Nonprofit Pivot was founded by Laurie Bennett and Chris Lavin, two grizzled journalists with decades of experience in working with community organizations.
The firm was established in response to the massive federal budget cuts that began in 2025. Laurie and Chris believed part of the answer was in leveraging existing networks – an assessment of organization assets, achievements, and relationships, with help from exciting new technologies.
After building a database of foundations, grants, and more than 120,000 board and civic relationships in Upstate New York, we developed applications enabling nonprofit organizations to explore their ties.
Who do you know and who do they know? After examining your board membership and donors lists, We look for the connections to other boards, other people and other possible sources of support.
Laurie Bennett, who grew up in Dansville, NY, is a veteran journalist and grant writer. She was a reporter for the Finger Lakes Times, city editor of the Rochester (NY) Times-Union, a Washington correspondent for Gannett News Service, investigative reporter for the Detroit News, and first new media editor of the Detroit Free Press. Laurie was a co-founder of Muckety, a relationship-mapping site that examined connections among the rich and powerful. She now works with nonprofit organizations in the Finger Lakes and publishes Upstate Giving, a listing of recent grants by Upstate community. She is also data manager for Geneva 2030, an offshoot of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She produces the Geneva 2030 web site, which focuses on data and data visualizations.
Chris Lavin, a Geneva native, is executive director of the Geneva Boys and Girls Club. He formerly was director of communications for the La Jolla Country Day School, in La Jolla, CA. Chris also has a long career in journalism, having worked with the Finger Lakes Times, the Rochester Times-Union, the St. Petersburg Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune before joining the nonprofit world. Chris received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, in 2021. He was elected to Geneva City Council in 2023.
The firm was established in response to the massive federal budget cuts that began in 2025. Laurie and Chris believed part of the answer was in leveraging existing networks – an assessment of organization assets, achievements, and relationships, with help from exciting new technologies.
After building a database of foundations, grants, and more than 120,000 board and civic relationships in Upstate New York, we developed applications enabling nonprofit organizations to explore their ties.
Who do you know and who do they know? After examining your board membership and donors lists, We look for the connections to other boards, other people and other possible sources of support.
Laurie Bennett, who grew up in Dansville, NY, is a veteran journalist and grant writer. She was a reporter for the Finger Lakes Times, city editor of the Rochester (NY) Times-Union, a Washington correspondent for Gannett News Service, investigative reporter for the Detroit News, and first new media editor of the Detroit Free Press. Laurie was a co-founder of Muckety, a relationship-mapping site that examined connections among the rich and powerful. She now works with nonprofit organizations in the Finger Lakes and publishes Upstate Giving, a listing of recent grants by Upstate community. She is also data manager for Geneva 2030, an offshoot of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She produces the Geneva 2030 web site, which focuses on data and data visualizations.Chris Lavin, a Geneva native, is executive director of the Geneva Boys and Girls Club. He formerly was director of communications for the La Jolla Country Day School, in La Jolla, CA. Chris also has a long career in journalism, having worked with the Finger Lakes Times, the Rochester Times-Union, the St. Petersburg Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune before joining the nonprofit world. Chris received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, in 2021. He was elected to Geneva City Council in 2023.
OUR LOGO
The Nonprofit Pivot logo, minus the orbiting orbs, is a reproduction of Albrecht Dürer’s “Sixth Knot,” created circa 1506.
At first glimpse, the work appears to be a weaving of strings. But it’s actually made of sturdier stuff. “Sixth Knot” is a woodcut.
It serves as a metaphor for our belief in longlasting networks.
(Right-click on the image and open in a new tab to see the knots in all their glory.)