No matter the outcome, the November election will be a defining moment for the nonprofit sector especially during the current pandemic, economic uncertainty, and ongoing racial injustice. Policies like the universal charitable deduction, potential for new stimulus packages, the future of the Affordable Care Act or a national COVID response strategy will have meaningful impact for nonprofit fund development and operations. At the state level, outcomes can impact everything from budget and available grant funding to COVID response workplace healthy and safety standards and guidelines on how we serve community. Economically we’re facing unprecedented volatility that will have substantial medium-term implications for foundation, government and corporate spending.

Join us for a special post-election virtual discussion to make sense of the national and local policy and global economic implications of the election results for Southeast Michigan nonprofits.

Part of our quarterly Corporate Social Responsibility Series, where we share local and national best practices for partnerships, hear from corporate philanthropy experts, and exchange ideas and learnings. This quarter’s panel will discuss key insights from cross-sector thought leaders on how we might collectively navigate a post-election social sector.

Panelists include:

Donna Givens Davidson, President and CEO, Eastside Community Network

Donna Givens Davidson has over 30 years’ nonprofit leadership experience in areas of youth and family development, community economic development, community partnerships, and community education. Over the years, she has developed and implemented demonstration programs and worked in partnership with a number of youth serving organizations with the consistent goal of increasing opportunity, building capacity, and fostering growth.

Now serving as President and CEO of Eastside Community Network, Ms. Givens Davidson formerly served as President of the Youth Development Commission, CEO of Visions Education Development Consortium, LLC, Executive Director of Vanguard CDC, Vice President Programs, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit and in leadership positions at several other nonprofit organizations.  She serves as Vice Chair for Pewabic Pottery; board member of New Detroit, Inc., Michigan College Access Network, and Urban Research Centers; member of the Bridge Detroit Magazine Advisory Council and the Charles H. Wright Community Advisory and Action Council; and Steering Committee Member for the Lower Eastside Action Plan, Building the Engine for Community Development in Detroit and the Detroit Resident’s First Fund.  Ms. Givens Davidson co-hosts a weekly podcast, Authentically Detroit with Orlando Bailey.

Laurie Horvath, CPA, Baker Tilly

Laurie Horvath has more than 20 years of public accounting experience, including 12 years with an international firm with five in a national office role. As Baker Tilly’s healthcare and not-for-profit practice leader in Detroit, she specializes in providing auditing, accounting and consulting services to not-for-profit and healthcare, including financial statement audits and single audits under OMB Uniform Guidance.

Horvath serves on numerous audit engagements for not-for-profit and healthcare entities including several large multi-entity engagements, single audit engagements, foundations, senior living organizations and human service agencies. She also works with new and existing organizations to map out effective strategic plans, governance strategies, and operational best practices. She has also served as the Former Chair and Treasurer of Lighthouse of Oakland County and currently serves as a Board Member of Alternatives for Girls.

Maureen Donohue Krauss, President and CEO, Detroit Regional Partnership

Maureen Donohue Krauss serves as the President and CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP), a leading regional economic development nonprofit serving the Detroit 11-county region. Krauss is an accomplished Economic Development Officer with a demonstrated history of leadership in economic development, non-profit and government; in addition to extensive experience in guiding international companies to successful location decisions and growth in the United States.

Prior to her role at the Detroit Regional Partnership, Krauss was elected as the first Chief Economic Development Officer at the Indy Chamber, where she managed Accelerate Indy, a regional economic development plan announced by the Indianapolis Chamber. While working at the Indianapolis Chamber, Krauss was responsible for providing leadership on programs and initiatives encouraging innovation and helping enhance business growth and acceleration. She focused on a nine-county region, with 2.3 million people, and 83 governments and municipalities as well as led the Amazon HQ2 bid for Indianapolis, resulting in the region becoming a finalist in the national competition.

Taylor Nelson, Client Project Manager, Bloomberg Associates

Taylor Nelson serves as Client Project Manager for Bloomberg Associates, the philanthropic consulting arm of Bloomberg Philanthropies. In this role, she advises mayors’ offices on matters concerning internal operations, strategic partnerships, and economic development, helping these entities provide quality and streamlined services to their communities.

Prior to joining Bloomberg Associates, Taylor was the executive programs coordinator for the City of Detroit Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. In this position, she worked to integrate refugees into Detroit and connect immigrant groups to community resources. For her efforts, Taylor was recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as a Twenty in their 20s honoree and by the Michigan Chronicle as a 40 Under 40 honoree.

Before working in government, Taylor spent almost three years in education. As a Teach For America corps member, she taught middle school special education in Decatur, GA. Taylor also taught English as a Second Language in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Taylor holds a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University with a focus on domestic urban policy. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, graduating with distinction with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in French & Francophone Studies. Taylor is fluent in French and is certified by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages as an Advanced/C1 French speaker.

Moderator: Gary Dembs, President, Non-Profit Personnel Network

Gary Dembs has been working in the philanthropic sector for over 35 years.  He founded the Non-Profit Personnel Network (NPPN) after a successful 21 year career in public relations and broadcasting.  He has been a pioneer in combining highly effective organizational development, human resources, fund raising and volunteer management strategies for organizations, companies and institutions nationwide.

Gary is mission-driven, a community activist, and works to empower organizations to take an integrated, cross-sector approach on the staff and board levels to further the missions of the non-profits he consults with.

Gary received his Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University.  In 2008 he was inducted into the WMU School of Communications Outstanding Alumni Academy in recognition of excellence in his professional accomplishments and civic service.  He was also a former radio news and sports reporter in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, MI.

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