Shows / Charity Therapy
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…
Episodes
Charity Therapy176: A Little Bit Martyry | What a Nonprofit Executive Committee Should Actually Do
Your executive committee is doing all the work and making all the calls. The rest of the board just shows up and rubber stamps it. Sound familiar? This setup…
Charity Therapy175: Oopsies, I Take It Back | Can You Revive a Dissolved Nonprofit?
A nonprofit went quiet. Everyone got busy, the work stopped, and somewhere along the way it got "dissolved." Now you're ready to bring it back. Is that even…
Charity Therapy174: Click, Click, You're Done | Public Charity vs. Private Foundation
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…
Charity Therapy173: Let It Go! | What Happens to the Money When a Nonprofit Closes?
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…
Charity Therapy172: Nonprofit PTSD | Nonprofit Board Basics, Explained by a Teenager
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…
Charity Therapy171: You Don't Need Some Guy on a Yacht | Ditching the Fundraising Myths with Patrick Kirby
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…
Charity Therapy170: Shots Fired! | Can a Nonprofit Fire Its Own Board?
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!…
Charity Therapy169: Different Flavors, Same Ice Cream | How Can a Nonprofit Organization Offer Retirement Benefits? with Christopher Tipper
Your nonprofit is doing well, but you're worried you'll lose good employees if you don't offer retirement benefits. You've heard of a 401(k), but is that the…
Charity Therapy168: Oh, You Dreamers | Can a Flat Organizational Structure Work for a Nonprofit? with Dr. Pablo Otaola
A nonprofit was built to run like a co-op. Everyone's equal. There's no HR. Is that your dream, or a nightmare that feel suspiciously like high school? I'm…
Charity Therapy167: A Lawsuit Magnet | Do Nonprofits Really Need Directors and Officers Insurance? With Cody Wiswasser
You're sitting on a nonprofit board. You haven't done anything wrong. Could someone really sue you personally over it? The unfortunate answer is YES, and the…
Charity Therapy166: This Could Have Been An Email | What Is Nonprofit Strategic Planning? with R. Perry Monastero
Your nonprofit hosted its first ever strategic planning retreat… and it was a complete disaster. So, what do you do now?? I'm joined by R. Perry Monastero…
Charity Therapy165: The Past Tense of Sync | How to Get a New IRS Determination Letter
So you've submitted your IRS application and you're anxiously awaiting the letter in the mail with their response. But what if it just… never comes?? Meghan…
Charity Therapy164: Ermahgerd! | How to Evaluate Executive Director Performance with Debbie Rabishaw
So a nonprofit hires an Executive Director, skips all the onboarding, sets no goals, and now… wants to fire them. Yikes! I'm joined by Debbie Rabishaw, founder…
Charity Therapy163: A Runway of Snacks | Can a Religious Nonprofit Apply for Status with the IRS 1023-EZ Short Form?
So you're a charity grounded in religious values. Does that make you a church in the eyes of the IRS? Meghan and I dig into a listener question that had me…
Charity Therapy162: No, Not the Tomatoes! | Are Nonprofit Startup Costs Tax-Deductible Donations for the Founder?
You scraped together your own money to start a brand-new nonprofit. You're out the money, but can you at least take a tax deduction? Meghan and I are back with…
Charity Therapy161: A Rinky-Dink Outfit | Why Recording In-Kind Donations Matters For Your Nonprofit
Your nonprofit is doing real work, but do your financials show it? In this episode, Meghan and I tackle a listener question from a small nonprofit that's…
Charity Therapy160: Indiana vs Minnesota Throwdown | Can Business Interruption Insurance Help Nonprofits Who Closed During ICE Raids? With Cody Wiswasser
Your nonprofit closed its doors because of ICE enforcement or federal funding cuts. Is there an insurance policy that could actually help? Maybe, but the…
Charity Therapy159: Reporter on the Street | Can You Use Retirement Funds to "Invest" In A Nonprofit? With Jeff Beck
Do you know someone eyeing their retirement accounts to fund their nonprofit dreams? We need to talk! In this episode, I'm joined by Jeff Beck, a wealth…
Charity Therapy158: Is Your Ringer On? | How Nonprofits Can Find and Hire a Good Lawyer
Finding a lawyer should not feel harder than solving the legal problem itself. And yet, here we are. In this episode, Meghan and I talk about something that…
Charity Therapy157: Old Woman Shakes Fist at Sky | How Classy May Be Hurting Your Donor Relationships
Nonprofit newsflash - your donation platform might be quietly annoying your biggest donors 😬 In this episode, Meghan and I dig into some nonprofit LinkedIn…
Charity Therapy156: Captain Depressio Reporting for Duty | Can Nonprofits Give Tax-Free Money to People?
