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. How Easterseals CEO Kendra Davenport Leads a $100M+ Nonprofit

    6D AGO

    How Easterseals CEO Kendra Davenport Leads a $100M+ Nonprofit

    Running a nonprofit that serves 1.5 million people across 1,400 sites is hard enough in a stable environment. Doing it while federal program funding is under threat, the economy is unpredictable, and your brand is underrecognized outside the disability community is a different challenge entirely. Kendra Davenport has been Easterseals' President and CEO since 2022. In that time she led a financial turnaround at the national office: no line of credit, no debt, departments that consistently come in under budget, and a long-term orientation most nonprofit leaders talk about but few execute on. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten sits down with Kendra to get into the specifics: how she thinks about financial discipline, vendor audits, reserves strategy, board engagement, and building an organization designed to outlast any single leader.

    37 min
  2. FAR USA’s Bree Carriglio on Building Long-Term Nonprofit Impact in Armenia

    MAR 23

    FAR USA’s Bree Carriglio on Building Long-Term Nonprofit Impact in Armenia

    Nonprofits often face a fundamental tension: respond to immediate needs or build for long-term impact. For many organizations, limited funding, small teams, and constant pressure to deliver results push them into short-term thinking. But what does it look like to operate differently, to design programs that last, build financial resilience, and prioritize sustainability from day one? In this episode of The Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten sits down with Bree Carriglio, Executive Director of FAR USA (Fund for Armenian Relief), to explore exactly that. FAR has spent decades evolving from emergency relief to a comprehensive, long-term development model across Armenia, supporting communities through healthcare, education, and economic opportunity. In this interview, Bree shares how FAR approaches funding, accountability, donor engagement, and program design in a way that prioritizes lasting impact over quick wins.

    44 min
  3. Running a Nonprofit Like a Business | Laura Hope Whitaker, Extra Special People

    MAR 18

    Running a Nonprofit Like a Business | Laura Hope Whitaker, Extra Special People

    Laura Hope Whitaker took over Extra Special People (ESP) as a college sophomore. The organization had a $125,000 budget, a $50,000 deficit, and a founder who had just passed away from pancreatic cancer. Twenty-one years later, ESP runs a $8 million budget across five communities in Georgia and North Carolina, employs 50 full-time and 200 part-time staff, and operates a social enterprise that employs 85 adults with developmental disabilities. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Stephen Garten sits down with Laura to talk through what it actually takes to scale a nonprofit, why "nonprofit is just a tax code," and the leadership principles she documents in her new book, The Joy Exchange. Quick Summary ESP serves people with disabilities through afterschool programs, family support, and a social enterprise called JavaJoy.Laura took over as a sophomore in college after the founder died, inheriting a deficit and four board members (one of whom was in jail).Her core growth framework: treat the nonprofit like a business, know the numbers, and be unapologetic about fundraising.Board management is a strategic function, not an obligation. Boards should evolve as the organization evolves.Mentorship and continuous learning have been the constant throughout 21 years of leadership.

    39 min
  4. The Massive Opportunity Most Nonprofits Ignore: Non-Cash Gifts - Rick Peck, The Philanthropy Guy

    MAR 16

    The Massive Opportunity Most Nonprofits Ignore: Non-Cash Gifts - Rick Peck, The Philanthropy Guy

    Nonprofit leaders often start with a powerful mission and a deep commitment to solving a problem in their community. But many organizations eventually hit a ceiling. After the initial support from friends, family, and early champions runs out, fundraising can stall. Growth becomes harder. Boards struggle to evolve. And leaders find themselves trying to do more with limited resources. On this episode of The Charity Charge Show, host Stephen Garten sits down with Rick Peck, an experienced philanthropy advisor and host of the Money to Give Podcast. Peck has spent more than two decades working in philanthropy, helping organizations improve fundraising strategy, engage donors, and build sustainable nonprofit operations. Before entering the nonprofit sector, Peck worked as a financial advisor helping individuals plan for retirement, education expenses, insurance needs, and long-term wealth management. In the early 2000s, a career opportunity at Dartmouth College introduced him to philanthropic advising. The role focused on planned giving and donor relationships with alumni. Over time, his work expanded into: Major gifts fundraisingPrincipal gifts of $1M+Planned giving strategiesDevelopment leadership for academic and healthcare institutionsPeck later became Vice President for Development and Philanthropy Services at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, where he worked across a wide range of issue areas including climate change, homelessness, behavioral health, and food security. Today, he operates as an independent philanthropy consultant helping nonprofits: Improve fundraising strategyLaunch capital campaignsEngage donors more effectivelyStructure philanthropic giftsHe also advises donors and professional advisors on how to give strategically.

