We’ve heard from foundations across the country and have identified the most pressing concerns and curiosities that funders are facing. To address those concerns, the Philanthropy for Voter Engagement Initiative invites you to participate in our virtual five-part Funder Briefing Series as we tackle conversations centering voter engagement in this current era. With intentionally curated panels featuring our philanthropic peers, we will explore how funders can navigate legal harassment, remain adaptive and mission-focused, engage with the media, and integrate census and voter engagement efforts to build stronger civic communities. Collectively, we can learn from one another, remain innovative, and build stronger democracies.
Democracy relies on effective media systems. As the media ecosystem evolves, local journalism and nontraditional media (social media, influencers, etc), are playing an increasing role in how people get the information that informs the issues they care about and their propensity to vote. This session will feature models across the country for how philanthropy can invest in or partner with media systems to ensure their communities are informed as they prepare to vote
Featuring our guests:
Maxwell Zorick
Civic (Re)solve
Maxwell Zorick is the Program Lead of the Elevate Dialogue portfolio at a 10-year fund focused on building America’s civic life and civic capacity. They support projects that help Americans participate in democracy through trusted and relevant information. He has also been a part of the social impact initiatives at Paramount & MTV Entertainment Group and General Assembly.
Allison Taylor Levine
Spotlight Delaware
Allison Taylor Levine, MPA, is passionate about democracy, journalism and community. After starting her career as a reporter at several newspapers, including The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal, she has spent the past 20 years in various communications and community leadership roles, including 12 years as vice president for marketing and communications at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF). At the DCF, Allison also led several major initiatives, including the $5.5 million statewide pandemic-response charitable fund and grantmaking programs. In January 2024, Allison launched Spotlight Delaware, a collaborative, community-powered, nonprofit newsroom covering the impact of public policy on communities throughout the First State.
Raymond Paultre
American Experiments, LLC – Project 68
Born and raised in Queens, NY and a Redlands, Florida resident for the past 16 years – Raymond Paultre is the founder of American Experiments, LLC (AE), and its siblings orgs Project 68 (P68) and the American Experiment Project (AEP), and he is President of the Florida donor table. He also serves on the boards of Committee on States (COS), Watering Hole Media, ProgressNow, and is a trustee at the Park Foundation.
Misty Avila
The James B. McClatchy Foundation
Misty is the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of the James B. McClatchy Foundation. With family roots and over 15 years of supporting nonprofits in the region, she cares deeply about the people and communities in the Central Valley of California. She currently holds nonprofit board positions for Aspiration, Journalism Funding Partners, and the California School Age Consortium (CalSAC).
This is the second session of our five-part Funder Briefing Series. We encourage you to look out for all sessions:
Defending Democracy: Investing in Voter Engagement Amidst New Legal Threats – October 30, 2025- Media, Democracy, and Voter Engagement (Power of Storytelling) – November 19, 2025
- How Voter Engagement Organizations Are Adapting their Approaches in a Challenging Era – December 3, 2025
- Democracy in Action: Lessons from Communities
- The Intersection of Census and Voter Engagement
Join us on November 19, 2025 for Session 2, Media, Democracy, and Voter Engagement
In Partnership with
With special thanks to Democracy Notes
