In this episode, we unpack how Save the Children built—and ultimately walked away from—a 100+ year fundraising machine, and why one of the most emotionally powerful ideas in development quietly broke at scale. We dig into how child sponsorship really worked, where the money actually went, and why donors stayed anyway. Along the way, we explore a bigger question: what happens when a billion-dollar nonprofit relies too heavily on a single funder—and that funding disappears overnight? From hidden fragilities in nonprofit business models to the rise of impact investing as a potential “second engine,” this episode takes a clear-eyed look at how money moves in the sector—and what it will take to make it more resilient going forward.
Apr 22 202646 mins