay Craig, president of National Review Institute; David McIntosh, president of Club for Growth Foundation; and Rebecca Good, managing director of outreach for American Enterprise Institute. The leaders explain what they’re doing to nurture people’s love and knowledge of liberty long after graduation.