Missions to Movements
Missions to Movements is the nonprofit marketing and fundraising podcast that helps you grow recurring donors, scale monthly giving programs, and build digital campaigns that convert.
Hosted by Dana Snyder—speaker, strategist, and founder of Positive Equation—this show is packed with actionable nonprofit growth strategies, social media tips, and fundraising best practices.
Each week, you’ll hear how organizations are increasing donor retention, building thought leadership, and using digital fundraising to drive real impact. If you want to learn how to attract monthly donors, master nonprofit marketing, and transform your mission into a movement, this podcast is for you.
Missions to Movements
From Practitioner to Funder: How to Build Collaborative Funding (Foundations & Grants) with Dr. Maggie Sullivan Marcus
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.
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What happens when a classroom educator becomes the one writing the checks? In today's episode, I am joined by Dr. Maggie Sullivan Marcus, the Executive Director of the Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation. She brings the rare and powerful perspective of both a former teacher and a current funder. Maggie's work is deeply rooted in equity, ensuring that multilingual learners have real access to dual language education. And she's not afraid to challenge the status quo to make it happen. We talk about what trust-based philanthropy looks like in practice, how she's helped lead a powerful multi-funder collaboration to build a multilingual teacher pipeline, and why seeing students' home languages as a gift, not a barrier, is the cornerstone of her approach. So whether you're dreaming up your next big partnership or wondering how to build deeper relationships with your funders, Maggie shares a very honest, actionable wisdom that can help you move that needle. Let's meet Maggie.
SPEAKER_00:Through our grant with DC Schools, DC set up their micro grants for teachers or education leaders at schools. And so we've seen some really cool innovative things that teachers are doing. And it's not, I mean, they apply and they all can get access. It's about$2,500 to this grant. And so we're seeing cooking classes, we're seeing better instructional materials for newcomer students, we're seeing differentiated class instruction. Seeing the outcomes of those things that teachers are able to do with a little bit of money is really impactful.
SPEAKER_02:Maggie, what I think is so cool, especially having a mom that was an elementary school teacher for over 20 something years. Well, she's gonna get me on that one. She just recently retired a few years ago. But is the way that you've been both in the classroom and at the grant-making table, which is a rare, I think, unique perspective. How has that combination really changed how you've shown up as a funder?
SPEAKER_00:It's funny because I when I meet with other funders or I meet with nonprofit leaders and they're like, whoa, that's you know, interesting. And I'm like, really? Like it seems, you know, it's sort of how I felt when I was a teacher and would meet with people at Central Office who had never been in the classroom. And I was like, really? It seems like it should go together, being a teacher and then being a funder in the education space. I mean, I had my experience a long time, it was a long time ago I was in the classroom, but I think it really allows me to connect on the teacher level and to know, to have an understanding and be empathetic to what teachers are experiencing. I think also then having been an instructional leader or an instructional coach, which was an administrator position where I worked, also just gave me, you know, I got to work with teachers in that capacity and really see what they were facing then after me being out of the classroom. And so I think it really creates a sense of trust with nonprofits, especially when I'm working in the teaching space. And also just being able to show up as more than just a funder. I can also be, I mean, of course, it's it's been a long time since I've been in the classroom and post-COVID or in COVID certainly is different, yeah, different times. But I think really having that ability to be a thought partner and really understand and say, I know what that was like, or I, in my experience, X, and I can see how now Y. And so I think that that really creates both a sense of trust and also a sense of me knowing or having the background knowledge to be able to be more nuanced in the way that I ask questions and in the way that I fund.
SPEAKER_02:How do you think that is also dealt with in all different cost areas? Like, do you think there is a very large? I don't work often in the grants world, so I just don't know this. Is there often a large disconnect between what the funder's perspective of something might be versus what's being written in the applications and how that's consumed or digested from a funder perspective without being on the ground? How is that bridge often crossed?
