Texas Tribune Festival 2024: Evan Smith interviews philanthropist John Arnold

Evan Smith & John Arnold — **Evan Smith** interviews investor and philanthropist John Arnold. John Arnold is the co-founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropic institution that supports research and advocacy for evidence-based solutions to the nation’s public policy challenges. Evan Smith is the co-founder of The Texas Tribune and Senior Advisor, Emerson Collective. Texas Tribune Festival, Austin Texas. (photo by Clair LaVaye) #tribfest24

John Arnold and Arnold Ventures

John Arnold describes Arnold Ventures’ giving process as having less layers and bureaucracy. He advises “giving while living” versus setting up legacy gifts. Arnold is also negative on Donor Advised Funds (DAF) methods of philanthropy. He further states that philanthropists should consider “giving without regard to political affiliation.”

As for funding big systems, Arnold stated that it is better to target local programs. Otherwise, the money gets hung up and not spent in the community.

Arnold Ventures prioritizes funding initiatives that might have low probability of success but that could bring high value, if successful. To determine if an initiative is worthy of support, his organization does its own independent research rather than relying on presentations from groups that apply for funding. His caveat on this type of research is that it takes time–and that when a program has urgent needs it should be quickly funded.

**Evan Smith**, co-founder of The Texas Tribune and Senior Advisor, Emerson Collective. Texas Tribune Festival, Austin Texas. (photo by Clair LaVaye) #tribfest24

Journalism

Smith and Arnold discuss philanthropic funding to protect journalism and the fourth estate. Arnold agrees that there is a need of local reporting on local board meetings, local investigative journalism. The problems that have destroyed the business model for news organizations. But it cannot be based on charity alone, a sustainable business model must be created anew.

Consequences of increasing police surveillance

Arnold describes the cost and harms of crime in black neighborhoods and how additional police resources often results in more arrests of Black citizens and prison time. Arnold mentioned the book “Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America” by James Forman.

Arnold Ventures is involved in supporting crime reduction programs and research. More can be learned from their website. https://www.arnoldventures.org/work/crime-reduction

Asked about whether Arnold Ventures might consider providing funding for AI software that could provide legal assistance for those who cannot afford criminal attorneys, Arnold says that development of these is best left to the tech companies.

**John Arnold**, co-founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropic institution that supports research and advocacy for evidence-based solutions to the nation’s public policy challenges. Texas Tribune Festival, Austin Texas. (photo by Clair LaVaye) #tribfest24

Support for women’s needs

A woman in the audience questions Arnold on whether the organization will provide funding support to fight for abortion rights. In tears, she, beseeches him to reconsider support for abortion and makes her case: it should be done to protect the safety of mothers, to address assistance when a pregnancy is the result of a rape, to reduce children living in poverty when women do not have the resources to care for an additional child, to allow women to be allowed this option to assist in family planning.

Arnold, who looked away from her as she spoke, stated that the organization cannot change their policy on this controversial issue of reproductive care.

Arnold Ventures funding focuses on funding access to contraception; also, the organization has been funding a fight to defeat a bill that would ban the morning-after pill.

Their website addresses the organization policy on contraception access: https://www.arnoldventures.org/work/contraceptive-choice-access