The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast

Charity Charge
  • 4.9 (45)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Scaling a mission requires more than passion, it requires high-discipline leadership, financial innovation, and strategic resilience. Hosted by Stephen Garten, The Charity Charge Show goes behind the scenes with nonprofit CEOs, social impact innovators, and community leaders. From the TGR Foundation to the Sierra Club, we deconstruct the operational models, fundraising breakthroughs, and "durable skills" driving real-world impact. Power your mission with actionable insights from the front lines of the nonprofit sector.

  1. Pamela Davis on Nonprofit Insurance, Risk, and Staying Mission Driven for 35 Years

    1D AGO

    Pamela Davis on Nonprofit Insurance, Risk, and Staying Mission Driven for 35 Years

    Insurance is not glamorous. It is paperwork, premiums, and conversations most nonprofit leaders would rather avoid. But if you run a nonprofit long enough, you learn a hard truth. The moment you need insurance is the moment it is too late to start thinking about it. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Stephen Garten sits down with Pamela Davis, Founder and CEO of the Nonprofit Insurance Alliance, a nonprofit insurer that serves roughly 26,000 to 27,000 nonprofits across California and 32 additional states. Pamela shares how a graduate school thesis turned into a 35 year mission, why traditional insurance markets fail nonprofits, and what new and small organizations need to know before a claim ever happens. Episode highlights Pamela Davis is the founder and CEO of the Nonprofit Insurance Alliance, a group of two nonprofit insurers built specifically to serve 501(c)(3)s. One entity insures nonprofits in California and the other insures nonprofits in 32 other states. Together, the organizations serve about 26,000 to 27,000 nonprofits and have grown to roughly $1 billion in assets. Stephen and Pamela also dig into the practical side of nonprofit coverage, what to buy first, how underwriting works for small budgets, and why advocacy has become a crucial part of keeping the nonprofit sector insurable.

    44 min
  2. SAY San Diego: A CEO’s Playbook for Diversifying Revenue and Protecting Community Programs

    3D AGO

    SAY San Diego: A CEO’s Playbook for Diversifying Revenue and Protecting Community Programs

    In this episode, we sit down with Louie Nguyen, CEO of Say San Diego, to discuss what it really means to run a nonprofit like a business while staying deeply committed to mission. Louie shares his journey from institutional investor and impact investing leader to nonprofit CEO, and how that financial discipline is now shaping SAY San Diego’s strategy. The conversation covers revenue diversification, reserve policy design, social enterprise models, mental health innovation, and what responsible risk-taking looks like in the nonprofit sector. If you are a nonprofit executive, board member, or impact investor thinking about long term sustainability, this episode is worth your time. About SAY San Diego Founded in 1971, SAY San Diego has grown from one employee to more than 500 staff members serving approximately 45,000 San Diegans each year. Key program areas include: After school programs serving 4,000 students dailyMental health services at 26 school sitesSupport for young mothers from pregnancy through early childhoodFatherhood engagement programsCommunity advocacy and educationWith annual revenue near $30 million, SAY San Diego operates at a scale most nonprofits never reach. What You Will Learn in This Episode Why nonprofits should aim to generate positive marginsThe importance of unrestricted capitalHow to calculate a true rainy day reserveWhy holding real estate is not always the best strategyHow to diversify revenue beyond grants and contractsWhat investment risk looks like inside a nonprofitHow to structure social enterprise investment opportunitiesWhy mental health funding needs long term endowment solutionsKey Topics Covered 1. Transitioning from Finance to Nonprofit Leadership Louie explains how his background in institutional investing and impact finance shaped his approach to leadership at SAY San Diego. 2. Revenue Diversification in a Volatile Funding Environment With federal and state funding uncertainty, Louie shares how SAY is building independent, self-sustaining revenue streams. 3. Rethinking Reserves and Asset Allocation A practical discussion on how CEOs and CFOs should scenario plan, define real operating risk, and segment reserves intentionally. 4. The Boba Wellness Model A bold social enterprise concept where SAY acquires boba shops that operate as businesses during the day and convert into youth wellness spaces at night. 5. Intellectual Property as a Revenue Strategy How a community safety initiative evolved into a licensing and IP opportunity that can scale nationally. 6. The Wellspring Initiative A $2 million mental health endowment designed to fund 1,300 therapy sessions per year in perpetuity for students who need care beyond what school districts cover.

