The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast

Most people think they know Girl Scouts because of one thing: cookies.

In Episode 143 of the Charity Charge Show, Stephen Garten sits down in person with Paula Bookidis, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central Texas, to talk about what the public rarely sees. Yes, the cookie program is a powerhouse. But the real story is how Girl Scouts builds courage, confidence, and character through a leadership experience that blends entrepreneurship, STEM, outdoors, and life skills
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Girl Scouts of Central Texas serves more than 12,000 members across 46 counties, runs with about 75 full-time staff, and relies on roughly 10,000 adult volunteers. It is a serious operation, and it runs on a model many nonprofits talk about but few actually execute: sustainable earned revenue tied directly to mission outcomes.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

In this episode of our Nonprofit Spotlight series, Grayson Harris sits down with Rebecca Tallman, Executive Director of Veterans Community Project St. Louis, to discuss how the organization is tackling veteran homelessness by filling the gaps left by traditional systems.

Founded by combat veterans, Veterans Community Project provides transitional housing through tiny home villages and delivers wraparound services without restricting who qualifies for help. Rebecca shares how the model works, why saying no to certain funding is sometimes necessary, and how long term, generational impact starts with stable housing.

This is a grounded conversation about dignity, collaboration, and doing the work the right way.

What We Cover

• How Veterans Community Project was founded by veterans who saw system failures firsthand
• Why many veterans do not qualify for traditional VA services and how VCP fills that gap
• The tiny home village model and why transitional housing works
• What makes the St. Louis project unique, including its outreach center
• How veterans move from crisis to permanent housing
• Why VCP limits certain government funding to protect its mission
• The importance of collaboration across nonprofits and agencies
• Measuring success through long term and generational outcomes
• How individuals, funders, and communities can get involved

Key Takeaways

• Veteran homelessness is not limited to those living on the street. Couch surfing and unstable housing count too.
• Eligibility rules exclude many veterans from existing services. VCP serves all veterans, regardless of discharge status or length of service.
• Fully furnished tiny homes remove one of the biggest barriers to permanent housing.
• Case management is personalized. There is no one size fits all approach.
• Funding should support the mission, not dictate it.
• Stable housing creates ripple effects that impact families for generations.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

In this conversation, Grayson Harris interviews Jonathan Van Horn, the Executive Director of Pro Soccer for Athletes in Action. They discuss the organization's mission to support athletes through mental health resources, the importance of volunteerism, and the challenges athletes face in maintaining their identity beyond sports. Jonathan shares insights from his 20 years of experience, emphasizing the significance of building relationships and learning from failures. They also look ahead to the upcoming World Cup in 2026 and the initiative 'Victory Beyond the Cup' aimed at mobilizing communities.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

Stephen Garten sits down with Dan Chu, Executive Director of the Sierra Club Foundation, to unpack how one of America’s most established environmental institutions operates and funds its mission. Dan explains the Sierra Club’s roots going back to 1892, why the Sierra Club Foundation was created in 1960, and how the Sierra Club’s (c)(4) and Foundation’s (c)(3) roles work together.

They cover the Sierra Club’s focus on three “existential crises”: biodiversity loss and extinction, climate instability, and the growing disconnect between people and nature. Dan shares how outings and community-based outdoor programming build long-term public support for conservation, why public lands can be common ground across politics, and how the organization thinks about large-scale systems change through policy and impact investing.

The conversation closes with practical leadership insights on building high-functioning boards, setting clear goals, and sustaining personal resilience in hard seasons.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

Stephen Garten sits down with Cyndi Court to mark the TGR Foundation’s 30th anniversary and unpack how the foundation evolved from golf clinics into a scaled education model centered on “Learning Labs.” Cyndi explains how TGR built a repeatable program framework, standardized curriculum, and modern measurement systems before expanding to new cities. The conversation also covers durable skills, partnerships that actually work, earned revenue through events, and what makes a strong nonprofit board.

Key topics covered

• The origin story of TGR Foundation (1996) and Tiger Woods’ family values of “sharing and caring”
• The post 9/11 shift toward education and deep community investment
• What a “Learning Lab” is, and why it is not a school or a drop-in center
• Program pillars: STEAM, health and well-being, career and college readiness
• Why TGR added the “A” in STEAM, creativity and curiosity in the AI era
• Scaling responsibly: standardization, tech infrastructure, and measurement before expansion
• How TGR measures outcomes, including durable (soft) skills
• Partnerships: how to say no, avoid mission creep, and use guiding principles
• Earned revenue and sustainability through TGR Live events
• Leadership lessons and building an engaged board that understands nonprofit economics
• How listeners can volunteer and support the Learning Labs

