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.
What is 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.