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Missions to Movements

From Practitioner to Funder: How to Build Collaborative Funding (Foundations & Grants) with Dr. Maggie Sullivan Marcus

Dec 17, 2025 · 29 min · Episode 215 · 27.6 MB
0:00-29:33

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When a former classroom educator becomes the one writing the checks, EVERYTHING about grantmaking shifts. 

Dr. Maggie Sullivan Marcus of the Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation brings a rare, dual perspective shaped by years in the classroom and years in philanthropy. Her on-the-ground experience supporting multilingual learner programs is rooted in empathy, deep respect for educators, and a commitment to equity.

We get into how small but strategic investments can spark outsized impact, like, DC Public Schools’ $2,500 micro-grants. Maggie also shares what it takes to build a multilingual educator pipeline and why meaningful change can’t be squeezed into a 12-month grant cycle.

Her candor around trust-based philanthropy, power dynamics, and multi-year funding models offers a blueprint for nonprofits eager to move the needle on bolder, more sustainable partnerships.

Resources & Links

Connect with Dr. Maggie Sullivan Marcus on LinkedIn and learn more about the Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation on their website.

This episode is presented by The Monthly Giving Builder.

With the Monthly Giving Builder, you can generate your comprehensive monthly giving plan and build your program step by step - with a guided companion working alongside you from start to finish. 

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