Author Archives: Jessica Harris

TurboVote Challenge

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Type of Activity: Project 
Grantee: Democracy Works
Amount: Up to $60,000 in 2016

What is the TurboVote Challenge?

The TurboVote Challenge is a project of Democracy Works, a 501(c)3 nonpartisan, nonprofit voter technology organization. The TurboVote Challenge brings leading corporations and organizations together in a long-term commitment to increase U.S. voter turnout to 80 percent over the next decade.

Why do we think the TurboVote Challenge is important?

Democracy Fund Voice believes technology and innovation offer new opportunities to increase engagement in our political systems. We also believe individuals, nonprofits, and business can be powerful partners in increasing participation. Through partnerships with major corporations such as Univision, Starbucks, and Spotify, the TurboVote Challenge has the potential to dramatic expand the reach of Democracy Works’ digital registration and reminder tools.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the the TurboVote Challenge?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $60,000 to Democracy Works to provide the TurboVote Challenge with additional media and network support.

Vote.org’s Mobile Outreach Strategies

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Type of Activity: Project 
Grantee: Vote.org
Amount: $75,000 in 2016

What is Vote.org?

Vote.org is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that operates at the intersection of technology and democracy. The organization’s online tools – which allow registration, absentee ballots, and checking a voter’s status – leverage technology to help ensure Americans have the modern, responsive election system they deserve.

Why do we think this project is important?

Research suggests mobile outreach to eligible voters, combined with email outreach, can increase participation in elections. Vote.org’s efforts to expand the impact of their participation tools through additional outreach – and publish the results of their experiments – aligns with Democracy Fund Voice’s belief that strong voter turn out is best for our republic.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Vote.org?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $75,000 to Vote.org to support a civic engagement project that digitally provides registered voters with important logistical and scheduling voter information in the 2016 election.

NALEO Education Fund’s Voter Hotline

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: NALEO Education Fund
Amount: $150,000 in 2016

What is the NALEO Education Fund and its Voter Hotline?

The NALEO Education Fund is the nation’s leading 501(c)3 non-profit organization that facilitates full Latino participation in the American political process, from citizenship to public service. NALEO Education Fund has operated 888-VE-Y-VOTA, the only year-round, live English/Spanish bilingual voter information and protection hotline in the nation, since 2004. The goal of the hotline is to demystify the voting process and help Latinos feel confident about casting a ballot.

Why do we think this project is important?

Democracy Fund Voice believes ensuring Americans from all walks of life can participate in our elections is key to our election system’s integrity. NALEO Education Fund’s nonpartisan outreach and provision of timely information on state election practices and procedures to Spanish speaking voters is one way to maintain confidence in the responsiveness of our political system.

How is  Democracy Fund Voice supporting NALEO Education Fund?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $150,000 to NALEO Education Fund to provide Spanish language resources to voters in the 2016 election.

Tow Center Terrorism and Media White Papers

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
Amount: $150,000 in 2016

What is the Tow Center?

The Tow Center operates as an institute within Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. It is poised to take advantage of a unique combination of factors to foster the development of digital journalism. This grant will explore the relationship between terrorism, policy, and all media.

Why do we think this project is a good idea?

We believe that the emerging dynamics of a media system which fosters real time coverage and responses are largely unexplored and are increasingly influential. This project will generate papers reporting on emerging practices and their relationship to the current elections cycle, and convene media industry decision-makers to discuss the findings. This aims to inform  pre-election discussion regarding reporting trends, and the effects of social media on the racist and/or Islamphobic rhetoric that has become prevalent.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Tow Center?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $150,000 to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York to support the Tow Center within Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Veterans Against Islamaphophia

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Human Rights First
Amount: $200,000 in 2016

What is Human Rights First?

Human Rights First is an independent advocacy and action organization that challenges America to live up to its ideals. This grant will support HRF’s work to organize retired military leaders and other veterans to speak out against Islamophobia and promote the argument that anti-Muslim speech and policies are fundamentally un-American.

Why do we think this project is important?

We believe the United States is an inclusive nation and at its best when it embraces diversity and champions human rights. This project will address the recent rise in Islamophobia, xenophobia, and subsequent divisive rhetoric in the United States. Through its Veterans for American Ideals platform, Human Rights First is uniquely suited to engage retired military leaders and veterans to participate in this discourse and encourage meaningful change.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Human Rights First?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $200,000 to Human Rights First.