    37 min
  3. A Conversation with Peter Navario, CEO of HealthRight International: Strengthening Global Health Systems Through Community-Led Care

    FEB 11

    A Conversation with Peter Navario, CEO of HealthRight International: Strengthening Global Health Systems Through Community-Led Care

    Global health systems are under pressure. Funding models are shifting. NGOs are closing. Communities are feeling the consequences. On this episode of The Charity Charge Show, host Grayson Harris sits down with Peter Navario, CEO of HealthRight International and professor of health economics at New York University, to discuss what it takes to deliver sustainable healthcare solutions for marginalized communities, both globally and here in the United States. From community-based mental health programs to new funding platforms designed to rethink global health financing, this episode explores what it means to build systems that last. Guest: Peter Navario Title: CEO, HealthRight International | Professor of Health Economics, NYU Topics Covered: The mission and history of HealthRight InternationalThe “triangle” model: community, community health workers, and primary care systemsAddressing mental health through peer-led, evidence-based interventionsWhy traditional one-on-one therapy is not scalableThe impact of foreign aid cuts on global health organizationsHow HealthRight is diversifying revenue and launching a direct investment platformThe need for a better dialogue between funders and implementersAbout Peter Navario Peter Navario serves as CEO of HealthRight International and is a professor of health economics at NYU. With decades of experience in global health and development, he brings both academic insight and field-based leadership to his role. Under his leadership, HealthRight has focused on strengthening community-based care models and building more sustainable funding mechanisms for long-term health system resilience.

    25 min
  4. How the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Is Expanding Healing, Community, and Hope

    FEB 9

    How the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Is Expanding Healing, Community, and Hope

    On this episode of the Charity Charged Show, we sit down with Hilary Axtmayer, Chief Program Officer of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, to talk about one of the most meaningful nonprofit expansions happening this year. Founded in 1988 by Paul Newman, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was created to give children with serious illnesses something they are too often denied: the chance to simply be kids. More than three decades later, the organization is serving thousands of children and families across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and in 2025 it is opening a second residential camp location in Maryland. This conversation goes beyond the headline of expansion. It digs into the origin of the camp’s name, the magic of its programs, Hilary’s 25-year journey from counselor to executive leader, and the careful work required to scale without losing the soul of the mission.

    21 min
  5. How the IEEE Foundation Turns Engineering Into Global Impact

    FEB 4

    How the IEEE Foundation Turns Engineering Into Global Impact

    On this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Grayson Harris sits down with John McDonald, newly appointed Board President of the IEEE Foundation. The conversation is a masterclass in how long-term professional communities evolve into powerful philanthropic engines, and what nonprofit leaders can learn from a global organization built on trust, consistency, and service. John brings more than five decades of experience as a member of IEEE, the world’s largest professional technical organization with more than 500,000 members across 190 countries. His journey from student member to foundation president offers rare insight into leadership, donor engagement, and the discipline required to sustain impact at scale. What the IEEE Foundation Actually Does While IEEE is widely known for advancing technology, standards, and professional development, the IEEE Foundation operates as its philanthropic partner. The Foundation supports nearly 300 funds that power scholarships, awards, education programs, and initiatives designed to use technology for the benefit of humanity. At its core, the Foundation exists to strengthen and extend IEEE’s mission by mobilizing philanthropy. It funds programs that create real social impact, from education access to humanitarian technology projects around the world.

    27 min
  6. How Momentum Refresh Is Redefining Accessibility at Events

    FEB 2

    How Momentum Refresh Is Redefining Accessibility at Events

    In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, Grayson Harris sits down with Dan Lusk, Executive Director of Momentum Refresh, to discuss one of the most overlooked barriers to inclusion at public events: truly accessible restrooms. Dan shares how the organization was built to solve a basic but critical problem, why ADA compliance alone is not enough, and how their mission driven model is scaling nationwide. The conversation covers rapid growth, community partnerships, disaster response, and what is ahead in 2026. Key Topics Covered Why accessible restrooms remain a major barrier to participationThe difference between ADA compliant and universally designed facilitiesHow Momentum Refresh units exceed ADA standardsGrowth from local pilots to national mega eventsData, testimonials, and community trust as drivers of scalePartnerships with cities, counties, and major event organizersExpansion plans including manufacturing, franchising, and emergency response

