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 TherapyThis Ain't Prom!
Anyone who deals with nonprofit fundraising has probably been to WAY too many galas and golf tournaments. That's why I invited Alicia Baraga from Ripple Event…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Time Machine
We loved our last episode with Amy Arcand from Willow Consulting so much, we asked her to come back! Problems with nonprofits happen. When nonprofits grow and…
Charity TherapyBitcoin for Nonprofits!
Everyone has that one person in their life who just keeps talking about cryptocurrency, right? But it's not just for the tech and finance people anymore. In…
Charity TherapyMagical Consulting Dust
What's the secret to successful nonprofit fundraising? According to my guest Clay Buck of TCB Fundraising, it's ALL about data and systems. You can't know…
Charity TherapySpace Cadets & Nonprofit Comas
We're entering 2022 and closing in on two full years of our pandemic reality – meaning that nonprofits are still making big decisions about how to keep afloat…
Charity TherapyYou Catch My Drift?
Nonprofit organizations are not static, stagnant organizations. They grow and change over time (and that's usually a good thing!). What happens when you grow a…
Charity TherapyYou've Got Junk Mail!
We're pulling this episode out of our backlist for your holiday weekend listening! Jason Viana, Executive Director of the Open Door, joins us to answer another…
Charity TherapyWarning: Rant Ahead!
All right, folks, we got a little bit snarky on this one… Today Meghan and I are tackling the toxic mentality in the nonprofit sector that we must take a vow…
Charity TherapyShow Your Work!
There are lots of differences between nonprofits and for-profits, and today we're talking about a BIG one – accountability. If you own a small business, most…
Charity TherapyBoard Police: Conflicts Investigation Unit
To a lot of nonprofits folks, being accused of having a conflict of interest seems like the worst thing ever. But is it really? Introducing, the Conflicts…
Charity TherapyWhen You Wish Upon a 1099
If you call a nonprofit staff member a 1099 contractor, does that make them a contractor? (Spoiler alert – not necessarily!) In this episode, I'm joined by…
Charity Therapy"I Have a Nonprofit" Problems
In the nonprofit world, you see "501(c)(3)" all over the place. But what does that really mean (or not mean)? In this episode, Meghan and I talk through some…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Storytelling that Doesn't Stink!
Your nonprofit's mission is only as strong as your ability to share it. So how do you tell your story in a way that inspires people to engage, give, and share…
Charity TherapyThe Grayest Areas of Employment Law
A board member regularly makes flirty comments to the executive director – does this count as sexual harassment? The board decides to let go an independent…
Charity TherapyArtsy Nonprofit or Nonprofit-y Art?
There's a large and thriving part of the nonprofit sector made up of arts organizations – but not every arts org can or should be a nonprofit. So, what's the…
Charity TherapyCovid Q&A: The Nonprofit Re-Opening Guide
As the world slowly (or quickly) re-opens this summer, tons of nonprofits are left wondering what their post-pandemic offices and operations will look like…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Marketing the Joyful Way
Ephraim Gopin of 1832 Communications is a nonprofit marketing whiz, and he joined me in this episode to answer our listeners' burning questions. Should…
Charity TherapyThe Mission Is Your North Star
Lots of nonprofits had to change up their operations during in the past year – but how do you know what changes to make? My guest Maria Huntley, Executive…
Charity TherapyThe Gates Foundation (and Divorce!)
We all saw the news not too long ago that Bill and Melinda Gates are getting a divorce – but what does that mean for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation? In…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Founders Syndrome
This week we're covering the dreaded nonprofit disease – founders syndrome, aka founderitis. Nonprofit expert Reid Zimmerman joins me to answer listener…
Charity TherapyNetwork Your Brains Out!
All nonprofits, no matter their size or mission, need to think about fundraising. Where's all the money going to come from to continue to power your mission?…
Charity TherapyThe Messiest Nonprofits: Voting Member Orgs
Where there are people, there are people problems. And in voting member nonprofits, you've got a lot of people. So in this episode, we tackle listener…
Charity Therapy990 Season!
April showers bring… May tax returns. That doesn't quite have the same ring to it, huh? But it's true – we're coming up on tax season! So while nonprofits rush…
Charity TherapyPutting a Nonprofit in Hyper-Sleep
When you're running a nonprofit, you're tasked with making the RIGHT decisions for the organization – even in the face of unexpected challenges (hello, global…
Charity TherapyRobert's Rules: Your Personal Hell
Lots of nonprofit boards use Robert's Rules to run their board meetings – but should they? Robert's Rules is a parliamentary procedure that's meant to keep…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Dissolution: It's Complicated!
Nonprofit dissolution is a difficult decision, no matter your mission. But once you make that decision, do you really know what it means to dissolve your…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Q&A: Listen to Your Nonprofit Treasurer!
