Advertise on podcast: The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast

In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Stephen Garten sits down with Kristina "Steen" Joye Lyles, Executive Vice President of Impact for DonorsChoose. Since its founding in 2000, DonorsChoose has revolutionized philanthropy by creating a transparent, direct-to-classroom funding model. Steen shares her journey from lawyer to educational advocate, the organization's evolution over 26 years, and how they are leveraging two decades of data to prove that resource equity is the key to unlocking student potential. Show Notes and Key Takeaways The Origin Story: Founded by a Bronx history teacher named Charles Best who saw the need for a transparent way for the public to support specific classroom needs.A Unique Model: Unlike traditional nonprofits, DonorsChoose does not just send cash. They fulfill specific wish lists ranging from crayons to drones and ship resources directly to schools.The Power of Data: With over 1 million teachers on the platform, DonorsChoose uses real time classroom data to track trends like mental health needs and the digital divide.The I See Me Initiative: A groundbreaking effort launched in 2018 to support teachers of color and ensure students see themselves reflected in their educators and learning materials.Resource Equity: A spiky but core belief that depriving a classroom of resources is the most effective way to ensure a child does not reach their full potential.

Most nonprofits rely heavily on donations to survive. The Boat Company took a different path. For more than 40 years, this Alaska-based organization has operated as the only nonprofit cruise line in the world, using earned revenue from mission-driven travel to fund conservation efforts across Southeast Alaska. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, Executive Director Hunter McIntosh breaks down how the model works, what “mission-based travel” actually means, and the lessons learned from running a nonprofit for decades without relying on traditional fundraising. Show Notes  The origin story behind the world’s only nonprofit cruise line  How mission-based travel evolved from traditional ecotourism  The Boat Company’s earned revenue model vs. donation reliance  Partnerships with environmental organizations and local nonprofits  What guests experience on small-ship conservation-focused trips  Real-world impact, including $30M+ reinvested into conservation  Leadership lessons from 30+ years in the nonprofit sector  Advice for new nonprofit founders on funding, operations, and growth 

Child abuse is one of the most difficult and complex issues facing society, yet it remains largely hidden behind closed doors. For more than six decades, Childhelp has been at the forefront of addressing this crisis, building some of the most widely used programs, policies, and prevention models in the United States. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten sits down with Michael Medoro, COO of Childhelp, to explore how the organization has evolved into a national leader in child protection. From pioneering legislation to operating the only 24/7 national child abuse hotline staffed by professional counselors, Childhelp has directly impacted more than 15 million children and continues to expand its reach. This conversation goes beyond awareness. It digs into prevention, collaboration across nonprofits, and what it actually takes to break cycles of abuse at scale.

Most nonprofit leaders don’t start with a business playbook. They start with a mission. A personal story. A deep conviction to solve a problem that matters. Then reality hits. Fundraising, financial management, board dynamics, hiring, systems. Suddenly, they’re not just a mission-driven leader, they’re running a full-scale organization. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten sits down with Lauren Reilly, Executive Director of Gratitude Network, to unpack how nonprofits can build the operational strength needed to scale their impact. Gratitude Network is a nonprofit accelerator focused on organizations serving children and youth. Through executive coaching, strategic tools, and a global peer network, they help nonprofit leaders turn passion into sustainable growth. The results are hard to ignore. Organizations in their program are scaling impact 5x and revenue 3x, with 95% still operating long-term. Here’s the full breakdown.

Deborah Wondercheck didn't start the Arts and Learning Conservatory(ALC) because she thought it was a good idea. She started it because she'd lived the alternative, and she knew exactly what kids lose when the arts get cut. Today, ALC serves roughly 3,700 students annually across nearly 50 schools in Southern California. Since 2004, more than 35,000 kids have encountered the arts through the organization for the first time. It started with 21 kids, a string ensemble, and a few cast members doubling as nuns. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, Deborah walks through the personal story that led to Arts and Learning Conservatory, how the organization has grown from a garage operation to a facility with a 200-seat theater, and what advice she has for nonprofit leaders still figuring out the early stages.

Stepping into a CFO role inside a nonprofit isn’t just about managing numbers. It’s about translating complexity, building trust, and helping organizations make smarter decisions in real time. On this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Grayson Harris sits down with Jessica McLean, CFO of the American Staffing Association (ASA). Jessica shares what it’s really like stepping into a senior finance role, how AI is reshaping workforce organizations, and why diversified revenue is no longer optional for nonprofits.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Safe, clean drinking water should be a given. It is not. On this episode of The Charity Charge Show, host Stephen Garten sits down with Doc Hendley, founder and CEO of Wine to Water, to talk about the real story behind the organization, how it grew from a tip jar at a bar to serving millions of people, and what it takes to lead and scale a mission-driven nonprofit for more than two decades. Doc does not dress it up. He talks about mistakes, hard lessons, and why most nonprofits stay stuck under $2M in annual revenue. He also lays out what changed when Wine to Water stopped acting like a typical nonprofit and started building diversified revenue streams like a business.