Nonprofits are tax-exempt, so lots of people assume that nonprofits don't have to worry about taxes ever. Right???? Well, not quite 😐 In this episode, Meghan…
Charity Therapy155: Baby Don't Hurt Me | What To Do When a Donor Gift Harms More Than Helps
You're getting donations for a nonprofit – and that's great! But sometimes generosity comes with strings you never expected. In this episode, Meghan and I dig…
Charity Therapy154: It's Gravy, Baby! | What is a Nonprofit Audit? with Hannah Hugen
Think an audit is something to fear for your nonprofit? I get it! But what if it's actually a powerful tool for growth? In this episode, I sit down with…
Charity Therapy153: It's a Triple Whammy | How to Fix the Culture of Overwork at Your Nonprofit with Rachel Platt
If your team is exhausted, overwhelmed, and constantly working nights and weekends, you might be dealing with more than a scheduling issue. You might be…
Charity Therapy152: That's Called Tax Fraud! | When an Entrepreneur has a "Really Good" Nonprofit Idea
You've got a great business idea, people want to donate to help, and you're thinking… "What if I just start a nonprofit?" Hold up — let's talk about it. In…
Charity Therapy151: Give Mark Your Crap! | When a PEO is a Good Fit for Your HR Needs with Mark Bromberg
Nonprofit HR can be messy — but it doesn't have to be. Let's talk about when it's time to call in reinforcements (and what "reinforcements" actually look…
Charity Therapy150: All Press is Good Press? | GoFundMe Creates 1.4M Nonprofit Donation Pages Without Consent with Ephraim Gopin
What happens when a for-profit giant "helps" nonprofits without asking first? Spoiler: chaos, confusion, and a lot of angry fundraisers. In this episode, I sat…
Charity Therapy149: Um, Actually... | How Many Times Should a Nonprofit Board of Directors Meet?
If your board hasn't met in ten months, that's not just awkward — it's a big problem. In this episode, Meghan and I dive into a basic (but often overlooked)…
Charity Therapy148: Type A Personalities Unite! | When Nonprofits Should (Or Shouldn't!) Use PEOs for Their HR with Jess Holst
Think a PEO will solve all your nonprofit's HR headaches? Not so fast — the fine print might surprise you. In this episode, I'm joined by HR consultant Jess…
Charity Therapy147: Keep Doing You, Boo | Are Nonprofit DEI Initiatives Illegal? With Guest Megan Fuciarelli
Worried your nonprofit's DEI programs might be illegal now? You're not alone — and I can bet you won't be able to find the right answer on social media. In…
Charity Therapy146: Groaning & Moaning | Why Record Retention & Data Management Systems Matter for Nonprofits
Think your nonprofit's old emails and files are harmless? Think again. What you keep — and what you don't — could save or sink your organization. It's Jess…
Charity Therapy145: Astronauts vs. Scuba Divers | Can You Convert a Failing Business Into a Nonprofit?
If your business is struggling, can you save it by turning it into a nonprofit? Short answer: probably not. It's Jess Birken here, and I'm back with my co-host…
Charity Therapy144: Pretending It's 1995 | Breaking Down the IRS Changes for 501(c)(3) Status for Churches
Have you heard? The IRS just gave churches the green light to endorse political candidates. It's Jess Birken here, and I'm back with my co-host Meghan to dig…
Charity Therapy143: Anonymized Juicy Gossip | What Happens If You Don't Do the Nonprofit Filings?
What would you do if you inherited a nonprofit… with 20 years of missing paperwork? It's Jess Birken here, and I'm back with my co-host Meghan to dig into one…
Charity Therapy142: Someone Get Me a Flux Capacitor! | What Happens When Your Nonprofit IRS Status is Revoked
Your nonprofit's 501(c)(3) status just got revoked – now what? Don't panic! Your organization still exists, but here's what you need to know. It's Jess Birken…
Charity Therapy141: Justice for the 8 Cents! | How to Communicate Nonprofit "Overhead" Expenses
Nonprofits - how do YOU communicate about the dreaded "overhead" expenses? You know that pie chart everyone uses to show how much money goes directly to…
Charity Therapy140: Serenity Now | Can the President Seize a Nonprofit's Assets?
On this episode of Charity Therapy, we're answering the big question on a LOT of nonprofit leaders' minds - what can the president really do to a nonprofit?…
Charity Therapy139: Counting On Our Fingers | Understanding The Long Wait Times for IRS Tax Exemption Applications
Welcome to another episode of Charity Therapy, where we tackle the chaos we're all experiencing at the IRS. In this episode, we're diving into the bewildering…
Charity Therapy138: Trump Vs. Harvard | Can the President Revoke a Nonprofit's Tax-Exempt Status?
