Part of the Johnson Center’s 30th Anniversary Summer Learning Series
This is the third and final program in a three-part series celebrating our 30th anniversary!
From 1995 to 2020, the number of 501(c)(3) public charities in the U.S. climbed from about 500,000 to nearly 1.3 million — an increase of 150%. Including private foundations and other 501(c) nonprofits increases that number to 1.8 million tax-exempt organizations across the country!
Community leaders and networks looking to make a difference have long turned to the independent-entity nonprofit model as the default organizational structure for change work. But as the field of philanthropy expands to recognize and incorporate more ways of giving and of working, some voices in the field are beginning to question whether we need individual nonprofits at all.
Can we reimagine systems, volunteerism, technology, office culture, and even power to redefine the nonprofit sector, increase well-being, and advance the public good?
Join us for a conversation with innovative sector leaders to look into the future and explore forms of community engagement and philanthropy that don’t need their own tax status to thrive.
Moderator: Lesley Slavitt, Johnson Center for Philanthropy Price: Free Format: Virtual
Who should attend?
This event is free and open to the public! The program is designed for anyone interested in the changing field of philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. Please note this workshop will be recorded and shared with registrants and on the Johnson Center website after the live session.
Questions about this event or about your registration?
Call 616-331-7585 or email jcp@gvsu.edu.
Dana Brakman Reiser, J.D., holds a chair as Centennial Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, where she also served as Vice Dean. She teaches courses in Corporations, Nonprofit Law, Social Enterprise, Property, and Trusts and Estates. A globally recognized expert in the law at the intersection of business and charity, her work on the law of social enterprises — firms that pursue profits for owners and social good — defined the field. She has also written extensively on law and finance for philanthropic organizations and on sustainable investing. She is a member of the American Law Institute and was an Associate Reporter for its project on the Principles of the Law of Nonprofit Organizations. Learn more about Professor Brakman Reiser.
Heidi Hernandez Gatty is Vice President of Client Services and Arts & Education at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA). She leads RPA’s Arts & Education portfolio and provides strategic guidance to the evolving suite of technology and services that support RPA’s fiscally sponsored projects and funds. Heidi has been a leading expert in fiscal sponsorship for nearly 20 years and came to the practice by way of the arts. She was a professional stage manager and continues to support visionary leaders through creative problem-solving and developing appropriate infrastructure to support long-term impact. Learn more about Heidi.
Emily Rasmussen, M.B.A., is the founder and CEO of Grapevine, a platform that helps everyday philanthropists get expert advice on nonprofits that match their passion. With more than 10 years of microfinance, nonprofit, and social enterprise leadership experience, Emily leverages technology to democratize and diversify philanthropy through collective giving. She is a board member of the Harvard Business School Women’s Association, a member of the LISC Emerging Leaders Council, the AfterArts group, NOVA Impact, and a founding member of UNTITLED, an arts and business innovation initiative. Learn more about Emily.
Lesley D. Slavitt, Ph.D., is the executive director of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University. Through vision and collaboration, she leads the center’s work to bridge research and practice in philanthropy, catalyzing meaningful community impact and systems change. A seasoned philanthropic leader, Lesley has worked in partnership with community stakeholders throughout her career. Having devised and guided initiatives addressing economic empowerment, arts and culture, pre-K–16 educational success, and disaster relief and recovery, she has an integrative understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. Learn more about Dr. Slavitt.