    29 min
  5. How Convergence Partnership Is Rethinking Philanthropy to Advance Health Equity

    MAR 11

    How Convergence Partnership Is Rethinking Philanthropy to Advance Health Equity

    Philanthropy often talks about impact. But impact can look very different depending on who holds the power. On a recent episode of The Charity Charge Show, host Grayson Harris sat down with Amanda Navarro, Executive Director of Convergence Partnership, to discuss how the organization is reshaping how philanthropy works by shifting decision-making power to communities and frontline organizations. Their approach challenges many traditional grantmaking norms, from eliminating competitive grant applications to replacing written reports with storytelling through podcasts. Here is a closer look at how Convergence Partnership is working to advance health equity across the United States.

    18 min
  6. How Bridge Over Troubled Waters Supports Homeless Youth in Boston

    MAR 9

    How Bridge Over Troubled Waters Supports Homeless Youth in Boston

    Youth homelessness is often invisible. It happens quietly, in cars, on couches, in shelters, or on the street, and many young people experiencing it are navigating the challenge alone. On this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Grayson Harris speaks with Elisabeth Jackson, CEO of Bridge Over Troubled Waters, an organization that has spent decades supporting homeless and runaway youth in Boston. The conversation explores the scale of youth homelessness, the services Bridge provides, and how nonprofits can create long-term pathways for young people to move from crisis to stability.

    25 min
  7. The Arc of Howard County at 65: Advocacy, Services, and Community in Action

    MAR 4

    The Arc of Howard County at 65: Advocacy, Services, and Community in Action

    In this episode, Grayson Harris sits down with Katie Collins-Ihrke, Executive Director of The Arc of Howard County, to discuss the organization’s 65-year legacy of supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the realities of operating in a challenging funding environment, and the importance of mission alignment in nonprofit leadership. Katie shares how The Arc balances advocacy and direct services, navigates state and federal budget pressures, and builds long-term sustainability while staying rooted in dignity and community inclusion. About The Arc of Howard County Part of the broader national network of The Arc, The Arc of Howard County provides: Advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilitiesCommunity-based housing and residential supportEmployment assistance and job coachingSkill-building and community integration servicesThe organization supports individuals across approximately 30 properties throughout Howard County, helping people live, work, and participate fully in their communities.

    13 min
  8. Inside Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center’s Approach to Outcomes

    MAR 2

    Inside Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center’s Approach to Outcomes

    On this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Grayson Harris sat down with Teresa Stafford-Wright, CEO of the Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center, to discuss what it really takes to serve survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, and human trafficking and what it takes to keep those services running. This is not light work. It is urgent, complex, and deeply human. And it requires more than just good programming. It requires strong operations, honest fundraising, and a community that understands what it actually costs to keep the doors open. Serving Survivors Since 1974 The Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center has served Northeast Ohio since 1974. The organization supports survivors across Summit and Medina Counties with a full spectrum of services, including: 24-hour crisis hotlineEmergency shelterCounseling and clinical servicesCourt and legal advocacyHospital accompaniment during forensic examsPrevention education in schools and community spacesEvery service is free. That is not negotiable. As Teresa explained, survivors should not have to pay to recover from a crime committed against them. Whether someone calls at 3:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m., they are met by trained professionals ready to respond through a trauma-informed lens. This is both crisis response and long-term healing. And it requires serious infrastructure.

    21 min
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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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