SPEAKER_00:I like to think that it's changing. I like to think that it's becoming more dynamic in that funders are getting more into the weeds of things that they fund, whether it's through site visits or serving on boards or going to conferences. But I think in some cases, oftentimes there is a disconnect between what the funder wants to see and what the nonprofit knows because they're on the ground of what needs to happen. And I'll give an example. I want more Spanish-speaking in the DC area, Spanish-speaking students to have access to dual language programs. So as a funder, when I started working with DCPS, DC public schools, I thought, like, well, how much does it cost to change this school to a dual language model? Like, we can write a check. We can do that. Like that's, you know, and then, you know, and they had the budget and they had all these numbers. And then I had an instructional leader say, like, let's back it up, Maggie. You know, like, yes, we want that too. But first, we need to show that we have a working model, right? That it's the elementary schools are successful, that there's a place for students to then go into middle and high school so that it's a whole process. It's a whole pipeline. It's not just like we have this one piece and then it falls apart. And so even though I had been in the classroom and I I know what all, you know, all of the things behind getting good teachers and behind teacher workloads and all these things, I still had to have that conversation and sort of come back to earth to understand that that's a goal, but that's a further down-the-line goal. And I think sometimes funders don't always think that way and they just say, well, I'll fund why can't this be accomplished in the 12 months that I give you this grant, right?
SPEAKER_02:Exactly.
SPEAKER_00:And you know, I think there's also in education, certainly, and and I would say in other areas too, things don't happen in 12 months. I mean, we hope something happens, but it takes a long time. And so I think really taking a step back and saying, okay, this is the ultimate goal. What do we need to get there? What do you who's in the classroom, in the field, need? And how can we work together to get there instead of me versus you, if you will, or like me telling you what I think needs to happen?
SPEAKER_02:Definitely, definitely. What is one moment where you have been at a school visit or you've been reading through a grant report that made you really go, like, yes, this is why we are focused on funding these dual language programs?
SPEAKER_00:Oh gosh. I mean, there's been many or several. I think one that that I I think of really I speak a lot about DC public schools because that's really one of my favorite places or favorite. I mean, I think having been a teacher there and just working so closely with the district, I really can get in the weeds and also living in the same area. But one of the things is, for example, through our grant with DC schools, DC set up their microgrants for teachers or education leaders at schools. And so we've seen some really cool innovative things that teachers are doing. And it's not, I mean, they apply and they all can get access. It's about$2,500 to this grant. And so we're seeing cooking classes, we're seeing better instructional materials for newcomer students, we're seeing differentiated class instruction, seeing the outcomes of those things that teachers are able to do with a little bit of money is really impactful. I think we really, I mean, government is sort of famous for this, is there's never enough money. There's never enough funding. And so I think the ability just to see, like, wow, this is why we do it, because teachers want to show up, but they don't always have the capacity or or what they, you know, just this little bit of extra. And I would say the same with sort of the bigger picture there too. It's like they just need a little bit of seeing like what they can do when they just have the support. That's right. It's really exciting.
SPEAKER_02:Have you seen a change on the funder side because of the emergence of AI, the difference of grant applications in kind of what you're talking about in what the funder is looking for, what the org is looking for, and really aligning those two together to create that partnership? Has have you seen a difference, I guess, in the review, in the writing process because of the emergence of AI or not really?
SPEAKER_00:Not really. I mean, we don't have a formal grant process. So I imagine if I were a bigger foundation with seven steps to be able to apply, maybe. I mean, I certainly would probably use AI to develop an application or, you know, a process like that. But a lot of times what we do is more, you know, I'll say you can give me a grant proposal similar to something you've already written for another funder. I mean, we can have a conversation first and you can, you know, have a budget spreadsheet and some bullet points. So we don't have anything that would sort of entice people to use AI.
SPEAKER_02:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:But I think some of the, I would imagine some of the bigger foundations might for sure.
