Author Archives: Meredith Bird

Staff Wellness and Capacity Grants — Governance

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantees: Pay Our Interns Action Fund and Vote Mama Action Fund
Amount: $10,000 per grantee in 2022

In 2022 Democracy Fund Voice approved grants to support wellness and capacity among staff at two of our grantee organizations within our Governance program. These grants were made in recognition of the increased demands on time and other resources among staff at these organizations during a year with a mid-term election and ongoing pandemic.

These grants were separate from other grants intended to provide project support or general operating support. More information about the work of these grantees can be found by visiting the grant descriptions for Pay Our Interns Action Fund and Vote Mama Action Fund.

Staff Wellness and Capacity Grants — Elections

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantees: Arizona Democracy Resource Center Action, Florida Rising, and Living United for Change in Arizona
Amount: $10,000 per grantee in 2022

In 2022 Democracy Fund Voice approved grants to support wellness and capacity among staff at three of our grantee organizations within our Elections and Voting program. These grants were made in recognition of the increased demands on time and other resources among staff at these organizations during a year with a mid-term election and ongoing pandemic.

These grants were separate from other grants intended to provide project support or general operating support. More information about the work of these grantees can be found by visiting the grant descriptions for Arizona Democracy Resource Center Action, Florida Rising, and Living United for Change in Arizona.

Demand Progress Action

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Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: Demand Progress Action
Amount: $250,000 in 2022

What is Demand Progress Action?

Founded in 2010, Demand Progress Action works to secure progressive policy changes for everyday people. Demand Progress Action brings together large and diverse coalitions that transcend political lines and embrace shared values — and leverage that backing to work effectively in Washington, serving as an advocate for the public in key decisions.

Why do we think this organization is important? 

Demand Progress Action advocates for reforms that improve congressional capacity to legislate and conduct oversight. Working in partnership with a broad and diverse coalition of allies, Demand Progress Action has been very successful in improving the congressional workplace, enabling technological innovation, and democratizing rules and procedures in the House and Senate.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Demand Progress Action? 

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved an 18-month grant of $250,000 to Demand Progress Action.

Demand Progress Action was formerly named Demand Progress and was originally fiscally sponsored by the Sixteen Thirty Fund.

Media and Democracy Program

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Common Cause
Amount: $375,000 in 2023 over three years

What is Common Cause? 

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. They work to create an open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.

Why do we think this project is important?

Common Cause’s Media and Democracy Program is committed to working to ensure that our communications ecosystem achieves its potential as a key engine of democracy. Common Cause’s theory of change is to reform our media and democracy from a consolidated landscape to a more open, accessible, and diverse ecosystem. To do this, they amplify core media issues through public education, stakeholder engagement on policy and regulatory solutions, grassroots mobilization, and legal action. These strategies help trigger conversations and opportunities for reform at the local, state, and national levels. As they engage more communities and stakeholders, they will change the narrative, which will help them transform the existing landscape eroding the democratic potential of our media and communications system.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Common Cause? 

In 2023, Democracy Fund Voice approved a three-year grant of $375,000 to Common Cause to support their Media and Democracy project.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $300,000 to Common Cause’s Media and Democracy project.

The League in Action

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: The League in Action
Amount: $150,000 in 2022

What is The League in Action? 

A fiscally sponsored project of Sixteen Thirty Fund, The League in Action works at the intersection of culture and democracy. They use storytelling to help people imagine an America rooted in justice, equity, and abundance, and then design and execute strategies to achieve it.

Why do we think this project is important? 

This project is focused on diversifying the federal judiciary, with a particular emphasis on elevating Black women’s political leadership. It also aims to increase accountability for the federal judiciary and improve public awareness about the key role that courts play in the broader movement toward racial equity and justice.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting The League in Action?  

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $150,000 to The League in Action.

Election Clerk Program

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Run for Something Action Fund
Amount: $500,000 in 2023 over two years

What is Run for Something Action Fund? 

Run for Something Action Fund (RFS AF) is a 501(c)4 that supports millennial and gen-z involvement in local government through outreach, education, and research. RFS AF is committed to building the next generation of civic-minded, passionate, voters and ensuring that young people are engaged and informed about the democratic process.

