Major Ethan Frizzell, The Salvation Army, Sarasota–Video (.32)
Jennifer Silva, Morean Arts Center, – Video (:22)
Major Bob Parker, Salvation Army – Video (:53)
“Working with Karen helps me to stay focused on our priorities. Beginning an annual giving society was high on my to-do list. Karen quickly helped me hone in on our options and get the program underway. We’ve quickly closed multi-year commitments.”
Stacey Y. Reynolds-Carruth
Director of Community Relations & Resource Development
Early Learning Coalition of Orange County
“Thanks for being so thoughtful and helpful with the Foundation. You brought a lot to the table and taught us something new and different each time we were together. We are so happy to have your wisdom!”
Chris Purnell
Project Manager
The Circuelle Foundation
“Karen provided invaluable help as I began working with nonprofits. She helped me as a business leader understand their uniqueness, benefits, and characteristics.”
Gary Patterson
President
FiscalDoctor, Inc.
“When we first met Karen, we had already planned to donate a portion of the proceeds from our Growth Igniters Series℠ of live events to a nonprofit. Karen helped us to expand our thinking. After listening to our goals, she identified nonprofits that exemplified innovation and helped us vet the list. We’re now exploring a relationship that we would never have found without her.”
Pamela S. Harper
Founding Partner & CEO
D. Scott Harper, Ph.D.
Sr. Partner
Business Advancement Inc.
“We have worked with Karen for over eight years. I personally have worked with her for the last two and a half years. We are truly grateful for Karen’s input and assistance. Karen has been a great partner.”
Maribeth Phillips
CEO
Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee and the Foodbank of Manatee
“I have an incredible amount of good, actionable ideas here from our meetings. I can’t thank you enough for your ideas and guidance.”
Mark Lee
Co-Founder
Denise Amber Lee Foundation
“Karen, you are a deliberate, innovative and insightful thought leader, which is so apparent in identifying issues and your approach to resolutions of those issues.I truly welcomed and appreciated your counsel and guidance in developing a model to improve the effectiveness of our board.”
John Hawthorne
Executive Director
Highlands County Habitat for Humanity
“Thank you for sharing your insight. You are a very valuable voice to us!”
Christine Smith
Director of Community Relations and Resource and Program Development
The Salvation Army of Manatee County
“I meet with Karen Eber Davis to explore funding options for a not-for-profit program: Alaqua Refuge’s Unconditional Love Program. It rescues unwanted dogs and partners them with medium security inmates, who train them to be therapy, service, and family pets. While the program is a huge success, explaining it to people, getting the word out, and pinpointing funding are big challenges. Karen was quick to grasp my needs and was articulate about pinpointing funding avenues. She took what seemed like a vast unknown and broke it into easily understandable categories, articulating pros and cons of strategies. As I thought about all the information she shared, it very rapidly became clear that there was an obvious and logical place to start. I’m excited about following these ideas and very glad that I can count on Karen’s guidance.”
Adele Leas
Alaqua Refuge
Unconditional Love Program
“Karen has an uncanny ability to convene nonprofit stakeholders–board members, donors, staff leadership, clients–and help them discover the common thread that galvanizes a fresh commitment to a mission they can all share. With a deep understanding and respect for each person’s point of view, she brings clarity to sticky situations and breaks through barriers that seem to be insurmountable.”
Laura Breeze
Advancement Director
The Education Foundation of Sarasota County
“We have made amazing progress.”
Leslie Glass
Founder- Co-Chair
Reach Out Recovery
“Karen facilitated our CEO Forum and did a fabulous job engaging the participants in an enthusiastic and substantive conversation. She asked insightful questions that made everyone think. One of the CEOs said to me with feeling “This was SO great!” Karen elicited a feeling of collegiality from the group that had been missing on other occasions. I hope Karen joins us again to work her magic.”
Grace Armstrong
Chief Executive Officer
Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay
“Karen Eber Davis continues with her column “Your Profitable Nonprofit,” where she writes about increasing income, decreasing costs, or just making organizations better. In her latest installment, Go to the Dogs with Style, she considers the strategy behind, of all things, dog training classes as an instructive example of an earned-income opportunity. She helps us to understand better how to use our best skills to earn money and grow the nonprofit’s brand. Something different.”
Stephen Nill, J.D., GPC
Charity Channel
“As always, you are a great help and a definite treasure.”
Colleen Cuervo
Executive Director
Bright Beginnings
“Our staff was really positive about the Staff Day you helped to organize and lead. Since it, they have been providing names of potential donors, organizing more presentations, and feel empowered to take an active role in helping to close our budget shortfall.”
John E. Dubrule, Esq.
Interim Executive Director
Gulf Coast Legal Services
“Could not have done it without your guidance and help. Thank you for helping us stay on track.”
