Let’s listen to those experiencing the issues and problems we are trying to solve - and the experts studying them.

Absolutely the best podcast exploring critical topics in philanthropy and the non profit sector.

great interviews and critical insight

I’ve been loving this podcast and how it’s exploring social and racial inequity in the non-profit world. Always a pleasure to listen!

Thank you for not letting us settle, for pushing the conversation, exposing issues. I look forward to each episode.

If you work in the non-profit sector, this pod should be required listening. Terrific insight, interviews, and topics that are incredibly relevant. Love the current batch of episodes re: race that are coming out! Keep up the awesome work Amy and Co.!

5 star reporting, digging into hard topics and uncovering interesting findings. Love this one!

I teach a course in nonprofit administration, specifically how to apply a critical mindset to established business practices in order to center equity. I regularly use this podcast to spur conversation and deep thought with my students. Thank you for this valuable resource!

Reporting with insight & a heart. A valuable combination amongst a lot of sensationalism. Even if you don't agree, it should make you think.

It takes a special person to look at good deeds and good intentions with a critical eye. Amy Costello is that person. I deeply appreciate the topics she analyzes and the tough love she shows to the people and organizations she discusses. I especially love that she comes from a place of truly offering constructive criticism and offering positive examples.

I love this podcast! I learn something new every time and am challenged to reflect more on my own thoughts and understanding. Amy definitely gets my mind working.

This podcast delves into charities and non-profits in a way that is interesting, nuanced, and educational. I really appreciate the program and always look forward to the next episode.

While I think Amy Costello could be a little more skeptical in get questioning sometimes, this is generally an interesting review of topics in development and humanitarian aid. It's a good, pretty light listen for the morning commute.

Tiny Spark is concise and informative in exploring how rich people and non-profits can help make our society more egalitarian.

This is a great podcast for anyone who is interested in philanthropy but is also willing to turn a critical eye towards the field. Be prepared to have your mind opened to ideas you thought you would never entertain and also be prepared to thoroughly disagree with the guest sometimes. This is what makes the podcast great: the ability of Amy to find guests that push us out of thought bubbles into uncharted territory.

However many podcasts are in your "never miss" category, add this one to it. It's that important, it's that good. Who else is talking about charity vs social change and why there is poverty in the Silicon Valley or if you should donate to the Red Cross?

I listen to every episode. Consistently smart, concise and meaningful.

This podcast has great interviews and unbiased reporting. I think more people need to be aware of charities and non-profts and that they might not be doing the amount good they promte, and can run a little wild with donors money. This podcast shines a light on the amount of "good" these companies are actually doing.

Tiny Spark shines a light on an area of our lives we all participate in at some time, in some way. We all hope our contributions, in whatever form, in the field make a difference. Yet few of us take the time to find out if they do and how they can be better. That is where Amy Costello brings her journalistic professionalism in along with her sincere desire to do good in the world, looking into how we all can do better at doing good. Everyone will benefit from listening to this podcast.

I recommend this podcast to anyone and everyone that cares about making the world a better place to live in

As a fan for the last few years, this podcast stands hands-down one of the top in the aid and development space. Strongly recommended!

Informative and insightful. The show shakes long held beliefs on foreign and local aid policies and humanitarian initiatives. Love it!

As a person whose committed to giving, this podcast is AWESOME!

Really got a lot out of the series on giving. Really makes you think about charity...local v global, heart v head. #thoughtprovoking #seriousjournalism

An independent news program about philanthropy, nonprofits, international aid and for-profit social good initiatives. Hosted by former NPR Africa correspondent Amy Costello, Tiny Spark stories have included an investigation into TOMS Shoes and exposed the harm caused by medical volunteers in post-quake Haiti. The program also features in-depth interviews with leading voices from the world of international aid and development.

This podcast is second to none in digging deep into a topic that most people accept at face value..since it is focused on nonprofits and humanitarian aid, it always keeps discussions deep, and even provides multiple sides to every story..plus each episodes short length keeps the discussions meaty and tight, without much fluff in 1-2 hr type podcasts

I think that the mission of Tiny Spark is very important. We need to understand which philanthropic projects work and which do not. And we need to know which ones work best. However, I don’t think that this podcast does either of those things. The episodes are, in my view, poorly researched and do not provide key information. They are often simply anecdotal news reporting of the same sort that mistakenly glorifies philanthropic projects without looking into the details. You’ll rarely get data about the outcomes of the project or about how those outcomes compare to other similar projects. You’ll rarely get a discussion of what makes a project deserving of scarce philanthropic dollars. Without those kinds of information, this podcast doesn’t do what it claims to. There are some good episodes (the one on the Sock-It or the one about how charities are incentivized to hide their failures), but many more that leave you wanting. In my view you’d do better to look around on the internet for news and discussion of philanthropy.