Why do we think this project is important? 

RFS AF’s work includes a multi-year program to recruit and support thousands of local leaders to participate in election administration to safeguard American democracy. They educate communities about what election officials do, inspire young people to see themselves as public servants and as key actors in the preservation of our democracy, and empower pro-democracy citizens to believe that they are good enough to participate.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Run for Something Action Fund? 

In 2023, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $500,000 to Run for Something Action Fund to support their Election Clerk program.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $500,000 to Run for Something Action Fund to support their Election Clerk program.

National Women’s Law Center Action Fund

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: National Women’s Law Center Action Fund
Amount: $150,000 in 2022

What is the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund?  

National Women’s Law Center Action Fund aims to drive progressive change in our policies and laws so that all women and girls can live, learn, and work with safety, dignity, and equality. NWLC Action Fund educates voters and advocates for policy change across issues that affect women the most, including child care, abortion access, and sexual harassment.

Why do we think this project is important? 

This project is focused on diversifying the federal judiciary, with a particular emphasis on elevating Black women’s political leadership. It also aims to increase accountability for the federal judiciary and improve public awareness about the key role that courts play in the broader movement toward racial equity and justice.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund? 

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $150,000 to  the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund.

Promoting Veteran Civic Engagement

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Common Defense Civic Engagement
Amount: $100,000 in 2022

What is Common Defense Civic Engagement?

Founded in 2016, Common Defense Civic Engagement (Common Defense) is the nation’s largest grassroots organization of US military veterans and the only one that invests in the leadership of its members through training and deployment in campaigns that connect directly to their history of service, including voting rights, climate justice, and anti-militarism.

Why do we think this project is important?

Building on the deep organizing model of voting rights work launched in 2021, Common Defense is continuing its efforts to leverage the power of the veteran voice to change the status of Afghan refugees, so that this vulnerable population is not subject to the fear of deportations, but instead can feel secure in building lives as new Americans.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Common Defense Civic Engagement?

In 2023, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $100,000 to Common Defense to support their Common Defense Civic Engagement project.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $100,000 to Common Defense Civic Engagement to support their Veterans for Democracy campaign.

State & Local Candidate Research Project

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Pipeline Fund
Amount: Updated to $150,000 in 2023

What is the Pipeline Fund? 

Pipeline Fund, a fiscally sponsored project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, is a network of organizations, philanthropists, and strategists all dedicated to building a pipeline of diverse progressive leaders.

Pipeline Fund’s long-term strategy convenes and connects national and state pipeline organization, funds and supports organizations that recruit, train, and support leaders to run for office, and provides organizations with the data and tools they need to do their work more effectively.

Why do we think this project is important? 

The 2022 State & Local Candidate Research Project is a unique research project designed to understand the experience of state and local candidates from underrepresented communities in elected office. The Project is done each election cycle in partnership with organizations in the Pipeline Fund’s coalition to understand and learn from the experiences of these candidates to strengthen and improve the resources and support that are available to future “pipeline” candidates.

The results of this research project are used to inform and improve the overall pipeline ecosystem’s approach to supporting diverse leaders at the state and local level.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Pipeline Fund?  

In 2023 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $75,000 for a total of $150,000.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $75,000 to Pipeline Fund to support their State & Local Candidate Research Project.

National Popular Vote

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Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: National Popular Vote, Inc.
Amount: $225,000 in 2022

What is National Popular Vote?

Founded in 2006, National Popular Vote is a 501(c)4 organization that studies, analyzes and educates the public about the counter-majoritarian nature of the Electoral College.

Why do we think this organization is important?

The Electoral College is one of the most gravely undemocratic institutions in our system. Winner-take-all rules in most states allocate all state electoral votes to the winning candidate, even one who wins only a plurality of the state’s popular vote. The Electoral College has a dramatic and polarizing effect on how campaigns are run, and discrepancies between the popular vote and Electoral College further diminish trust in governing institutions. National Popular Vote promotes lasting, bipartisan solutions to restore the core principle of “one person, one vote” in national elections.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting National Popular Vote?

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $225,000 to support National Popular Vote.