In this episode of Charity Therapy, we're tackling a big question from the headlines - can the President choose whether you get tax exemption? While President…
Charity Therapy137: This Is Not Mad Men | Advice for Executive Directors Managing Their Board with David Rhode
Welcome to this episode of Charity Therapy! I'm Jess Birken, and today we're diving into the wild world of nonprofit leadership. I've got David Rhode, a…
Charity Therapy136: Please Sir, Can I Have Some More? | How to Thrive in Nonprofit Fundraising in 2025
Welcome to another episode of Charity Therapy, this time with the incredible Patrick Kirby! Together, we're taking the fear out of fundraising. Patrick is here…
Charity Therapy135: One Big Nugget | What Nonprofits Need to Know About DEI & Trump's Executive Order
It's Jess Birken here, and I'm thrilled to have you join me and Meghan for this episode of Charity Therapy. We're diving into the world of DEI (that's…
Charity Therapy134: Witchcraft Ceremonies & Monster Truck Shows | Dissolving a Nonprofit with an SBA Disaster Loan
On today's episode of Charity Therapy, Meghan and I are diving into nonprofit closures, especially when those COVID-19 EIDL loans are involved. If you've ever…
Charity Therapy133: We're All Pre-Fired | Hiring an Interim Executive Director with Roger Meyer
In this episode of Charity Therapy, let's talk nonprofit leadership transitions! I'm your host, Jess Birken, and I've teamed up with Roger Meyer from Mighty…
Charity Therapy132: Bigger and Better | Can the Trump Administration Target Nonprofits?
In this episode of Charity Therapy, Meghan and I are answering the big question - can the Trump administration target nonprofits?. We're getting real about the…
Charity Therapy131: Everything Turned Out Fine? | Major Funding Changes with the Trump Administration
Hey there, it's Jess, and I'm so glad you're tuning in to this episode of Charity Therapy. We're diving into the choppy waters of nonprofit funding, especially…
Charity Therapy130: Pleasantries & Pontificating | Great Nonprofit Board Meetings with Maria Huntley
Hey there, it's Jess Birken, your go-to nonprofit law buddy, here to save you from those endless board meetings that make you want to pull your hair out! In…
Charity Therapy129: Varying Degrees of F'd Up | Giving Up Your IRS Nonprofit Status
On today's episode of Charity Therapy, we're diving right in with a big question - what REALLY makes a nonprofit a nonprofit? (Spoiler alert - it's more than…
Charity Therapy128: Don't Let Rich People Boss You Around | Do Grants Make the Nonprofit Worth It?
In this episode of Charity Therapy, we're answering the big question - what even the nonprofit industrial complex? We're pulling back the curtain on those…
Charity Therapy127: Waiting for the Cat | Nonprofit Audits & Financial Transparency with Peter Farstad
Today, we're diving deep into the world of nonprofit financial audits with my amazing guest, Peter Farstad. Peter is a pro when it comes to nonprofit finance…
Charity Therapy126: Unicorns and Rainbows and Care Bears | Giving Tuesday with Ephraim Gopin
Hey there, nonprofit enthusiasts! In this episode of Charity Therapy, Jess is joined by her good friend and nonprofit fundraising guru, Ephraim Gopin, to chat…
Charity Therapy125: True Crime Mukbangs | Understanding Scammy Nonprofits
In this episode of Charity Therapy, Meghan and I are diving into the wild world where nonprofits and for-profit businesses collide. Ever wondered what happens…
Charity Therapy124: Oxford Comma Drama | The Role of a Nonprofit Board of Directors
On this episode of Charity Therapy, Meghan and I are diving headfirst into the tricky world of nonprofit boards. You're not alone if you've ever wondered why…
Charity Therapy123: Take Off Those Donor Goggles | What to Do When Your IRS 1023 Application is Pending
In this episode of Charity Therapy, my co-host Meghan and I are answering one of the top questions we get - what happens while an org's nonprofit tax exempt…
Charity Therapy122: Legal Mumbo Jumbo | How to Open a Bank Account for a Nonprofit Chapter
Have you ever tried to open a bank account for your 501(c)(3) and felt like you were navigating a never-ending maze? Well, you're not alone! In this episode of…
Charity Therapy121: You're not a (Dill Pickle) Lemonade Stand | Founders' Rights in Nonprofit Organizations
In this episode of Charity Therapy, Meghan and I are taking you on a wild ride from the wacky world of the Minnesota State Fair to the serious yet often…
Charity Therapy120: Reanimating the Zombie | How to Restart a Dissolved Nonprofit Organization
Today, Meghan and I are diving deep into the early years of running a nonprofit – that tricky "danger zone" between one to three years where everything feels…
Charity Therapy119: How Do You Say Shower?! | Understanding DBAs and Assumed Names for Nonprofits
On this episode of Charity Therapy, Meghan and I cover the most important topic - the REAL differences between a Minnesotan and a Wisconsin accent! But don't…
Charity Therapy118: Playing Fairy Godmother | Choosing a Successor Organization in a Nonprofit Dissolution
Welcome to another episode of Charity Therapy! This time, Meghan and I dive into the emotional and often tricky process of nonprofit dissolution. It's a…
Charity Therapy117: Free Therapy for Wallabies | Political Activity for c3 Nonprofits & the Heritage Foundation
Ever wondered what nonprofits can and can't do when it comes to politics? On today's episode of Charity Therapy, Meghan and I are diving into the tricky world…