Charity Therapy – Details, episodes & analysis

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 like).

I sat down with Mark Bromberg, a Business Performance Advisor at Insperity and one of my favorite people to send clients to when HR headaches start taking over. We dug into what PEOs (Professional Employer Organizations) really do — and when they make sense for nonprofits.

Real Listener Question: "Our professional association has seven employees. We're losing our CEO soon, and our board wants to consider alternatives. When does it make sense to have a PEO instead of a CEO or in-house HR support?"

This is one of those big-picture nonprofit management questions that hits close to home for a lot of leaders. In this episode, Mark and I unpack what a PEO actually is (spoiler: not just payroll!), what a true co-employment model looks like, and why choosing the right PEO is more than a price comparison — it's a relationship.

We also talk about how post-pandemic remote work complicates HR, why private equity moving into the PEO space should give nonprofits pause, and what "due diligence" really means before signing a PEO contract.

What You'll Learn:

• What a PEO is — and what it isn't
• When outsourcing HR actually helps your nonprofit
• How remote teams across multiple states complicate compliance
• Why private equity's growing interest in PEOs matters
• What to ask before choosing a PEO (hint: "Who owns you?" is fair game)
• Why HR pros and PEOs can actually be a dream team
• How to make sure your PEO relationship is an ethical, cultural fit

Bottom line: Nonprofits don't exist to manage payroll, benefits, or compliance — you exist to change the world. The right PEO can help you do that, but only if you choose wisely and partner with someone who truly understands your mission.

Resources from this Episode

• Learn about Insperity: https://www.insperity.com/
• Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markbromberg/
• Previous Episode: GoFundMe Creates 1.4M Nonprofit Donation Pages Without Consent with Ephraim Gopin https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct150/
• Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CT151_Transcript.pdf

Connect with Us

• Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/

Listen & Engage

• Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music
• Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts: Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review"
• Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story  

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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 down with my good friend and fundraising pro, Ephraim Gopin of 1832 Communications, to unpack the wild story of GoFundMe auto-creating donation pages for 1.4 million nonprofits — without their consent.

Real Listener Question: "What do we do if our nonprofit suddenly has a GoFundMe page we didn't create? Is that even legal?"

When news broke that GoFundMe scraped IRS data to create "official" donation pages for nonprofits, my inbox blew up. In this episode, Ephraim and I dig into what this means for your organization — from donor confusion to legal implications — and why this so-called "help" might do more harm than good.

We cover everything from the basics of what a good donation page should look like, to why this move could affect your nonprofit's SEO, compliance status, and even your donor relationships.

What You'll Learn:

• What a solid, conversion-ready donation page really needs
• Why GoFundMe's "auto-created" nonprofit pages are a huge problem
• How this affects your branding, donor data, and trust
• Why accepting those donations could mess with your state fundraising compliance
• Whether you should claim your page, delete it, or ignore it entirely
• How big platforms exploit "helping nonprofits" to make a profit
• And what to do right now if your org was affected

Bottom line: Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's ethical. Nonprofits deserve respect — not to be treated like SEO bait. Whether you're claiming or deleting your GoFundMe page, make sure the donations that come in are on your terms.

Resources from this Episode

• Read GoFundMe's statement about the nonprofit pages here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gofundme-pro_at-gofundme-our-mission-has-always-been-activity-7387176830908407808-3AXY?
• Connect with Ephraim Gopin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ephraimgopin/
• Listen to our episode with Ephraim about Giving Tuesday: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct126/
• Previous Episode: How Many Times Should a Nonprofit Board of Directors Meet? https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct149/
• Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CT150_Transcript.pdf

Connect with Us

• Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/

Listen & Engage

• Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music
• Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts: Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review"
• Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story  

Stay Connected

• Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/  
• Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

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 programs? Yeah, I want to toss it out the window. We'll talk about why those "eight cents" on the dollar that cover essential administrative expenses are not wasted but actually crucial for keeping your nonprofit running smoothly.

In this episode, we're tackling a nonprofit pro's question about updating an employee handbook. Should you hire a pro bono lawyer who DOESN'T do employment law or invest in an HR expert? Spoiler alert: Your uncle Larry, the PI lawyer, might not be the best fit here. It's all about making smart investments in your nonprofit's operations and HR to avoid headaches down the line. Trust me, you'll thank yourself later when you don't end up in a legal pickle.

So, grab your headphones and join us for a lively chat about transforming how nonprofits communicate their spending to donors. We promise some laughs, a few rants, and a whole lot of practical advice. And remember, it's okay to spend money on things that keep your nonprofit running well! Let's rethink the way we tell our financial stories and embrace the true costs of running an amazing organization.

• Why you need to delete that outdated nonprofit overhead pie chart

• Whether pro bono is the right way to go with your employment law needs

• Some of our recommendations for tools to keep up with all the changing HR rules

• The real relationship between the back-office and your direct mission programming

• How you can REALLY communicate success to your donors

• What your fiduciary duties really have to do with all our worries about "overhead"

Propel Article - A Graphic Re-Visioning of Nonprofit Overhead: https://propelnonprofits.org/blog/a-graphic-re-visioning-of-nonprofit-overhead/

The Five Whys: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_whys

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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 little past the original vision for the nonprofit organization? How do make sure you stay compliant and do things right, even when you're doing something radically different or new? And when can change become a bad thing? Tune in to hear Meghan and I talk about exempt purposes, mission drift, governance updates, and more!

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Related: [PODCAST] Nonprofit Mission Mission Statement: The Mission Is Your North Star

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 batch of nonprofit questions! What rules do you need to follow if you're starting a food shelf? How can executive directors manage their mental health while running a nonprofit? What do you get by being a registered agent of an organization? (Hint – a whole lotta junk mail). Listen in to learn more!

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Related: Starting a Nonprofit Organization: Asking the Right Questions

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 of poverty to do this work.

We're talking about executive compensation, pro bono services, and when it makes sense to invest real money in the mission.

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Related: Can a Founder of a Nonprofit Make a Salary?

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 people don't care how much money your CEO makes or how many customers you had last year. But in the nonprofit sector, there's a lot more information we need to share publicly. Tune in to this episode to hear me and Meghan tackling your questions about transparency, from what should be on your website to how to respond to donor questions. Don't miss out!

• Check out the Charities Review Council Accountability Standards
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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 Investigation Unit!! Meghan and I sit down to answer your nonprofit conflict of interest questions: What is a conflict? How do you manage the conflicts that do come up? And what happens when you don't even try to manage a huge and obvious conflict? Tune in to find out!

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• Check out the MN Attorney General guidance on 1099 vs W2 and the IRS test form to determine if your nonprofit staff are contractors or employees.
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Related: I Just Started a Nonprofit. What About Insurance?

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 questions all about IRS tax exemption. Can one organization have multiple tax exempt statuses? What happens if you lose your status? Tune in to find out!

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