Emily Lane
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
“Karen knows more ways for nonprofits to make money than anyone in the world.”
Alan Weiss
President
Summit Consulting Group
“You are most reliable and responsive… More specifically your ability to strategize and your insightfulness have been invaluable…”
David E. Potter
Executive Director
Family Partnership Center
“She offers the best grant seeking, writing and strategy training available as well as the most cost effective. I have literally used some of her resource lists until they were ragged.”
Nancy Shoemaker
Catholic Charities
“She possesses an excellent character, exhibiting compassion, persistence, intelligence and graciousness. She gives people permission to dream.”
John Syster
First Congregational Church
“The Office of Housing and Community Development would like to express sincere appreciation to Karen Eber Davis for establishing the Down Payment Assistance Program that has helped 1,800 families realize their dream of home ownership.”
The Office of Housing and Community Development
City of Sarasota, Sarasota County Government
“Karen lives her values. She is always looking for the optimum outcome for all concerned. I can’t think of anybody I feel I can so strongly recommend as the finest sort of human being.”
Rebecca McMurry Garcia
Bhakti Life
“Karen is one of those rare people that listens to others well, and can problem-solve and respond with just what is needed.”
Irene Flynn
Florida-Bahamas Synod
“Whether the task is research-based, conceptual or rote, her attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, positive attitude, and personal integrity ensure that it will be done well.”
Elaine Wright
Florida Planning Group, Inc.
“Thank you for helping us secure the National Endowments for the Arts John Renna Arts Scholarship for $250,000 and all your hard work, patience, persistence and good humor during the process.”
Joan Kermeny Paru
Director of Major Gifts
Ringling College of Art and Design
“I have always found her to be highly competent in the various tasks she undertakes. She provided us with excellent service.”
Mary Helen Kress
Suncoast Workforce Board
“Your excellent facilitation directed us to a clear path to a successful team effort.”
Drew Clearie
St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church
“Thank you for all you did to make this happen. You did an excellent job.”
Sister Gilchrist Cottrill
Dreams are Free Venice, FL
“Thank you again for meeting with us. Your insights are stepping stones as we go forward with the planning process.”
Christine A. Brown
Programs and Event Director
Education Foundation of Sarasota County, Inc.
“…comments such as a lot of useful information and a new way to approach budgets definitely reveal that participants took away some great budgeting tips and strategies. Thank you again for sharing your time and expertise with Manatee County Nonprofits.”
Nicole Martin
NRC Program Associate for Training and Education
The Community Foundation of Sarasota
“You always do such a fantastic job of keeping the participants engaged.”
The Nonprofit Resource Center Staff
The Community Foundation of Sarasota
“Karen helped develop and implement a very successful grant plan which was essential for a newly founded organization.”
Mary Lee Richey
Executive Director
Animal Rescue Coalition
“Karen and I worked on grants together. Her attention to customer needs and understanding of their business objectives is a strength that enables her to develop new opportunities for organizations. Karen led us through thoughtful conversations and was extremely helpful from start to finish. She is very well organized, detail oriented, hard-working and reliable. Karen always demonstrated a high level of business acumen. I definitely recommend Karen to any organization looking to increase their grant opportunities and revenue. She would be an asset to any organization. Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, Creative.”
Joe Mercado
Director of Community Support and Services (former)
Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee
“We have found Ms. Davis to be highly competent in various tasks such as presenting workshops for participants to examine opportunities to increase programs, prioritize options and how to approach growth for programs.”
Wendy Resnick
Executive Director
United Cerebral Palsy
“It was excellent! I could tell you spent a lot of time on it… and it showed. I thought we ended up in a great spot…”
Ev Walk
Rector
St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church
“She sets high ethical standards for herself and encourages family, friends, and colleagues to do so as well. I consider her to be a tremendous asset to any organization…”
Valerie Hartmeyer Dalton
Burgdorff Realtors
“…our most heartfelt thanks for the wisdom, knowledge, and enthusiasm that you have contributed to the right sizing group over the last year.”
Michelle Greanias
Executive Director
Grants Management Network
“. . .we are indeed pleased with our investment.”
Jay Lockaby
Executive Director
The Wellness Community
“Thanks- as always you have excellent ideas and wise advice.”
David Dehnart
Business Administrator
The Salvation Army
“Karen does a great job finding out what an organization really needs, and then helping them go out and get it! Not only is she good at what she does, but she also makes her clients feel good about their missions, too. I highly recommend her for your next retreat, project or re-organization. ”
John Van Zandt
Island Real Estate
“I enjoyed the way you presented the material in an easily approachable and fun manner. The participants appreciated the tips as well as the time management tools. The “speed dating” was very beneficial for the participants. Great idea!”
Pamela Greenleaf
Program Manager
Nonprofit Leadership Center