Monkey On My Back: A Conversation with David Callahan

David Callahan is the founder and editor of Inside Philanthropy, the leading site tracking “who’s funding what, and why,” and founder of Blue Tent, which guides progressive donors. Raised in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, he earned a B.A. from Hampshire College and a Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton. The author of nine books, including The Cheating Culture and The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age, Callahan has become one of the most prominent voices examining how wealth and philanthropy shape American democracy. A former think tank co-founder, he now leads journalism and media ventures that hold donors accountable and reframe the conversation on giving. In this episode, we explore his journey from politics and ethics to journalism, his critiques of philanthropy’s growing power, and what it all means for the future of democracy.