SAY San Diego: A CEO’s Playbook for Diversifying Revenue and Protecting Community Programs
The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast · 2026-02-16 · 37 min
Episode notes
In this episode, we sit down with Louie Nguyen, CEO of Say San Diego , to discuss what it really means to run a nonprofit like a business while staying deeply committed to mission. Louie shares his journey from institutional investor and impact investing leader to nonprofit CEO, and how that financial discipline is now shaping SAY San Diego’s strategy. The conversation covers revenue diversification, reserve policy design, social enterprise models, mental health innovation, and what responsible risk-taking looks like in the nonprofit sector. If you are a nonprofit executive, board member, or impact investor thinking about long term sustainability, this episode is worth your time. About SAY San Diego Founded in 1971, SAY San Diego has grown from one employee to more than 500 staff members serving approximately 45,000 San Diegans each year.