Sam Goldman

Activist, Artist, Change agent, Concerned citizen, Connector, Consultant, Environmentalist, Explorer, Gay, Jewish, Philanthropist, World traveler

I build communities around big ideas for global change. At One Acre Fund, I’m building a new community of philanthropists, bringing together people who want to drive meaningful impact for the world’s poorest communities while addressing climate change, food insecurity, and advancing regenerative agricultural practices. We received the Audacious Project in 2018 and again in 2020, which helped catalyze our growth. We now serve over 5 million farmers in 10 countries. Burning Man Project is where I got my start in fund development. In the pandemic, the organization saw a 90% revenue collapse. We raised $34M in two years, while growing a global community rooted in creativity, experimentation, and human connection and created new climate, art, and conservation programs. I directed fundraising for the Fly Ranch campus and an international regenerative design competition. At the Aspen Institute, I worked to grow the Aspen Global Leadership Network, convening leaders from around the world in fellowship and helping build new Fellowships in Tech/AI and the arts, creating space for reflection, dialogue, and values-driven leadership. The first part of my career was in policy and advocacy in rural communities, working to protect fragile landscapes at risk from poor development decisions and climate change. I brought together diverse stakeholders including tribes, ranchers, businesses, and local leaders to help protect millions of acres across the American West and Alaska, including advancing conservation designations like national monuments that preserve both land and cultural history.

I feel most alive in the outdoors: Running, skiing, hiking, climbing. Someday soon, I want to become a great fly fisherman so if you have any tips, please let me know! I also love the arts of all kinds! I grew up at a community arts center in St Louis, MO where my mom built the 4th largest community arts hub in the US! I took every class I could from painting to West African Drumming to tap dance! I was very lucky to have COCA and grateful to my mother for her dedication to the arts!

We don’t have a capital problem, we have a connection problem. In an era of AI acceleration and global fragmentation, the real bottleneck is not ideas or funding, but aligned human communities. I’m interested in how trust and shared purpose become the infrastructure for change. I'm inspired by models like TED’s Audacious Project to show what’s possible when the right people come together around bold goals.

Burning Man, Climate Change, Conservation, Fishing, Fundraising, Global Development, One Acre Fund, Philanthropy, Skiing

2026 will be my first TED!