Recorded on December 16, 2025.
This conversation with philanthropist, investor, and experienced convener Susan Crown offered a thoughtful look at what it means to give with intention in a world defined by speed, complexity, and constant change. In conversation with Jessica Malkin and Whitney Webb, Crown shared the experiences that shaped her approach to systems-level philanthropy, the early “blank-sheet” formation of the Susan Crown Exchange (SCE), and the practical disciplines that help families align their giving with purpose across generations.
Key Themes
From Writing Checks to Engaging in the Work of Change
Crown traced a formative early-career lesson: even seemingly “simple” problems often require baseline data, deep research, and sustained commitment. The conversation suggested that philanthropy often involves more than generosity, calling for informed action, energy, and time.
Building a Philanthropic Model From a Blank Sheet
In founding SCE, Crown described the rare opportunity to start de novo and ask, “What are some of the most pressing issues of our day, and how can capital be deployed thoughtfully?” She emphasized the role of a small, open-minded board as a collaborative thought partner, creating space for honest debate, ongoing learning, and clear-eyed decision-making.
Learning as Strategy: Read Widely, Listen Deeply, Map the Landscape
When exploring new issue areas, Crown shared an approach she has used repeatedly: read broadly, speak with practitioners and researchers, and use each conversation to expand perspective. That learning is then translated into a “landscape analysis,” helping identify areas where early investments may play an important role, particularly when a field is still emerging.
Social-Emotional Learning as Teach- and Learnable Life Skills
A core portion of the conversation focused on social-emotional learning (SEL) and the idea that life skills linked to long-term success can be taught. Crown highlighted competencies that frequently appear across youth work, including emotion management, empathy, teamwork, perseverance, initiative, and problem-solving, and discussed how SCE contributed to structure and shared language in an emerging field.
Convening to Extend Learning and Collaboration: The Challenge Model
Crown described SCE’s “Challenge Model,” which convenes frontline youth-serving leaders to surface practices, identify common themes, and translate insights into tools that can be shared more broadly. Beyond what the model produces, she underscored what it supports: peer community, respect for practitioner expertise, and an experience many participants have described as affirming when funders listen first.
Digital Well-Being: Staying Even-Keeled in a Tech-Here-to-Stay World
Rather than framing technology as purely good or bad, Crown advocated for realism and agency. Technology is not going away, so the focus becomes helping young people and families take an intentional approach to device use. She pointed to investments focused on research and youth voice, including efforts related to digital thriving, mental well-being, and youth-informed policy conversations around phone use and constant connectivity.
Next-Generation Philanthropy: Lead With the Why, Keep Bureaucracy Light
In response to audience questions about engaging younger family members, Crown encouraged hands-on “learning by doing,” including passion projects, frontline exposure, and smaller discretionary programs where next-generation participants articulate their rationale and exercise real agency. She emphasized minimizing unnecessary process and emphasizing purpose, so engagement feels substantive rather than performative.
Families, Legacy, and Difference: Making Space Without Directives
Crown challenged the idea that giving together automatically keeps families connected, suggesting instead that families maintain connection through unconditional support, respect, love, and acceptance. Philanthropy can serve as an expression of shared values when next-generation perspectives are welcomed without being forced into alignment, including when political viewpoints differ.
Adaptability and the Next Frontier: Truth, Trust, and AI
In closing reflections, Crown emphasized adaptability as an increasingly important leadership quality in today’s world. She also pointed to a growing civic challenge: in an AI-enabled environment where images and words can be manipulated convincingly, truth becomes harder to verify and more important to protect. The call to action was not fear, but awareness, curiosity, and the discipline of stepping outside echo chambers to remain grounded in reality.
