Stephen Garten

Stephen Garten is the founder of Charity Charge, a platform that offers a free business credit card specifically designed for nonprofits, enabling them to receive cash back on purchases.

Charity Charge collaborates with various organizations, providing services to nonprofits with revenues as large as $100 million, including United Way, Junior League, and YMCA chapters nationwide.

Founded in 2016, Charity Charge was developed to address the issue of unused credit card reward points amounting to $16 billion annually, with a mission to make everyday giving easy and impactful.

Stephen's inspiration for launching Charity Charge stemmed from his desire to create something meaningful beyond himself, in line with his father's advice to 'do the right thing.'

Unlike many companies that merely talk about making a positive impact, Charity Charge stands out by underwriting all cardholder donation processing fees, ensuring that 100% of the earned rewards are allocated to the chosen nonprofits.

Stephen Garten had to forge partnerships with key entities like Mastercard, Commerce Bank, Global Impact, and Guidestar to establish Charity Charge, breaking new ground in the field of socially conscious credit cards.

Stephen's career interests span ideation, branding, and digital marketing, with a focus on consumer financial services, co-branded credit cards, donation processing, philanthropy, branding, and cause marketing.

He sees entrepreneurship as a means to foster prosperity for individuals, companies, and nonprofits, recognizing the invaluable influence of mentors, role models, and organizations in shaping his professional journey.

Educationally, Stephen studied Economics and Business Administration at Washington University in St. Louis, and also attended McDonogh School.

His past roles include CEO & Founder at Charity Charge, Senior Associate at Austin Technology Incubator (University of Texas), and Social Media and Web Manager at Power Across Texas.

Stephen Garten welcomes opportunities to offer assistance and guidance, encouraging those who see a potential collaboration to reach out with specific requests.