Image Description: Dessa sits in her wheelchair in front of a colorful mural on a brick wall. She has long blonde hair and light skin, and is smiling. She is wearing dangling earrings, a black T-shirt and her hands are clasped in her lap. Photo by Shin-Yi Wang.
“Working with Tova was wonderful because ___________. I was able to ___________. My team learned ___________. I would be delighted to contract with Tova again, but we may not need to because she helped develop our internal capacity so we are stronger than ever!
Although Tova isn’t currently on a contract with DDP, she has continued to be on the lookout for opportunities and tools that will help us achieve our mission. That’s typical of her—she is always motivated by connecting people and organizations to build power in our movements.”
—Dessa Cosma, Executive Director of Detroit Disability Power
Specific Examples of Past Results
For Detroit Disability Power:
Tova managed get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaigns in 2022 and 2020, focused on mobilizing the disability community and other groups with traditionally low turnout.
- Campaigns included door-to-door canvassing in 2022, phone, text and direct mail in both elections.
- Team size ranged from 5-11 paid staff (diverse by age, race, gender and disability) plus dozens of volunteers.
- Hundreds of thousands of voters reached by P2P texting, thousands through more intensive personal contact.
Image Description: Two Black disabled people raise their fists at a Black Disabled Lives Matter protest in Detroit. One has her walker and guide dog, the other sits in his wheelchair. Behind them, other protestors holding signs wear masks and “Black Lives Matter” shirts. Photo by Dessa Cosma.
Also for Detroit Disability Power:
Tova served as primary author and project manager for The A to Z of Effective, Inclusive Campaigns: Win Elections by Getting Out the Disability Vote (2022), an online manual and 300-page print guide for electoral activists.
“This guide is a phenomenal resource. I encourage every candidate who seeks to mobilize a diverse and intersectional coalition of voters to incorporate these principles and tips into the infrastructure of their campaign. We all have notes to take and lessons to learn here.”
—Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
Image Description: The front cover of The A to Z of Effective, Inclusive Campaigns. The guide’s title is in large white print on a dark purple background. A photo shows a Detroit march demanding all votes in the 2020 election be counted. Participants are walking and using wheelchairs. The guide’s authors are listed in purple print on white. Guide’s cover photo by Teddy Dorsette III.“Working with Tova was wonderful because ___________. I was able to ___________. My team learned ___________. I would be delighted to contract with Tova again, but we may not need to because she helped develop our internal capacity so we are stronger than ever!
Even since our official client-consultant relationship has ended, she has continued to be on the lookout for opportunities and tools that will help us achieve our mission.”
—Mark Braverman, Executive Director of Kairos-USA
and author of A Wall in Jerusalem: Hope, Healing
and the Struggle for Justice in Israel and Palestine
Image Description: Mark, a white man, is seen in profile, looking left and smiling. He is sitting with his hands raised in a “steeple” position in front of him. He has short gray hair, glasses and is wearing a white dress shirt. Photo by _____ _______.
Image Description: Two people are dancing on stage at Caz Family Camp. They are casually dressed, arms raised, and grinning. Photo by Scott Stanford.
Tova took a leadership role at “Caz” in January 2021, when the camp faced major challenges. It was unclear if it would be safe or financially feasible to hold camp in summer 2021. Meanwhile, a new law meant setting up more burdensome payroll systems for staff. And the owner of the Caz site thought long-delayed construction might start during summer 2021, which could throw a wrench (literally!) into camp programming.
Thanks to camper and staff families’ loyalty and love of camp, a lot of hard work and careful, creative planning, camp in 2021 went off without a hitch (and not a single Covid case). In 2022, a new location and additional week was added, bringing new families and new art forms. And donations in 2022, spurred by Tova’s systematized fundraising and personal donor contacts, increased by over 100% from pre-pandemic levels.
Having stepped down as director, Tova remains a dedicated camper and continues to advise on camp finances as Caz Family Camp pivots for the post-pandemic era.
Image Description: A toddler leans on the side railing of a low wooden bridge, looking intently at the grass below. Trees fill the background. Photo by Cinthya Silverstein.
Image Description: Barbara is ______ ______ ______ _______ ________. Photo by ____________ _______.
Testimonial from Barbara Barefield
“Working with Tova was wonderful because ___________. I was able to ___________. My team learned ___________. I would be delighted to contract with Tova again, but we may not need to because she helped develop our internal capacity so we are stronger than ever!
Even since our official client-consultant relationship has ended, she has continued to be on the lookout for opportunities and tools that will help us achieve our mission.”
For Mondoweiss.net nonprofit news site:
In 2014, the independent media outlet Mondoweiss was an online project run by a few dedicated editors working with freelance reporters. When Israel invaded Gaza that summer, the website’s traffic soared. Mondoweiss’s increased audience meant new demands. The team was ready to deliver more, and thousands of people valued the work. Tova came on board to create channels and processes so Mondoweiss could consistently collect funds from those who wanted to invest in fair, thoughtful reporting and analysis.
Over the next five years, Tova took on not only raising funds, but building community among supporters, and setting up structures for institutional stability and growth. Existing and new team members transitioned from contractor status to regular employment with health insurance. Ad hoc budgeting gave way to fully planned and tracked finances, and donor retention rates reached 62% (U.S. nonprofits’ average is 40-45%). Mondoweiss dramatically increased its budget, donor numbers, and volume of news content.