Not everyone who works in nonprofits is an expert in handling nonprofit funds - and that's okay! If you're getting a gut feeling that something just isn't…
Charity TherapyThe Curse of Employee Turnover
Nonprofits are only as good as the people who run them. So what happens if you can't find talented, dedicated people? Or if the awesome people you find keep…
Charity TherapyHow to Be a Savvy Donor
It's the end of a tough year, and nonprofits have been hit hard. Year-end giving is more important than ever. But how do you know who is a good charity to give…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Q&A: The Unpaid "Employees" Edition
Charles McDonald, Executive Director of Community Engagement Partners, joins us for another round of listener questions! If you lose your tax exempt status…
Charity TherapyHow to get the most out of your board meetings
Are your nonprofit board meetings productive as they can be? Or do you walk away feeling like you wasted time and didn't get much done? It doesn't have to be…
Charity TherapyFounder Feature: Nonprofits Don't Grow Overnight
Nonprofit founders are visionaries - they have a clear picture of how they can make a difference in their community. But breaking down that vision to the…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Q&A: Trick or Treat?
Here's a Halloween trick: we're going back in time ONE YEAR to our very first episode of Charity Therapy! Jordan Couch, lawyer from Tacoma and friend of the…
Charity TherapyAll of Us Are Stronger Than Any One of Us
It's easy to find ways that new nonprofit founders can go wrong. But we don't often hear the stories of founders that do things right. I sat down with Heidi…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Q&A: Charity or Robbery?
Lots of people assume that folks who work in nonprofits have good intentions. While that's true most of the time, there are people who want to scam the system…
Charity TherapyHelp, My Boss Tried to Kiss Me!
Join us for an episode with Kelly Rietow, HR Consultant at ROO Solutions, as we discuss people problems that nonprofits can face. What do you do if your boss…
Charity TherapyThe Future of Donor Engagement
How do you keep your donors engaged and invested in your mission? Matt Barnett of Bonjoro sat down with me to talk about the future of donor engagement -…
Charity TherapyQ&A: The Mystery of the Zombie Nonprofit
Jess and Meghan are joined with Jason Viana, Executive Director of the Open Door, in answering another batch of nonprofit questions found on the internet. What…
Charity TherapyFounder Feature: Childhood Dream to a Nonprofit Reality
How often do people's childhood dreams become reality? Considering how few astronauts there are in the world, I'd say it's pretty rare. But Therese Gruba made…
Charity TherapyA Secret Cause of Your Nonprofit Diversity Problem
If you're a nonprofit leader in 2020, you're probably taking another look at the org's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. It might be tempting to just…
Charity TherapyQ&A: The Case of the Copied Nonprofit
Jess and Meghan are joined again by Jim Hall to answer another round of nonprofit questions taken from the hallowed halls of Reddit. Is it illegal to break…
Charity TherapyYour Brain on Uncertainty
If one word encapsulates 2020, I'd have to say it's uncertainty. Between a global pandemic, the reignited fight against police brutality and racism, a looming…
Charity TherapyScammers, Deception... Who Can You Trust?
It's spring 2020, and everyone is feeling a little vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Whether you're a donor or a nonprofit, how can you trust those…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Innovation - Without Losing Your Soul
Nonprofits tend to be pretty risk-averse. I mean, failing could mean losing donor confidence, right? But on the other hand, how can we expect to pursue our…
Charity TherapyShould YOU apply for coronavirus SBA loans?
Missed out on the SBA disaster loans because they ran out of money? They're baaack! Congress funded more disaster relief again. In this episode small business…
Charity TherapyThe New Paid Leave Law All Small Orgs Must Follow
With the coronavirus pandemic, things are changing every single day. It's easy to miss out on some of the updates. So, I called my friend and colleague Chad…
Charity TherapyThe Nonprofit Crisis Survival Guide
As schools are called off for the rest of the year, toilet paper flies off the shelves, and shelter-in-place orders are announced, anxieties are high. Everyone…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Q&A: The Common Sense Edition
Is common sense enough to run a successful nonprofit? Spoiler alert: NO! That being said, a good dose of common sense certainly helps. In this episode, your…
Charity TherapyWhat happens when you disrupt the status quo
It's easy for nonprofits to fall into the habit of doing things just because that's "how they've always been done." But sometimes you have to disrupt the…
Charity TherapyLevel up your org with Charities Review Council
Running a nonprofit is no easy task. Thankfully, there are TONS of resources out there if you just know where to look. I sat down with Kris Kewitsch of the…
Charity TherapyWill a Law Degree Help You Change the World?
What do you do with a starry eyed young person who thinks they can go to law school and change the world? You let them interview you and tell them the long and…
Charity TherapySo you fired your ED - now what?
Guest Amy Arcand of Willow Consulting joins your host Jess Birken to talk about what happens with people stop being polite and start getting real (LOL - you…
Charity TherapyIs Giving Going Away?
Charitable giving is on the decline - big time. Studies now show that only 53% of Americans donate to charity. What does this mean and what do nonprofits need…
Charity TherapyWhen is it time to end a nonprofit?
When is it time to give up and admit that it's just not working. In this episode Jess and the Birken Law team talk about giving up the ghost on a failed…
Charity TherapyNonprofit Fundraising Fake News
It's holiday time - the season for turkey, big retail deals and...charity donations! How do YOU decide who to give to? Does facebook tell you which nonprofits…
- Charity Therapy
002: The Sky is Falling
In this episode of Charity Therapy, we're taking on the tricky world of conflicts of interest in the nonprofit sector. Have you ever wondered if having family…
- Charity Therapy
001: The Kicker-Offer
Welcome, folks! You're tuning into our very first episode of the Charity Therapy podcast. I'm your host, Jess Birken, attorney and the owner at Birken Law…