    19 min
  7. From Foster Care to Dignity at Scale: A Conversation with Rob Scheer of Comfort Cases

    JAN 30

    From Foster Care to Dignity at Scale: A Conversation with Rob Scheer of Comfort Cases

    In this episode of The Charity Charge Show, we sit down with Rob Scheer, founder of Comfort Cases, a nonprofit that has delivered more than 300,000 backpacks filled with essentials to children entering foster care across all 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and soon Canada. Growing Up in the System Rob did not come to foster care as an advocate. He came as a child who lived it. He entered foster care because of abuse, not neglect. Cigarette burns on his body are reminders he still carries at 59 years old. Like many children in the system, he became a number, a file, a case. When he aged out at 18, he joined the tens of thousands of young people who are pushed out with no safety net. Within 24 hours, most become homeless. Rob was one of them. He survived addiction, multiple suicide attempts, and repeated psychiatric hospitalizations. At 24, after nearly dying from an overdose, he made a decision that changed everything. He chose forgiveness. Not to excuse what happened, but to take his life back. That decision did not make him a hero. It made him accountable. The Numbers We Do Not Like to Talk About During the episode, Rob challenges some of the most commonly repeated foster care statistics and explains why many of them understate the reality. Here is what stands out: More than 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States.Roughly 23,000 youth age out every year.New homelessness counts show over 80 percent of people experiencing homelessness were touched by foster care at some point.Former foster youth are far more likely to experience PTSD than combat veterans.Only about 8 percent earn a four year college degree. That number improved recently, but it is still unacceptable.Rob makes one point very clear. If a child enters foster care, society has already failed.

    32 min

  8. JAN 28 · BONUS

    Nonprofit Spotlight: Carol Klocek, CEO of the Center for Transforming Lives

    In this episode of the Nonprofit Spotlight Series, hosted by Charity Charge, Grayson Harris sits down with Carol Klocek, CEO of the Center for Transforming Lives, to explore what it really takes to disrupt generational poverty and build long term economic stability for single mothers and their children. Founded in 1907 and rebranded in 2015, the Center for Transforming Lives has evolved into a comprehensive, two generational organization serving families across the Fort Worth and Tarrant County region. Carol shares how the organization pairs housing stability, early childhood education, clinical counseling, and economic mobility services to address the root causes of poverty rather than its symptoms. Key themes from the conversation A two generational approach to breaking poverty Carol explains why working with mothers and children at the same time is critical for lasting impact and how trauma informed care shapes every program they offer. Affordability and housing instability With single mothers earning a median income of $33,000 per year and spending more than half of their income on rent, Carol outlines why rising housing, childcare, and food costs create a pipeline to homelessness and how early intervention changes outcomes. Prevention over crisis response The episode dives deep into why preventing homelessness is far more effective and less costly than responding after families are displaced. Carol shares real data showing how keeping families housed reduces long term costs related to healthcare, education, and social services. Building efficient public nonprofit partnerships Carol details how the Center for Transforming Lives partners with healthcare providers, local government, and community organizations to deliver services more efficiently. From mobile health clinics to rent and utility assistance programs, these collaborations lower costs while expanding access. The power of a nonprofit hub model The organization’s new campus serves as a community anchor, offering healthcare access, drop in childcare, coworking space, and meeting facilities that foster collaboration among nonprofits, small businesses, and workforce partners. Listening directly to the people served Carol shares why monthly “Coffee with Carol” sessions have become one of her most valuable leadership practices and how participant feedback drives program design and trust. Looking ahead to workforce development Looking toward 2026, Carol discusses plans to pilot vocational training partnerships paired with free childcare to help parents transition into high wage, in demand jobs in fields like healthcare, welding, and electrical work.

    20 min
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4.9
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About

Scaling a mission requires more than passion, it requires high-discipline leadership, financial innovation, and strategic resilience. Hosted by Stephen Garten, The Charity Charge Show goes behind the scenes with nonprofit CEOs, social impact innovators, and community leaders. From the TGR Foundation to the Sierra Club, we deconstruct the operational models, fundraising breakthroughs, and "durable skills" driving real-world impact. Power your mission with actionable insights from the front lines of the nonprofit sector.

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