SPEAKER_02:For sure. You have also pulled off some pretty amazing collaborations. So one that you talked about really was DC Public Schools, Ensemble Learning, and the National Center for Teacher Residencies, all working together to really build a stronger teacher pipeline, which is so important. What do you think made that collaboration work? And how can people replicate kind of what you did in their own vertical in their own space?
SPEAKER_00:There's two separate sort of projects in there that I hope will then join. Ensemble learning is involved in both. So the first one is Ensemble Learning with the National Center for Teacher Residency. And that really came about, it's a program that will build a pipeline model for bilingual preschool teachers and then through the National Center for Teacher Residency, and then with the support of Ensemble help with the professional development of those teachers. So important. Yes. I mean, it's so it really evolved from a conversation I had with the CEO of Ensemble, Daniel Velasco, and really thinking through. I mean, we I talk about this all the time with him because of really wanting to get more teachers in the pipeline. And so he's on the board of the National Center for Teacher Residencies. So it kind of came together. But then the two of us also managed to get a couple other foundations on board. So it's Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation, Heising Simons, and Silver Giving. And so we have three funders that are funding that joint project, which is really cool and it's exciting because then we all can come together and have, you know, Daniel, for example, at Ensemble, he and his team can write one report or have one phone call with the three of us. And so it really streamlines a lot of the work that they do and also the ability to learn from each other. And then the other one is this year, we're just kicking off this month this collaborative between DC Public Schools and Ensemble. And that's really to look at some of their secondary level dual language practices and programs. There's only, I want to say five or six, but they all do their own things and they've all been doing their own things for a long time. So in order to build this robust model, they really need to take a step back and have some support to think through where are we, where are we going, why are we set up? And so that's where ensemble is going to come in to work with them.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing. And this collaboration with different funders was that really just streamlined due to connections that you had or Daniel had? I'm just thinking of like the listener who's like, okay, how would I formulate this? Like, like, how do I find my peers or my counterparts? And we put together a pitch that could go out to multiple funders that can make this happen. Like, what were like the nuts and the bolts that actually made it happen to get the right people in the right room?
SPEAKER_00:That's a great question. So I think a few things. One is I am part of this multilingual learner collaborative that's about 13 to 15 funders who are interested in supporting multilingual learners in some capacity. It's some of the bigger foundations that have a lot more red tape than I do as a I'm the only employee of our family foundation. So I was pretty frustrated with all the talk that we were doing about issues and multilingual learners and making a document and was like, well, when are we gonna fund something? Like this is great. But like, when are we gonna do something? And so that has picked up, I will say, this year. But this particular project was really some pressure, I think, from me being in that space with those two funders, are also in that space. And Daniel had already gotten funding from that, has gotten funding from them previously.
SPEAKER_02:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:He had a relationship with them too. So it was easy enough. I don't know if it was easy enough because it was, you know, some back and forth and all those things, but to build on those relationships and say, I'm always happy to be the, you know, the well, Sullivan's doing this. So to use that to the advantage of benefiting the cause. So I think in some cases that really works, you know, which seems to me kind of funny, but when you say, like, well, Sullivan's giving us 100K, like what do you, you know, what are you gonna do totally? Yeah. So with some funders that works. So I mean, I think it's really, and I always ask when I meet with new grantees, like, who are your other funders in this space? And is there any room for us to come together?
SPEAKER_02:Such an interesting question to think about.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. I think one of them is like, how can we make this awesome work that you're doing more streamlined? So you're not spending time writing all these different reports or having all these different check-ins. And also, like, who are my peers? Who else is interested in this work that I can build a relationship and a connection with?
SPEAKER_02:So good. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So I think just thinking through like a little strategically through the relationships that one has and how, you know, if three of us can show up, we can do this pipeline and we can have two different sites, and it's bigger than what any of us could do on our on our own.
SPEAKER_02:On your own, exactly. It's like kind of how can you find your your Maggie, your insider? That I would imagine that kind of like you're talking about, you have your little collective around one type of kind of cause area that there's multiple ones focused on different topics, subject matters. Is that fair to say that probably exists?