TGR Foundation timeline and growth

• 1996: Foundation launched as Tiger turns pro
• Early years: Golf clinics and introducing golf to youth from under-resourced communities
• Post 9/11: Tiger refocuses foundation on education and invests deeply in his hometown community
• Anaheim Learning Lab: First flagship model, 35,000 sq ft, operating for 20 years
• Philadelphia Learning Lab: Opened April 1, 30,000 sq ft on Cobbs Creek campus
• Planned expansion:
  • Los Angeles: Early 2027 (Lulu’s Place campus)
  • Atlanta: Later 2027 (with proximity to Atlanta Technical College)
  • Augusta: Early 2028 (in partnership with Augusta National)

What makes the Learning Lab model different

• Structured programming, not a hangout
• Free access for kids and families
• Multiple delivery formats:
  • School field trips (plus teacher professional development)
  • After school programming (critical hours for youth safety)
  • Summer camps (preventing summer learning loss)

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

Vu Le, founder of Nonprofit AF, joins Stephen Garten to talk about a problem many nonprofit leaders quietly live with: we are trained to tell funders half-truths because we fear losing funding. Vu breaks down how risk-averse philanthropy, obsession with overhead, and competitive grantmaking push nonprofits into scarcity and performance instead of honesty and impact.

The conversation makes the case for better communication, collective organizing, and specific reforms like multi-year, general operating support and funder pledges. It also tackles boards, donor dynamics, and why the sector needs bigger imagination and bigger asks.

What you will learn

• Why nonprofits often feel forced to “sound fine” to funders even when things are not fine
• How risk aversion and overhead fixation distort how nonprofits operate
• Why collective action, open letters, and naming bad behavior can move funders
• The case for multi-year funding and general operating support
• Why nonprofit boards are frequently ineffective and how governance could be reimagined
• How wealth and power dynamics shape fundraising, especially for orgs led by marginalized communities

Key takeaways

• Nonprofits often tell funders half-truths because the power imbalance is real.
• Many funders are risk-averse and unintentionally punish honesty.
• Better communication is necessary, but collective organizing is stronger than going it alone.
• Multi-year funding and general operating support are the practical fixes that matter most.
• “Crappy funding practices” waste nonprofit time and should be called out.
• Boards can be effective, useless, or mission-destructive. Too many fall into the last two categories.
• The sector needs bigger imagination and bigger asks, not tiny grants with giant expectations.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

In this episode of the Charity Charge show, host Stephen Garten interviews Melissa Lagowski, founder and CEO of Big Buzz Idea Group. They discuss Melissa's journey from being an executive director of a nonprofit to starting her own company that supports nonprofits. The conversation covers the challenges faced by nonprofit leaders, the importance of self-care, and the need for collaboration over competition. Melissa shares tactical advice for nonprofit leaders, the role of technology and AI in fundraising, and the significance of strategic planning as the year comes to a close.

Takeaways

• Melissa Lagowski founded Big Buzz Idea Group to support nonprofits.
• Nonprofit leaders often wear many hats and face burnout.
• Self-care is crucial for nonprofit leaders to avoid burnout.
• Collaboration among nonprofits can lead to greater impact.
• Nonprofits should run like businesses to be successful.
• AI can assist in fundraising and donor personalization.
• Asking questions is key to building relationships.
• Nonprofits need to identify their top supporters for effective fundraising.
• Strategic planning is essential for nonprofit growth.
• Consultants should be chosen carefully to avoid pitfalls.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

In this episode of the Nonprofit Spotlight Series, Grayson Harris interviews Andrea Croom, the Executive Director of InAlliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Andrea discusses the organization's mission, the misconceptions surrounding disability services, and the importance of community engagement.

She shares insights into the challenges faced by nonprofits, particularly in staffing and funding, and highlights the strategies InAlliance employs to empower individuals towards independence.

The conversation also touches on Andrea's personal journey within the organization and the significance of aligning mission and values in decision-making.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Stephen Garten speaks with Marnie Webb, CEO of TechSoup, about one of the most influential infrastructure organizations in the nonprofit world. TechSoup has supported more than 1.4 million nonprofits, charities, and libraries across 234 countries and territories. It has delivered nearly 22 billion dollars in technology and financial resources to help mission driven organizations operate with confidence in an increasingly digital world.

Most nonprofits do not have the budget, staff, or technical expertise to keep up with the rapid pace of technology. Yet they are expected to operate with the same level of digital strength that well funded companies enjoy. Marnie explains how TechSoup steps into this reality and why nonprofit technology support is far more than software discounts. It is about stability, trust, community strength, and clear pathways for organizations to adopt technology that actually fits their mission.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

In this episode of the Nonprofit Spotlight Series, we interview Renee Brown, CEO of DePaul Community Resources. We discuss the organization's mission to provide support for foster care, adoption, and individuals with disabilities. Renee shares insights on the challenges faced by nonprofits, the importance of community collaboration, and her leadership principles.

The conversation emphasizes the need for trust with donors, the significance of self-care, and the value of recognizing and nurturing talent within the organization. Renee also highlights the successes of DePaul and encourages listeners to get involved in their local communities.

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About Charity Charge

Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.