About
Chip Huggins Consulting provides innovative solutions and actionable strategies to advance nonprofit excellence and fundraising success. Backed by nearly four decades of executive-level experience in nonprofit leadership and governance, we are passionate about our mission to help nonprofit organizations grow and thrive.
Meet Charles Huggins
Founder & Principal, Chip Huggins Consulting
Charles “Chip” Huggins is an award-winning builder and leader of some of the most respected and fastest-growing nonprofit organizations in Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. His 45 years at the helm of both nonprofit and for-profit organizations have honed his exceptional skills in management, fundraising, and development. This includes experience managing teams of over 700 individuals, overseeing budgets exceeding $300M, managing grant portfolios totaling more than $880M, and leading fundraising campaigns that increased annual revenues by 300% (generating $20M growth).
A passionate advocate for service-oriented missions and philanthropic causes, Charles served as President and CEO of Hope Services (one of the Bay Area’s largest nonprofits serving individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities) from 2018 to 2024. His leadership transformed the organization, driving unprecedented growth and success.
Prior to that, he was the CEO of Caminar (an NPO focused on improving the quality of life for the IDD community and individuals with behavioral health needs), President and Executive Director of Coyote Point Museum (an interactive science and wildlife center), and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank.
For each of these organizations, Charles achieved transformational results, including multiple turnaround successes and significant increases in fundraising, major gifts, endowments, and competitive grant awards—surpassing previous records by up to 10 times.
In addition to his executive leadership, Charles has held multiple board leadership roles over the past 40 years for organizations including the Boys and Girls Club, Easter Seals, Portola Valley School Foundation, Guardsmen, AbilityPath, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation (the 5th largest grant-making community foundation in the nation).
His corporate sector experience spans roles as President and CEO of San Francisco Chocolate Company (a social enterprise owned by the California Autism Foundation), President and CEO of Joseph Schmidt Confections (which was acquired by Hershey’s in a highly successful buyout brokered by Charles), and GM of See’s Candies, where he launched 18 new retail outlets in Japan and spearheaded sales and licensing programs that generated $117M in new revenue streams.
Charles launched Chip Huggins Consulting to share his extensive experience and proven track record in helping organizations navigate complex challenges and achieve sustainable growth. After decades of success in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Charles is committed to helping nonprofits enhance their fundraising, organizational development, and overall impact. Chip Huggins Consulting draws on the lessons learned from his career to offer tailored strategies that empower organizations to thrive, adapt, and scale.
Charles earned a law degree from JFK University, a graduate certificate in business from Stanford University, and a BS in Business Administration from Menlo College. His tireless dedication to community service has been repeatedly recognized through accolades and awards, including the County of San Mateo declaring May 26 as “Chip Huggins Day” in 2016 and distinction as “Volunteer of the Year” for the Bay Area in 2002.
Prior to that, he was the CEO of Caminar (an NPO focused on improving the quality of life for the IDD community and individuals with behavioral health needs), President and Executive Director of Coyote Point Museum (an interactive science and wildlife center), and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank.
For each of these organizations, Charles achieved transformational results, including multiple turnaround successes and significant increases in fundraising, major gifts, endowments, and competitive grant awards—surpassing previous records by up to 10 times.
In addition to his executive leadership, Charles has held multiple board leadership roles over the past 40 years for organizations including the Boys and Girls Club, Easter Seals, Portola Valley School Foundation, Guardsmen, AbilityPath, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation (the 5th largest grant-making community foundation in the nation).
His corporate sector experience spans roles as President and CEO of San Francisco Chocolate Company (a social enterprise owned by the California Autism Foundation), President and CEO of Joseph Schmidt Confections (which was acquired by Hershey’s in a highly successful buyout brokered by Charles), and GM of See’s Candies, where he launched 18 new retail outlets in Japan and spearheaded sales and licensing programs that generated $117M in new revenue streams.
Charles launched Chip Huggins Consulting to share his extensive experience and proven track record in helping organizations navigate complex challenges and achieve sustainable growth. After decades of success in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Charles is committed to helping nonprofits enhance their fundraising, organizational development, and overall impact. Chip Huggins Consulting draws on the lessons learned from his career to offer tailored strategies that empower organizations to thrive, adapt, and scale.
Charles earned a law degree from JFK University, a graduate certificate in business from Stanford University, and a BS in Business Administration from Menlo College. His tireless dedication to community service has been repeatedly recognized through accolades and awards, including the County of San Mateo declaring May 26 as “Chip Huggins Day” in 2016 and distinction as “Volunteer of the Year” for the Bay Area in 2002.