SPEAKER_00:Yes, absolutely. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:It's like where are those happening and how do you find a person that's in there that can kind of be your steward of what it is that you're working on? So cool.
SPEAKER_00:Dana, I will just say sometimes you have to be that steward. I mean, sometimes you think like, what is this? Like, wait a minute, there's no one that's in this particular sandbox, right? And so I guess it has to be me, right? I think that's a real space for leadership too, is like sometimes you can, you know, asking around and talking to people, but then sometimes it's like, wait a minute, I could be the one that's gonna connect these dots.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah. I love that. Like, why not? Yeah. Why not you? Right, right. Get in there the room where it happened, if I'm thinking about my Hamilton salary track. So something that I read from you, and then I've heard at other places too, is kind of this buzz around trust-based philanthropy. What does it look like in day-to-day functionality and kind of what you've alluded to a little bit beforehand, but the real way that funders and grants and nonprofits can build really sustainable relationships? Because I think sometimes it can it be just like one-off grants and it's one and done, but it doesn't actually solve the real solution. Cause like what we're saying, if it's supposed to be used over 12 months, that doesn't actually solve the real problem that's trying to be addressed. What's your thought on that?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so I think when I was thinking through this question, is thinking about how this one experience I had as a professional medical representative where I really had to develop relationships with offices and nurses and doctors in order to have them be willing to talk about it was a cervical, a liquid-based cervical cancer screening, be willing to talk with me. And so from that, I took away like, wow, it really matters if you have a relationship or not with people. Like relationships are really important. Of course, we know this in life, but sometimes I think it's more formative experiences that really kind of open that window.
SPEAKER_02:Definitely.
SPEAKER_00:But so I think in one sense, I'm really lucky because as I mentioned, I was a DCPS teacher and I've worked with some of the same people that are still there. So I have this deep-rooted 15-year relationship.
SPEAKER_02:Credibility, trust.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, credibility, trust. I hope and do think that when something doesn't go as planned, they're open to sharing that with me. I think that's one way to build also is thinking about like, I don't know the answers, right? I might be the one with the money, but it certainly doesn't mean that I know what to do, but you're the one that's doing the work, right? So I think sometimes, especially for funders to be humble about that, I think sometimes there are these transactional or these very different power dynamics between the funder and the and the grantee. And I think just recognizing that it's a privilege to be able to support this work, but also you're the person who has the expertise and who's there. And so help me understand what works and also be willing to share with me when something doesn't work so that we can figure out that's right what the better way is.
SPEAKER_02:I think that's so interesting. I think the power dynamic you're talking about is so true from the grant grantee, also from the corporate sponsor to receiving the funds. But I love how you just reframed that. It's like you're on the ground doing the work. It is a pleasure and an opportunity to be able to serve you in your mission and make these changes possible. Such a flip dynamic. And for the organization, how different would we feel about maybe getting a no response if we thought about it in that vein? Where it's like, okay, then they're not the right aligned partner if they're not seeing our value in bringing this. Oh, I love that like exactly mindset shift.
SPEAKER_00:I think just one piece of that that's important too is I understand with organizations that aren't a known entity, you might want to have a time period, right, where you're getting to know the organization and the work that they do. But I also think it's really important to do multi-year grants. I'm a big proponent and I like stand on my little soapbox and my collaborative and say, like, well, I think multi year grants, because that allows, then you're taking away the time of let me have to this nonprofit that has to spend all this time renewing the grant or having another meeting, and also just giving them the time to put their head down and do the work. And like we talked about three to five. Years, hopefully you'll see something, but it takes time. And so having that, giving them that runway, I think is really important too.
SPEAKER_02:Love that. For anyone who's listening that wants to build simple partnerships, is maybe thinking about reframing grant proposals, application based upon what you're talking about. Where do you think they should start? I mean, we just touched on one big, I think, fundamental mindset shift about it, but conversations, different places to network, groups to be a part of, conferences to attend that are great, other podcasts to listen to. Like what would be, I always am a big believer in momentum, like unlocking one door, having one conversation that seems like a step forward. Like what would be some of those stepping stones to get somebody on the right path?
