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.

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.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Living United for Change in Arizona
Amount: $100,000 in 2022

What is Living United for Change in Arizona? 

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) is an organization of changemakers fighting for social, racial, and economic transformation. They are committed to human dignity, inclusion, equity, and collective growth. They envision a future where state legislative policies and budgets are reflective of community needs.

Why do we think this project is important? 

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) organizes low- and moderate-income and minority families to take action on the issues most important to them and advance the cause of social and economic justice for all. LUCHA incorporates leadership development with grassroots issue-based campaigns, advocacy and civic engagement, to create an Arizona in which every resident has an equal voice in determining the policies and shaping the decision-making bodies that will govern our communal life.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Living United for Change in Arizona?

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $100,000 to support Living United for Change in Arizona’s defensive democracy work.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Florida Rising Inc.
Amount: Updated to $625,000 in 2023

What is Florida Rising?

Florida Rising is a people-powered organization made up of members advancing economic and racial justice across Florida. The organization seeks to decisively shift power towards justice in the state by developing community leaders who can shift power by organizing year-round, building trust, growing a grassroots membership base, and cutting across issue silos. Florida Rising works to make the political process and our democracy accessible to communities that are often marginalized and ignored, and to help communities bring changes by organizing multi-racial movements to win elections, change laws, and create a state where everyone can be safe, happy, healthy and whole.

Why do we think this project is important?

Formed in 2021, the organization leads independent year-round organizing, intersectional coalitions, and centers women of color leadership and Black and Brown voices. Florida Rising organizes to significantly expand democracy in communities that have been historically marginalized, excluded, and silenced, by engaging voters in their day-to-day generative themes and issues.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Florida Rising? 

In 2023 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $375,000 for a total of $625,000.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $250,000 to support Florida Rising Inc.’s voter protection, voter education, lobbying and policy advocacy, and accountability work.

Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: Arizona Democracy Resource Center Action
Amount: $200,000 in 2023 over two years

What is Arizona Democracy Resource Center Action? 

Arizona Democracy Resource Center (ADRC) Action works to strengthen and expand civic engagement and one of their central goals is to increase accessibility to the ballot while removing barriers for Arizonans. ADRC Action plays a role as one of Arizona’s key hubs for democracy work in the state through its commitment to dismantling structural barriers to democratic participation, supporting community self-determination, and investing in local leadership.

Why do we think this work is important?

Democracy Fund Voice supports work to strengthen and expand the movement for an inclusive, multi-racial democracy with a focus on POC power and leadership. To accomplish this, the organization has created programs like “Unlock the Vote” to guide formerly incarcerated individuals through restoring their voting rights, and “Election Protection Arizona” which address the barriers that voters face on Election Day. In Arizona, these barriers to voting include long lines at polling places, language barriers, and legal barriers. In order to ensure that civic participation increases, it is crucial that these barriers be removed and new solutions are implemented to alleviate them.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Arizona Democracy Resource Center Action?

In 2023, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $200,000 to Arizona Democracy Resource Center Action.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $100,000 to offer general operating support to the Arizona Democracy Resource Center Action.

Type of Activity: Project Grant
Grantee: Analyst Institute
Amount: $200,000 in 2022

What is the Analyst Institute? 

For over a decade, Analyst Institute has conducted research and collected evidence–primarily through randomized controlled trials–to help allied organizations learn what works, why, and how in modern voter contact programming. Alongside leading change makers and organizers, they have run and analyzed over 800 experiments on topics such as get out the vote, voter registration, volunteer engagement, and persuasion. These experiments are widely recognized for their rigor and reliability, and provide the foundation for the guidance Analyst Institute offers to allies across the ecosystem.

Why do we think this project is important?

In 2022 and beyond, Analyst Institute will play a critical role in helping its Analyst Group community of 10,000+ partners learn from past research results, continue to innovate, and scale effective organizing strategies moving forward. The specific efforts supported throughout this grant are part of a longer-term desire to accomplish three larger aspirations: 1) drive innovation and advance community learning through an expanded research toolkit; 2) convene a diverse and expanding partner network to address collective knowledge gaps; and 3) co-power community impact through inclusive, equitable, accessible, and actionable research and resources.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Analyst Institute?

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $200,000 to support the Analyst Institute’s work to conduct rigorous social science research and provide trainings based on their findings.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Alliance for Youth Action
Amount: $475,000 in 2023 over two years

What is the Alliance for Youth Action?

The Alliance for Youth Action is a nationwide network of organizations growing progressive people power across America by empowering local young people’s organizations to strengthen our democracy, fix our economy, and correct injustices through on-the-ground organizing. The Alliance network is made up of youth-powered organizations in about 20 states across the country from Washington to Florida.

Why do we think this project is important?

Democracy Fund Voice supports work to strengthen and expand the movement for an inclusive, multi-racial democracy with a focus on POC power and leadership. The Alliance works with a national network of state-based youth-focused organizations leading local Democracy Done Right issue campaigns to secure the access, security, and convenience young voters deserve. Democracy Fund Voice believes our electoral system needs the participation of young voters if the results of elections are going to truly reflect the will of the people, which in turn can increase the electorate’s faith in our political system.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Alliance for Youth Action?

In 2023, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $475,000 to Alliance for Youth Action for their Democracy Done Right project.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $250,000 to the Alliance for Youth Action for their Democracy Done Right project.

Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: Way to Win Action Fund, Inc.
Amount: $250,000 in 2021

What is the Way to Win Action Fund?  

Way to Win Action Fund centers the communities most impacted by injustice, ensuring that organizers have the resources needed to embrace their power, determine policy outcomes for their communities, and reshape the future of our democracy. The Fund supports state-based organizations working on a range of issues with the aim of building a democracy that allows all communities to thrive.

Why do we think this organization is important?

Through its donor and funder organizing, the Fund actively works to sustain and scale year-round community organizing by bringing new resources to the field, with the recognition that long-term sustained investments in communities most impacted by injustice are needed to ensure our democracy is truly inclusive.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Way to Win Action Fund?

In 2021, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $250,000 to Way to Win Action Fund.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: United We Dream Action
Amount: $100,000 in 2021

What is United We Dream Action?

United We Dream Action is a 501(c)(4) organization of and for directly impacted people who believe that the people closest to the pain are also closest to the solutions, innovations, and breakthroughs.

Why do we think this project is important?

This grant supports United We Dream Action in carrying out research to better understand how young Latinx people are targeted and impacted by disinformation spread by anti-immigrant movements. Understanding the ways in which Latinx  communities consume and discern media is a key step in developing strategies to combat disinformation across Latinx communities in the short term, and bring about impactful narrative and cultural shifts in the medium- and long-term. This project aims to build resistance against harmful disinformation that targets immigrants and Latinx communities.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting United We Dream Action?

In 2021, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $100,000 to United We Dream Action.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Leadership Now Project
Amount: $125,000 in 2022

What is the Leadership Now Project?

Leadership Now Project is a membership organization of business and thought leaders taking action to protect and renew American democracy. The organization is committed to ensuring the United States has a strong democracy and economy by focusing on meaningful research and education, operational excellence, and member value to drive results.

Why do we think this project is important?

The Leadership Now Project works to shift business’ engagement with our democracy to one that consistently strengthens our system. In 2022, the organization worked to create robust and meaningful coalitions of business leaders across the country focused on democracy.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Leadership Now Project?

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $125,000 to Leadership Now Project to support the Business and Democracy Initiative. Previously in 2021, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $100,000 to the Leadership Now Project.