Givers, Doers, & Thinkers—A Podcast on Philanthropy and Civil Society

Episode 22: Jack Fowler & the publication of ideas in civil society

October 06, 2021 Season 3 Episode 2
Givers, Doers, & Thinkers—A Podcast on Philanthropy and Civil Society
Episode 22: Jack Fowler & the publication of ideas in civil society
Show Notes

This week on Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with longtime National Review publisher Jack Fowler to discuss the place of magazines of ideas in civil society, fundraising for periodicals, and how to manage those pesky creative types.

Jack Fowler is the Director of the Center for Civil Society. For over three decades he served at National Review in various capacities, including as publisher, and oversaw publishing, promotion, and fundraising and development operations. He also contributed articles regularly and hosts a popular podcast with Victor Davis Hanson. He has served on numerous boards, including the American Mental Health Foundation, The Human Life Foundation, The Frontier Center, and GenJustice, and for over a decade was a White House Fellows program regional judge.

Jeremy and Jack begin the podcast by discussing the early days of National Review and how it evolved, along with the great influence of William F. Buckley Jr. and both of their experiences of him. They tackle the uniqueness of fundraising for a magazine while managing donors who disagree with a writer’s point of view. And to wrap up, Jeremy and Jack share several insights into the importance of civic associations in combatting despotism in America, noting the prime differences between national and local associations and their effect on an unrepressed civil society.

Is your fundraising copy at the correct reading level for your donors? Are your visual assets resonating with your target audience? How are you managing all of your marketing efforts? American Philanthropic’s Chris Baggett shares the three digital tools that help answer these questions and why he thinks you should incorporate them in your toolbox.

Also, if you want to participate in the 2021 Performance Fundraising Survey that Jeremy mentioned at the end of the podcast, click here. By joining this survey, you will receive a free digital copy of the final report and be entered into a drawing with prizes ranging $100-$3,000 in value. The survey closes October 31—participate before it is too late!

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We’d love to hear your thoughts, ideas, questions, and recommendations for the podcast! You can shoot Katie Janus, GDT’s producer, an email anytime!

Center for Civil Society's YouTube Channel