The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast

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.

The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 225 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 84. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast, a business show with 225 episodes published.

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  Episode #173

  How to Combat Drunk Driving: Insights from Mothers Against Drunk Driving

  Jul 30, 202639 min

  In this episode, nonprofit leader Stacey Davis Stewart discusses the impactful work of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MAD), its history, legislative successes, and future initiatives to prevent impaired driving and save lives.

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  Episode #172

  Innovating Food Security: Inside the Regional Food Bank of NE NY with Tom Nardacci

  Jul 15, 202642 min

  Food insecurity is rising even as household budgets stretch thinner, and food banks have become core infrastructure for hundreds of thousands of families. On this episode of the Charity Charge Show , Tom Nardacci, CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York , breaks down how his organization feeds roughly 350,000 people each month across 23 counties, and what nonprofit executives can learn from how he runs it. The conversation covers local food sourcing, leadership lessons from the for-profit world, and how to build funding resilience when federal support is unpredictable. Quick Summary The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York distributes about 50 million pounds of food annually through nearly 1,000 partner agencies across 23 counties. Its Agricultural Hub initiative connects local farms directly to food pantries, with a goal of growing farm and produce distribution to 30 million pounds per year. Nardacci applies for-profit team-building and accountability practices to nonprofit operations, treating the food bank like a logistics company. Funding volatility, especially around SNAP, makes diversified revenue and strong funder relationships essential for any nonprofit. About the Guest: Tom Nardacci Tom Nardacci has served as CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York since August 2023. Before moving into nonprofit leadership, he founded and ran Gramercy Communications, a public relations firm he led for more than 15 years, and launched the Troy Innovation Garage , a business incubator in the Capital Region. His connection to food access runs deep. His grandparents operated Nardacci's Broadway Food Mart in Rensselaer, New York for 50 years, and he grew up watching them quietly feed neighbors who could not always pay. Today he leads one of the oldest food banks in the country, an organization that operates like a major grocery wholesaler with a fleet of trucks, warehouse operations, and thousands of volunteers.

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  Episode #171

  Unlocking Play: How Volo Kids is Bringing Youth Sports to Thousands of Kids w/Jen Rifkin

  Jun 4, 202621 min

  In the social impact sector, scaling an organization nationally while maintaining deep community trust is one of the hardest balancing acts to pull off. It requires an unshakeable operational foundation, a clear mission, and creative revenue models that move beyond traditional grant dependency. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show , host Grayson Harris sits down with Jen Rifkin , Executive Director of the Volo Kids Foundation , an organization dedicated to removing economic, gender, and racial barriers to youth sports. Jen shares her inspiring journey from volunteer coach to national executive leader, breaking down the operational "special sauce" behind their 12-state expansion. She also reveals how their unique, symbiotic partnership with a for-profit adult sports league offers a brilliant blueprint for sustainable nonprofit funding. Show Notes: Key Takeaways Build a Replicable Operational Formula: Rapidly scaling a national footprint requires a standardized core program structure—what Jen calls a "cookie-cutter" framework—that can be easily deployed anywhere while leaving room for local market adaptation. Leverage Hybrid Corporate Partnerships: Volo Kids sustains its growth through a powerful relationship with Volo Sports, a for-profit adult leagues provider. Guided by the slogan "We play so the kids play free," a portion of adult registration revenue offsets the foundation's core operational costs, allowing donor and grant funds to go directly to youth programming. Move at the Speed of Community Trust: Entering a new city shouldn't involve a prescriptive "we know what's best" mentality. Lasting impact is built by attending local neighborhood meetings, listening to schools, and collaborating with local municipalities to fill genuine gaps. Prioritize Relational Fundraising over Transactional Grants: In a hyper-competitive funding climate where grant dollars are stretched thin, organic word-of-mouth advocacy from volunteers, coaches, and corporate partners remains the most effective tool for unlocking new donor relationships.

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  Episode #170

  From Acquisition to Adoption: How TechSoup and GTIA Are Empowering Nonprofits Through AI

  May 20, 202628 min

  In the social impact sector, being "scrappy" is often badge of honor. Nonprofits routinely stretch every dollar to ensure maximum funding goes directly to their programs. However, when it comes to technology, this efficiency-first mindset can accidentally lead to underinvestment, disjointed tools, and missed opportunities. On a recent episode of the Charity Charge Show , host Grayson Harris sat down with Adam Eads , Director at TechSoup , and Kelly Ricker , Chief Operating Officer at the Global Technology Association for IT Channel Leaders (GTIA) . They discussed a powerful new grant collaboration designed to change the narrative around nonprofit technology. By funding the enrollment of 100 new organizations into the TechSoup Plus platform, GTIA and TechSoup are helping social entrepreneurs bridge the gap between simply having access to software and truly adopting it—with a specific focus on navigating the rapidly changing landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Key Takeaways Acquisition vs. Adoption: Securing a software discount is only step one. True digital transformation requires ongoing education to help staff effectively integrate and use those tools to advance their mission. The 1% Philanthropy Gap: Less than 1% of global philanthropic funding is currently directed toward technology. Foundations must begin viewing operational tech investments as essential infrastructure rather than compliance-heavy "overhead." AI is a Mindset Shift, Not an IT Problem: Successfully implementing AI isn't about transforming nonprofit leaders into computer scientists. It is a change-management exercise focused on small, daily operational wins that free up time for community work. Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Learning: Because every nonprofit operates at a different stage of digital maturity, technology training cannot be one-size-fits-all. It must be modular, bite-sized, and meted out exactly where the organization stands.

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  Episode #169

  Opening 1 Million Doors: Igniting Potential through Mentorship with Heather Wathington

  May 13, 202625 min

  In a world where 70% of jobs are found through someone you know, "social capital" is more than just a buzzword—it’s a gateway to the future. But for many first-generation students in under-resourced communities, those networks are often out of reach. In this episode of the Charity Charge Show , Grayson Harris sits down with Heather Wathington , CEO of iMentor , to discuss their ambitious new campaign: Open Doors, Ignite Possibility . Heather shares how iMentor is working to mobilize a movement of mentors, corporate partners, and communities to open 1 million doors for students by 2035. From the profound impact of social capital to the simple power of a listening ear, this conversation is a masterclass in how relationship-driven support can improve the human condition. Show Notes: Key Takeaways Social Capital is the Great Equalizer: Success isn't just about what you know, but who you know . iMentor focuses on building "social capital" for students, helping them access the networks and professional knowledge required to navigate convoluted career pathways. The "Everyday Mentor" is the Best Mentor: One of the biggest misconceptions is that you need to be a corporate mogul or a community leader to mentor. Heather emphasizes that students simply need an advocate—someone willing to listen, offer patience, and believe in their limitless potential. Long-Term Relationships Yield the Highest ROI: iMentor prioritizes sustained, years-long relationships over transactional interactions. Trust and confidence are built over time, providing a stable foundation for students as they transition from high school to post-secondary life. Mentorship as a Lifelong Practice: The goal isn't just a one-time connection . iMentor aims to instill a culture of mentorship where students learn to seek out mentors at every stage of their career and eventually "pay it forward" to the next generation.

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