About First to Third Sector

In baseball, going first to third is a basic, but sometimes underappreciated part of the game. It's only by actually looking at the data that we can see if a team or player is more or less effective at this skill. The same is true in philanthropy. Splashy headlines or pristine annual reports may look good, but I'm interested in what the underlying data says.

First to Third Sector is where I write about what I find interesting at the intersection of philanthropy, sports, and money. Right now that means a deep dive into MLB team foundations — their 990s, how they deploy capital, and what separates the ones doing serious community work from the ones going through the motions.

I've spent nearly 20 years in major gifts and advancement, including AVP-level work in higher education and healthcare fundraising. I've had 1,500+ conversations with donors, raised $25M+ individually, and helped teams raise over $100M. That background shapes how I read the data — but this site isn't about the practice. It's about the subject.

If you want to talk philanthropy, sports, or anything in between — or if you're interested in advising services — you can reach me at zacharypdubin@gmail.com or connect on LinkedIn.