Charity Therapy

What if you could hang out with experienced nonprofit professionals and ask them your burning questions about the day-to-day life of nonprofits? What if you could take their wisdom and bring it back to your organization, for free? That's what we do on Charity Therapy. Hosted by Jess Birken - owner and lawyer at Birken Law Office. Every episode is an in-depth look at how to run a nonprofit, from fundraising to IRS woes to people problems and more! Our goal is to empower nonprofits to achieve your mission by doing things right.

Charity Therapy is a business podcast hosted by Jess Birken, MNM, JD, with 174 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Jess Birken, MNM, JD hosts Charity Therapy, a business show with 174 episodes published.

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  Episode #174

  174: Click, Click, You're Done | Public Charity vs. Private Foundation

  Oct 1, 202621 min

  You got your 501(c)(3) letter, so you're all set... right? Not so fast. There's a second designation buried in that letter, and if it's not correct it could derail your grant applications, your tax filings, and your whole plan. Meghan and I break down one of the most misunderstood distinctions in the nonprofit world: public charity versus private foundation. Both are 501(c)(3)s, but the difference between them changes how you file, what grants you qualify for, and how you're allowed to operate. We tackle two listener questions from founders who accidentally ended up in the wrong bucket without even knowing it. Real Listener Question: "One founder gives a lot of money to the nonprofit they started because it makes financial sense, and now their CPA is warning that this could turn the org into a private foundation. What does that mean? Another founder did all the paperwork themselves, got their 501(c)(3) letter, and then had a grant application rejected because they're "not a public charity." They're confused. Doesn't the letter say 501(c)(3)?" Meghan and I dig into the public support test, why funding your own nonprofit can accidentally make you a private foundation, and how to check your real status before it comes back to bite you. What You'll Learn: What the 501(c)(3) status actually is and why it has subcategories The difference between a public charity and a private foundation What the public support test is and why you need a third of your money from public sources How to look up your real status using the IRS exempt organization search Why private foundations file a 990-PF, not a regular 990 Bottom line: It's not "public charity good, private foundation bad." It's about which one fits the work you're actually trying to do. Know your real status and don't let a DIY paperwork shortcut haunt you three years down the line. Resources from this Episode Previous Episode: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct173-money-when-nonprofit-closes Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CT174_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/ Meghan Heitkamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-heitkamp-829254115/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts : Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review" Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/ Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter

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  Episode #173

  173: Let It Go! | What Happens to the Money When a Nonprofit Closes?

  Sep 17, 202615 min

  When a nonprofit closes its doors, it opens up a bunch of questions. What happens to the mission? Are there other organizations or groups doing this work? And a big one – what do we do with everything that's left over? No individual gets to keep the money or assets leftover when a nonprofit dissolves. So what happens now, and how do you honor everything your organization stood for? Meghan and I tackle a bittersweet listener question from an executive director who chose to close a nonprofit with dignity rather than run it into the ground. Now they're sitting on a substantial amount of leftover funds, ready to play Fairy Godmother. Real Listener Question: "Our nonprofit is dissolving, and I want to be a good steward of the leftover funds. I worked with an attorney to dissolve properly and now I'm ready to give away a substantial amount. How do I choose who to give the money to? Do I give a big gift to a few orgs or smaller amounts to many? What would you do?" Meghan and I dig into what the law actually requires when a nonprofit dissolves, why this ED already knows the answer, and why the paralysis they're feeling has a lot more to do with grief than with grant strategy. What You'll Learn: The legal requirements you need to follow in a nonprofit dissolution Why a bigger gift to fewer orgs makes a far greater impact What you actually need to check before giving Why over-vetting the successor organization is a common hurdle to dissolving nonprofits What makes that final gift ACTUALLY difficult (and it's not the reason you think) Bottom line: There is no perfect formula that will make the end of a nonprofit hurt less. Do your due diligence, give the best gift you can, and let yourself grieve. Resources from this Episode Previous Episode: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct172-board-basics-by-a-teenager Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CT_Ep173_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/ Meghan Heitkamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-heitkamp-829254115/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts : Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review" Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/ Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter

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  Episode #172

  172: Nonprofit PTSD | Nonprofit Board Basics, Explained by a Teenager

  Sep 3, 202621 min

  What happens when you ask a 14 year-old to give advice to a bunch of board members who can't get along? Well, sometimes your local teenager might just give you the BEST take on the situation. I'm joined by a very special guest this episode: my kid, Max. We start with a crash course on what a nonprofit board is, why board members are volunteers, and what the typical officer titles really mean. Then Max puts on his guest expert hat and helps me untangle a board drama that's threatening to sink an entire organization. Real Listener Questions: Becoming a volunteer at my nonprofit requires a majority board vote, and becoming a full board member requires a unanimous vote. Now our president is trying to impose veto power so he can overturn our votes if he disagrees. Other board members and I think he's trying to become a dictator instead of a leader. How do I make him understand he doesn't own the nonprofit and doesn't get to call all the shots? Max and I dig into what's really going on here, why veto power isn't how healthy boards work, and why the answer to almost every board conflict comes back to one thing: communication. What You'll Learn: What a nonprofit board is and why members are unpaid volunteers Why volunteer status comes with legal liability protection What the president, treasurer, and secretary actually do How to handle board recruitment through policy instead of power plays Why community and togetherness are what keep an all-volunteer org alive Bottom line: You can't hammer your will through a board with veto power and expect the organization to survive. Communication, being heard, and a real sense of community are what keep a nonprofit standing. And sometimes a teenager can see that more clearly than anyone. Resources from this Episode Previous Episode: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct171-fundraising-myths-patrick-kirby Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CT_Ep172_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts : Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review" Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/ Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter

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  Episode #171

  171: You Don't Need Some Guy on a Yacht | Ditching the Fundraising Myths with Patrick Kirby

  Aug 20, 202625 min

  Fundraising doesn't have to be intimidating, jargon-filled, or a total drag. I'm joined by Patrick Kirby , the nonprofit and fundraising consultant behind Do Good Better Consulting and a self-described human exclamation mark. Patrick brings so much energy and joy to fundraising that it's genuinely contagious. We tackle three listener questions, bust some persistent fundraising myths, and Patrick goes on a rant that you will not want to miss. Real Listener Questions: What do you do when your software is getting in the way of your marketing? How do you keep the faith when what you're trying just isn't working? Patrick and I dig into what actually drives donations, why software is never the silver bullet, and why losing a program that made you almost no money might be the best thing that ever happened to your fundraising. What You'll Learn: Why "this is the way we've always done it" kills good ideas before they start How to be purposeful with your calls to action instead of always asking for money Why a CRM helps but won't magically fix your fundraising for you How to keep your motivation up when donor outreach feels like a grind Why a thank-you voicemail counts as a real, meaningful touchpoint How to make your fundraising about the donor and the community you serve Bottom line: You're doing more impact than you think. Let the old ways go, focus on great stories and real relationships, and remember that you're part of the solution to problems the government can't fix on its own. Resources from this Episode Check out Do Good Better Consulting: https://www.dogoodbetterconsulting.com Previous Episode: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct170-fire-your-board/ Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/CT_Ep171_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/ Patrick Kirby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fundraisingdad/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts : Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review" Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/ Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter

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  Episode #170

  170: Shots Fired! | Can a Nonprofit Fire Its Own Board?

  Aug 6, 202616 min

  What if you could just... skip the whole "having a board of directors" part of running a nonprofit? Turns out, you're not the only one who've thought about it! We all know every nonprofit pro has quietly wondered at some point whether they really need a board at all. This week's listener question puts that quiet part out loud, and we dig into what's really going on when a board goes off the rails. Real Listener Question: "I work for a small business league and our whole board is useless. They do nothing to help us but keep finding random projects for us to do. The directors all say they're too busy for their normal board duties. My ED and I are wondering if there's a way to get all the board members to just sign away their roles so we don't have to have a board at all. Can we do that?" Meghan and I break down what a board is actually supposed to do, why some people join boards for reasons that have nothing to do with the mission, and why "let's just get rid of them" is a fantasy (even though the underlying frustration is very real). What You'll Learn: What the core job of every nonprofit board actually is Why some boards drift into micromanaging staff and how it happens Why "signing away" board roles isn't a legal option (sorry!) What to do when board members treat staff like their personal assistants Why board and staff relationships are hard for every nonprofit When it's time to bring in outside training for your board Bottom line: It's completely normal to be frustrated with your board. You're not alone. But the answer isn't getting rid of them. It's figuring out what your board is actually there to do and getting them back on track. Resources from this Episode Previous Episode: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct169-nonprofit-retirement-christopher-tipper/ Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/CT_Ep170_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/ Meghan Heitkamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-heitkamp-829254115/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts : Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review" Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/ Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter

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