Building Civic Resilience to Terrorism Project

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Type of Activity: Planning Grant
Grantee: New America Foundation
Amount: Up to $40,000 in 2016-2017

Type of Activity: Grant
Grantee: New America Foundation
Amount: Up to $115,000 in 2016-2017

What is the Building Civic Resilience to Terrorism Project?

This project will explore strategies to strengthen media responses and civic resiliency in the face of major shocks and disruptions.  More specifically, this project explores how official communications, social media, and news media can either incite or calm reactions to terrorism, and to identify best practices and pitfalls. As these strategies are determined, we hope that the research and knowledge gained will result in improvements to the public sphere, civil liberties, and improve our democracy. This grant is funded through the New America Foundation, a think tank and civic enterprise committed to renewing American politics, prosperity, and purpose in the Digital Age.

Why do we think this project is a good idea?

We believe the unprecedented tension in the current elections cycle and the recurring violent incidents at campaign events could speed the erosion of democratic institutions and intercultural partnership in the United States. In such a climate the occurrence of a terrorist attack would expedite this erosion. This project explores how official communications, social media, and news media can either incite or calm reactions to terrorism, and to identify best practices and pitfalls.

How is Voice supporting the project?

Democracy Fund Voice approved a twos grant to the New America Foundation in the amount of up to $155,000 in 2016-2017.

Faith and Public Dialogue

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Faith in Public Life Action Fund
Amount: $886,500 in 2016

What is Faith in Public Life Action Fund?

Faith in Public Life Action Fund (FPLAF) is a strategy center that seeks to advance faith in the public square by building coalitions and supporting campaigns through which the faith community can influence public debate. They will engage a diverse group of faith leaders from across the political spectrum in a call to elevate the tenor and quality of public debate, and to foster more civil politics.

Why do we think the project is important?

Faith leaders play a unique role in the lives of many Americans. The unique moral standing of faith leaders has the potential to shape the tenor and tone of the public dialogue and how policy and politics are covered by the media while spreading a message of tolerance and respect to political leaders and the public.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting FPLAF?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $886,500 to the Faith in Public Life Action Fund.

Strategies for American Muslim Communities

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Amount: $52,238 in 2016

What is the The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding?

The Institute  for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) conducts objective, solution-seeking research that empowers American Muslims to further community development and fully contribute to democracy and pluralism in the United States. This grant will support ISPU so that it can provide research support to a convening of a diverse group of leaders and experts to develop strategies to combat fear mongering against the American Muslim community.

Why do we think a convening on Anti-Muslim rhetoric is a important?

This project will address the deterioration of civil discourse that is damaging our democracy’s political process. While other groups have joined together to attempt to combat this rhetoric, the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding has unique networks and capacity to help bring together the people who can most effectively address this serious problem.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting ISPU?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $52,238 to The Institute for Social Policy Understanding.

Revive Civility Campaign

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: National Institute for Civil Discourse
Amount: $127,050 in 2016

What is the Revive Civility Campaign?

Revive Civility is a nationwide campaign to demand civility in the 2016 campaign. The campaign encourages and provides tools for Americans and leaders to take solution-oriented actions to restore and call for civility in our public elections.

Why do we think this campaign is important?

We believe that hate speech, fear mongering, and rhetoric that condones political violence are dangerous for our democracy. The National Institute for Civil Discourse is a national champion for more civil discourse and it’s Revive Civility Campaign will call for our political leaders to lift up the tone and tenor of our politics.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the NICD Civility Campaign?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $127,050 to the National Institute for Civic Discourse.

ReThink Media’s Security and Rights Collaborative

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Rethink Media’s Security and Rights Collaborative
Amount: $500,000 in 2016

What is the Security and Rights Collaborative?

ReThink Media’s Security and Rights collaborative builds the communications capacity of nonprofit think tanks, experts, and advocacy groups working toward the protection of human and civil rights. Democracy Fund Voice’s grant supports the Collaborative’s efforts to combat political fear mongering in our public discourse by developing and deploying new messaging strategies for the American Muslim community via collaborations with related experts and advocacy groups.

Why do we think this project is important?

We believe rhetoric that dehumanizes and isolates specific groups of people in our society weakens our democracy. In recent years, political leaders from both parties have exploited public fear in the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris, San Bernardino, and Orlando, in ways that breed prejudice and xenophobia. Through this project, ReThink Media will combat political fear mongering and provide a voice for those who are being targeted by these attacks.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Security and Rights Collaborative?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $500,000 to ReThink Media’s Security and Rights Collaborative’s message research, refinement, and deployment to respond to the escalation of anti-Muslim bigotry.