True Charity

What True Charity does

True Charity operates a national coalition network of more than 265 churches and nonprofits that adopt dignity-centered, developmental approaches to poverty alleviation rather than crisis-only relief. The organization is structured as a program and trademark family of Watered Gardens, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Joplin, Missouri, and is led by co-founder and CEO James Whitford alongside a team of three VPs and approximately 17 staff.

The product surface is built around a learning-and-community framework. Core assets include Model Action Plans (MAPs) — packaged step-by-step implementation guides covering program models such as Mentoring, Benevolence, Case Management, Transitional Housing, Childcare Solutions, and others — and a set of Operational Toolkits spanning coalition building, fundraising, mental illness and trauma, outcomes, program refinement, and volunteer engagement. True Charity University provides free online courses on the Seven Marks of Effective Charity, complemented by the Ennoble podcast, a Curriculum Review Database, and the Path to Effective Charity Quiz for self-assessment. The annual True Charity Summit rotates geographically and grew from a local southwest Missouri training event into a national gathering drawing 200+ attendees from 27-31 states with 27-30 breakout sessions.

The business model combines annual network membership subscriptions with event revenue (Summit ticket sales), individual donations and monthly partnership programs (Friend of True Charity, Liberty & Charity Club), and a resource partner ecosystem of more than 3 dozen organizations that deliver discounted services to members. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: existing members refer peers, the Summit serves as the principal acquisition and engagement moment, and content marketing through podcasts, blog, webinars, and social channels drives top-of-funnel awareness. Geographic reach is national across the United States, with concentrated communities in the Midwest and Southeast and registered trademarks (True Charity, Life Deck, Neighbor Connect) held by Watered Gardens, Inc. supporting the broader platform.

Name

True Charity

Legal name

Watered Gardens, Inc.

Website

https://truecharity.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

True Charity is a national nonprofit coalition of 265+ churches and nonprofits that provides Model Action Plans, operational toolkits, online courses, and an annual Summit to help members implement dignity-centered, effective poverty alleviation programs across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Capacity Building Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Nonprofit capacity building
• Charity effectiveness training
• Poverty alleviation resources
• Faith based consulting
• Community coalition network

Headquarters

HQ city

Joplin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Network Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for access to the True Charity Network portal, toolkits, MAPs, webinars, discounted summit tickets, and resource partner discounts. The membership provides practical resources for nonprofits and churches to operate charitable programs with excellence.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from the annual True Charity Summit including ticket sales. Members receive discounted tickets while non-members pay standard rates.
3. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations through the website, monthly partnership programs (Friend of True Charity), and the Liberty & Charity Club.
4. Resource Partner Relationships: Over 3 dozen resource partners provide discounts to network members, creating a mutual benefit relationship. Partners include Alliance Defending Freedom, The Chalmers Center, Protect My Ministry, and Napa Legal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

True Charity provides a national coalition membership network for churches and nonprofits, giving members access to Model Action Plans (MAPs), Operational Toolkits, True Charity University courses, and resource partner discounts, all designed to help organizations move from relief-based charity to dignity-centered, developmental poverty alleviation. Supporting offerings include the annual True Charity Summit, free introductory courses, and a curated curriculum review database for member use.

Product overview

True Charity is a nonprofit organization operating as a network-based platform offering multiple interconnected products and services. The core offering is the True Charity Network Membership, which provides access to Model Action Plans (MAPs), Operational Toolkits, True Charity University courses, the Curriculum Review Database, and Resource Partner discounts. Supporting products include the Ennoble Podcast, the annual True Charity Summit, and the Path to Effective Charity Quiz. The platform is designed to help churches and nonprofits move from crisis relief to dignity-centered, developmental approaches to poverty alleviation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• True Charity University: Online learning platform offering free courses on effective charity principles, including the Seven Marks of Effective Charity courses.
• Ennoble
• Model Action Plans (MAPs)
• Life Deck
• Neighbor Connect