Amy Costello is performing an incredibly valuable public service by casting an intelligent (but skeptical) eye on philanthropy, international development, poverty programs, etc. I never miss it.

A podcast that asks detailed, adult questions about the whole enterprise of aid with people who are doing it or on the receiving end of it.

Years ago, on my way to work I listened to NPR and always looked forward to Amy Costelo's reporting from the nook and crannies of Africa. Probably the best radio journalist I've known. Her current work with Tiny Spark is so essentoial to bringing accountability to the 'doing good' business. I teach a global health class in our med school, and find several of these podcasrs highly relevant to our discussions on global health ethics.

This is smart and refreshing. It’s so nice to know Tiny Spark focuses on creating spaces for conversations like this. Keep going!

I love that Amy with Tiny Spark is bringing things to light that need to be brought to light. I think the heart of people who want to help make the world a better place and help people in needto have better lives is commendable. But I also agree that it's important for there to be more transparency in the efforts and results coming from their actions. And I think what Amy is doing is helping to challenge those NPOs to follow up with all areas of their Organization from beginning to end. And she does in a very gracious way. I'm looking forward to the many stories yet to come and how they will challenge me personally too.

I look forward to this podcast! Intelligent, insightful investigative reporting.

This podcast is waaaaayyyyy ahead of its time—at some point in the near future we’re all going to be talking about all the crazy stuff that happened while the rest of the world looked the other way, assuming that all done in the name of charity is good and laudable. I’m thrilled that Amy Costello is so apt at assembling the best and brightest commentators on these issues, and that she packages them in perfectly digestible moments in these podcasts. Not too little to leave you wanting, not too much to make you feel overwhelmed. Keep up the great work, and I always look forward to new episodes.

The production quality of this podcast is great, and the reporting is fantastic. They ask the right questions, and drill down deep to find answers. I wish that more radio journalism was like Tiny Spark and the team behind it, because that would make the world a better place.

I liked this a lot at first but... I started with the Soccet story and listened to a several others, then became annoyed that there is often no a suggestion or an expert opinion offered as to how to improve or learn from the disastrous failures of charity attempts. Then came the Toms story... All I can say is listen, and substitute the word "Christian" or "Evangelical" with something like say.. "American" or "Music Lovers" and ask yourself: Why does it matter what a person's worldwide network of charitable colleagues or his avenue for distribution matter THAT much? The fact that 1.) the guy was a reality star, 2.) distributes shoes to children that may not actually be in need and 3.) that the business model is often disruptive to local economies is the story, not the fact that he chose to distribute shoes via churches or Christian missionaries.,, and that's what was drove home, time and time and time again... As if the owner has no right to personal belief and freedoms.. Just struck me as weird. Bias?

This is my favorite podcast. There is so much more to uncover that people who donate money tend not to think about. We all have the intention to do good, but what good does your contribution actually do? Listen to find out.

Everybody seems to want non-profit stories to be fairy tales. I've worked in Africa, E. Europe & the US, and have seen the fairy tale but more often I've seen aid programs that are rife with unintended consequences & organizations fostering deliberate unquestioning loyalty to an individual idea. Questioning the premise of an aid organization in a thoughtful and straightforward way leads to great debates and the possibility for new outcomes- I may not always agree with Amy Costello but I love the conversation.

I love this podcast. It manages to be informative about the problems with non profits without being bleak. I feel educated, and empowered by it. I'm eagerly awaiting the next one.

Insightful, intelligent reporting on important topics. Amy is an excellent podcast host who is obviously passionate about investigative journalism. One of my favorites--wish episodes were more frequent.

Also found out about this through How Sound. Terrific--I never write reviews, but I think this deserves some recognition. As a young person interested in pursuing radio, Tiny Spark sets a new standard of investigative reporting. Thanks, keep releasing new stuff.

Discovered this podcast through How Sound. Listening to the episode on Tom's Shoes made me feel a bit squirmy, but in the end I'm grateful to Tiny Spark for enlightening me and forcing me to think deeper about what's beneath the surface of seemingly good organizations.

Phenomenal reporting, unique topics, great stories. Everyone needs to hear these podcasts.