SPEAKER_00:I mean, I think one piece is just sounds very simple, but recognizing that whoever you're interfacing with is also a human person. And so they have a background, they have a history, they have interests, a family, pets. And so getting to know that person and finding a mutual connection. I mean, I do that a lot. Like I had a retreat of principals and I was like, can you just all tell me like what schools you, you know, where you are? Because then I could say, Oh, I know a teacher who's at your school. Oh, you know, that sort of thing. The other piece that I've found really helpful is asking my colleagues, like, what conferences are you? You mentioned conferences, like, what conferences are you going to? Because being relatively new for me in this space, I mean, I know a lot of education conferences, but I don't necessarily know the grant making conferences. So I might ask my colleague at Silver Giving, where are you?
SPEAKER_02:You know, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And so a few of us had a panel last year at the Grantmakers for Education conference, which I never would have known about had I not been talking to one of my colleagues and grantees about. So I think using your network and then trying to build from that and the resources that people who have who have been in the field longer might be able to share with you is really helpful.
SPEAKER_02:So good. Put one, my biggest recommendation, put one in-person event on your calendar. Like minimum. There is nothing like, and don't just go to the conference, but think about who can I grab dinner with the night that I get there? Who can I have breakfast with? Let me look at the speaker list. Would one of them be able to join me for lunch? Because I really want to pick their brain. Like, really fill out your trip. I'm gonna give an example. I just had a business retreat for my business in Nashville. And the night before, uh a couple weeks prior, I asked my book publisher, lives in Nashville, and one of my business coaches. And they happened to know each other. And so I was like, would you all be down to get dinner together? So we grabbed dinner together. Then I had the business retreat on Saturday, and then I grabbed breakfast with another colleague before I left town. Like, fill up your time during that trip. It doesn't just have to be a conference. And the conversations on the bookends of that trip were mind-blowing. And it is, it's just a great time to be able to catch up. And one of them I learned has a farm with chickens on his property that I was like, okay, this is a hidden talent I did not, I was not aware of. Like, and then the next time we have a conversation, I'm gonna ask him about his chickens. You know, it's like instead of just about AI intelligence, which happens to be his forte. But yes, it allows you to get to know the person behind maybe the funder or the person behind the nonprofit in this space. So I love that. Maggie, thank you so much for all you do. What is one thing that you would like to ask for help or support on?
SPEAKER_00:Thank you for having me. I'm really excited to be here. I think I would just ask, I mean, one, I think the collaboration is my number one piece that I'm thinking about constantly is whether you're a nonprofit or a foundation, is thinking about who else is in this space and how can I work with other groups so that we're all serving the same mission. So I think that piece of thinking strategically and just like you said, find who has chickens, like find out who has chickens, you know, like just getting to know people, I think is so important and that information. Like we do like a I've done like a what's your least favorite fruit, right? As like a warm-up. And then you have this whole conversation about honeydew and you know, papyright. Always comes up, but but it really gives you the chance to just be like, wow, you know, it's it's light and it's yeah, it builds that rapport. So I think those are those two things are what I would say.
SPEAKER_02:How can people find out more about the foundation? Reach out to you. What's the best way to get in contact?
SPEAKER_00:We have a a website, it's Sullivan Charitable Foundation.org. And then I am on LinkedIn. I don't really do other social media, but I have a I am on LinkedIn.
SPEAKER_02:Beautiful. We will put all of the information in the show notes. And Maggie, thank you so much for being here.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you, Dana. Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode of Missions to Movement. If you enjoyed our conversation and found it helpful, I would love for you to take a moment to leave a review wherever you're listening. Your feedback helps us reach more change makers like you and continue bringing impactful stories and strategies to the show. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button too, so you'll never miss an episode. And until next time, keep turning your mission into a movement.