Products and services

• True Charity Network Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 attendees from 27 states at annual Summit
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• The Chalmers CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource partner providing curriculum and expertise on poverty alleviation. Co-author Brian Fikkert (When Helping Hurts) served as keynote speaker at True Charity Summit 2025 and 2026. The Chalmers Center provides Justin Lonas for True Charity Intensives at Summit.
• Alliance Defending FreedomsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerResource partner offering discounts to True Charity Network members. ADF provides legal resources relevant to faith-based nonprofits.
• Protect My MinistrysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerResource partner providing background check and safety training resources. Contributed guest article on children's safety at ministries.
• Napa LegalsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerResource partner providing legal resources for nonprofits including charitable solicitation registration guidance and multi-state compliance matrix. Offers discounts to True Charity members.
• Better TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization led by CEO Megan Rose who served as keynote speaker at True Charity Summit 2025. Focuses on better jobs and community development programs.
• The Timothy GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting partner led by Jules Glanzer who served as keynote speaker at True Charity Summit 2025. Provides leadership and organizational consulting.
• Acton InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichael Matheson Miller, Senior Research Fellow and Chief of Strategic Initiatives, served as keynote speaker at 2026 Summit. Focuses on human agency in flourishing communities. Premiered Poverty Trap documentary at 2026 Summit.
• Foundation for Government AccountabilitysupportingOthersCEO Tarren Bragdon has provided commentary and endorsement of True Charity. Organization focuses on policy solutions for poverty.
• 7-Figure FundraisingsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLed by Trevor Bragdon, conducted 7-Figure Fundraising intensive session at 2026 True Charity Summit.
• Watered GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal organization where True Charity principles were developed over 20+ years. Watered Gardens is a 501(c)(3) rescue mission in Joplin, MO. Co-founder James Whitford serves as CEO of both organizations.
• Watered Gardens, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization and copyright holder (2017-2026). True Charity, Life Deck, and Neighbor Connect are trademarks of Watered Gardens, Inc.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Independent Sector: Independent Sector is a national membership organization of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs that advocates for the charitable sector and provides research and resources. It parallels True Charity's role in advancing nonprofit effectiveness and convening practitioners, though at a much broader scope.
• BoardSource: BoardSource provides training, certification, and resources to strengthen nonprofit governance and leadership. Like True Charity, it operates as a capacity-building organization serving the nonprofit sector through curated educational content and a national network.
• National Council of Nonprofits: The National Council of Nonprofits is a large network of nonprofit organizations providing capacity-building, advocacy, and educational resources. It serves a similar capacity-building function as True Charity but at a much broader, secular scale across all nonprofit subsectors.
• Candid (Foundation Center + GuideStar): Candid provides data, tools, and training to help nonprofits operate more effectively and transparently. It serves a similar capacity-building function as True Charity, though focused more on transparency, fundraising intelligence, and operational data.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Habitat for Humanity is a large faith-based nonprofit addressing poverty through housing solutions. Like True Charity, it grew from faith-rooted principles, partners with churches, and emphasizes empowerment over simple aid, though it operates a vastly larger global program delivery model.
• Salvation Army: The Salvation Army is a large faith-based humanitarian organization providing poverty relief, shelter, and rehabilitation services. While it delivers direct services at massive scale rather than operating as a network/coaching organization, it shares True Charity's faith-based humanitarian identity and poverty-alleviation mission.

Emerging players

• TechSoup: TechSoup provides technology products, services, and training to nonprofits through a global network. While its focus is technology enablement rather than charity effectiveness frameworks, it serves a comparable function of equipping nonprofits to operate more effectively.

Direct peers

• Christian Community Development Association (CCDA): CCDA is a membership association of Christian practitioners committed to community development and poverty alleviation. It provides training, networking, and resources to faith-based community developers—directly paralleling True Charity's Learn-Connect-Influence framework.
• Love INC (Love in the Name of Christ): Love INC operates a national network mobilizing churches to help people in need through coordinated volunteer and resource networks. Like True Charity, it focuses on equipping local churches to deliver more effective, holistic poverty alleviation rather than simple handouts.
• The Chalmers Center: Chalmers Center is the most direct peer—it provides faith-based curriculum and resources on poverty alleviation, including the 'When Helping Hurts' framework, and is itself a strategic resource partner of True Charity. Both organizations target churches and nonprofits with content, training, and tools for dignity-centered charity programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fortruecharity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fortruecharity
• Facebookfacebook.com/fortruecharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fortruecharity
• Instagraminstagram.com/fortruecharity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about True Charity