How to Use Wealth for Social Change Without Burning Out — A Conversation with Sarah DeLuca

How to Use Wealth for Social Change Without Burning Out — A Conversation with Sarah DeLuca

 

In this episode, our guest Sarah DeLuca and I dive deep into the emotionally charged and politically potent topic of money as a tool for social change. Sarah is a Money and Philanthropy Coach who supports individuals and families in aligning their resources with their values—and in doing so, healing their relationship to wealth. We talk about her transition from nonprofit organizer to coach for high-net-worth individuals looking to redistribute wealth more effectively and ethically.

 

Together we explore how perfectionism and burnout manifest in activist spaces, how financial privilege can sometimes obscure our ability to connect across class, and what it looks like to use money not just for safety, but for liberation. Sarah shares what politicized her, how growing up in a financially open household shaped her comfort with spreadsheets and stock markets, and the deeply human struggles her clients face—from secrecy and shame to shoulds and martyrdom. There’s also a powerful thought experiment imagining the world in 2035—what happens when we build it, and it falls apart, and we choose to build again.

 

Bridging Money and Movement: Meet Sarah DeLuca

 

Sarah DeLuca is a Money and Philanthropy Coach with Move Money Shift Power where she focuses on social change philanthropy with individuals, families, and foundations. 

 

Sarah began her social justice career working in documentary filmmaking in LA, but quickly realized she wanted to be more deeply involved in activism. She spent a decade working for social justice non-profits, building grassroots movements and raising millions of dollars. In addition to honing her organizing and fundraising skills there, Sarah developed her critical analysis of corporate power and systemic change. In 2018, she opened Move Money, Shift Power. There, she works directly with funders who want to move wealth and power to grassroots movements, and heal their relationship to money.

 

She is a Capricorn and an 8 on the Enneagram, making her a BOSS lady, lover of spreadsheets and helping others “get sh*t done!”      

 

She and her husband live on the North Shore of Massachusetts with their dog, Freddie Mercury. 

 

Episode Highlights

 

[00:02:05] Sarah’s Journey from Activism to Radical Finance
[00:06:18] Early Money Lessons from Her Family
[00:09:00] Living for Now vs. Saving for Retirement
[00:11:14] How Social Change Happens (and Why It Feels Hard)
[00:14:32] Burnout, Perfectionism, and Hitting a Wall
[00:19:16] Recognizing Privilege and Early Class Awareness
[00:26:22] Political Awakenings and the Limits of People Power
[00:30:00] Freeze Mode: When Funders Retreat from Movement
[00:35:00] Philanthropy as a Family Practice
[00:37:40] Conversations About Money with the Next Generation
[00:43:00] Expanding Our Vision: Safety Nets, Resilience, and Shared Futures

 

When we talk about money, we’re rarely just talking about numbers. We’re talking about values, trauma, identity, justice, and belonging. This conversation with Sarah goes far beyond conventional philanthropy or financial coaching—it offers a glimpse into what’s possible when people with wealth move beyond guilt or shame and begin to show up as co-conspirators in change. 

 

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the scale of injustice or unsure of your role in the movement, this episode will remind you that your resources—emotional, financial, and relational—are powerful tools. Sarah’s candidness, warmth, and strategic mind will resonate whether you’re navigating your own inherited wealth, supporting clients through their money stories, or simply trying to figure out how to live in a world that can feel so confusing.

 

Resources

 

Sarah's Website
Instagram