Jeff Bradach, Co-Founder of Bridgespan, on Achieving Impact and the Shifting Role of Philanthropy in 2025
- Admin
- Aug 3
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 4
In this insightful episode, Alberto Lidji sits down with Jeff Bradach, co-founder of the Bridgespan Group, to explore some of the most pressing and complex questions in philanthropy and social change today.
As Bridgespan marks its 25th anniversary, Jeff reflects on the organization's journey and the evolving role of philanthropy, civil society, and government in 2025.
Together, Alberto and Jeff unpack the tension between wealth accumulation and philanthropic action, the growing momentum behind trust-based and collaborative giving, and the shift toward local agency and co-creation.
The conversation is both intellectually rigorous and grounded in practice, offering valuable insights for philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, funders, and policymakers alike.
Topics Covered
25 Years of Bridgespan: Lessons from a quarter-century of advising philanthropists and mission-driven organizations.
The Disconnect Between Wealth and Giving: Why philanthropy hasn’t scaled with private wealth—and what’s getting in the way.
Trust-Based and Collaborative Philanthropy: Examining the nuance beyond the buzzwords and exploring practical applications.
Rethinking Strategic Philanthropy: Why traditional models of “solve vs. serve” are giving way to more adaptive, relational approaches.
Co-Creation and Local Agency: The power of shared ownership and community-driven change in global philanthropy.
The Philanthropic Mindset Shift: From perfectionism and control to learning by doing and embracing uncertainty.
Talent and Human Capital in the Sector: How Bridgespan’s own hiring has evolved and what it tells us about the changing nature of social impact work.
Grace in Leadership: Why grace, empathy, and humility are essential qualities in navigating today’s challenges.
About Jeff Bradach
Jeff Bradach is the co-founder and former managing partner of The Bridgespan Group, a global nonprofit organization that collaborates with mission-driven leaders, organizations, and philanthropists to achieve breakthrough results in addressing society's most important challenges and opportunities.
Jeff writes and speaks extensively on nonprofit strategy, transformative scale, social-sector leadership, and philanthropy. His publications include: “The Problem with Color-Blind Philanthropy,” (Harvard Business Review, 2020), Racial Equity and Philanthropy: Disparities in Funding for Leaders of Color Leave Impact on the Table, (Bridgespan.org, 2020), Achieving Kindergarten Readiness for All Our Children: A Funder’s Guide to Early Childhood Development from Birth to Five, (Bridgespan.org, 2015), “Transformative Scale: The Future of Growing What Works,” (Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2014), “Scaling What Works: Implications for Philanthropists, Policymakers, and Nonprofit Leaders,” (Bridgespan.org, April 2009), “Delivering on the Promise of Nonprofits,” (Harvard Business Review, 2008), and “Should Nonprofits Seek Profits,” (Harvard Business Review, 2004). He is the author of the book, Franchise Organization, (Harvard Business School Press, 1998).
Jeff has served on numerous nonprofit and for-profit boards, including Giving Tuesday, PolicyLink, and Liberation Ventures. He is the former board chair of Independent Sector. Prior to establishing Bridgespan, Jeff taught at Harvard Business School, where he was a member of the Organizational Behavior and the Social Enterprise Initiative faculty. Jeff began his career at Bain & Company. He is a graduate of Stanford University and received his MA in sociology and PhD in organizational behavior from Harvard University.