What is the Arizona Advocacy Network?

Arizona Advocacy Network (AZAN) works to build a truly representative political system in which all Arizonans make their voices heard. They believe the cornerstones of such a democracy include meaningful voting rights and fair access to the ballot, political decisions that are driven by voters instead of by financial influence, and a fair and independent judiciary. To make this vision a reality, AZAN builds strong pro-democracy coalitions, educates the public about the state of our democracy and what can be done to strengthen it, and advocates to policymakers for reform.

Why do we think this organization is important?

AZAN focuses on voting rights, money in politics, and fair courts. They work with partner organizations, legislators, election officials, and other key stakeholders to strengthen voting and elections in Arizona. They are fighting back against voter suppression tactics and advocating to modernize outdated election rules that keep citizens from voting. AZAN plays an important role in advocating for policy change that results more robust election administration, increased civic engagement, and more accessible elections, which Democracy Fund Voice believes are critical to a healthy democracy.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Arizona Advocacy Network?

In 2020, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $150,000 to Arizona Advocacy Network.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Trusted Elections Action Fund
Amount: Updated to $2,180,000 in 2021 — originally approved as $1,680,000 in 2020

What is the Trusted Elections Action Fund?

The Trusted Elections Action Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of Sixteen Thirty Fund. As a pooled fund with a grantmaking focus, it was created to move resources quickly to address election-related threats to the integrity of our election system. The grants made by the Fund support organizations fighting to ensure free and fair elections, and to protect the rule of law.

Why do we think this project is important?

Created in 2019, the Trusted Elections Action Fund supported preparations for, and responses to, high-risk threats to the integrity of our election. The U.S. faced significant threats to the integrity of the November 2020 elections. Some of these threats — natural disasters or higher-than-expected turnout — have long been considered by election administrators, experts, and advocacy groups. Novel threats, such as Election Day violence or foreign interference, presented new challenges for those fighting to promote trust in our elections while preventing significant threats to the rule of law.

The Trusted Elections Action Fund partnered closely with the National Task Force on Election Crises (run by Protect Democracy), a bipartisan task force of national security, civil rights, election administration, and legal experts that worked to identify the greatest potential risks for the 2020 election. The pooled resources coordinated by the Fund helped ensure that potential election-related crises were identified and that strategies were developed to prevent, mitigate or respond to those crises.

Grants from the Fund were made during two phases of activity; the first extended from April to September 2020 and focused on preventing crises from impacting the election and preparing the infrastructure needed to respond. The second phase extended from September 2020 to January 2021 and focused on rapid response.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Trusted Elections Action Fund?

In 2020, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $1,680,000 to the Trusted Elections Action Fund. In 2021 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $500,000 for a total of $2,180,000.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Public Citizen
Amount: Updated to $675,000 in 2021 — originally approved as $125,000 in 2020 over two years

What is Public Citizen?

Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that works to address the growing power gap between everyday people and concentrated power in the hands of corporate and government actors. They approach this issue through a combination of congressional advocacy, litigation, research, and grassroots advocacy.

Why do we think this project is important?

Public Citizen is a key leader in a diverse coalition of groups working to secure our elections. This grant supported the coalition’s efforts to advance election security reforms and ensure appropriate resources for states to improve their election security posture.

The Election Security and Resiliency project coordinated coalition advocacy and built grassroots political power in support of election funding. Public Citizen recruited new strategic voices into coalition and lobbying meetings, provided forums for groups to learn and get invested, and provided materials to allow new coalition partners to engage. Methods utilized included virtual townhalls, drive-ins, petitions, letters to the editor, in-district lobbying, and days of action with coordinated email blasts, social media, and calls.

Public Citizen also reached out to local Republican officials to call on Congress for additional elections funding. In addition to support for additional funding, this project supported states in expanding vote by mail, early voting processes, and security best practices. By insisting on the ability of election officials to use the funds to follow best practices that are appropriate to each state, major strides were made to protect voters from hacks, errors, and COVID-19 in 2020, while making elections more resilient and accessible for years to come.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Public Citizen?

In 2020, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $125,000 to Public Citizen. In 2021 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $550,000 for a total of $675,000.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: SiX Action
Amount: $300,000 in 2020 over two years

What is SiX Action?

SiX Action is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)4 strategy and advocacy organization that works to secure real, lasting reforms that support working families, protect the environment, defend civil rights and liberties, and strengthen our democracy. They accomplish this through issue advocacy, support around messaging and political strategy, and engagement with state legislators, progressive leaders, and state and national advocates.

Why do we think this project is important?

The Defensive Democracy Advocacy project pushed back against a variety of voter suppression tactics that resulted in targeted obstacles to voting and registration, and the abuse of redistricting for political and personal gain. The project focused on Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina due to these states’ histories on voting registration requirements.

In addition to pro-voter policy advocacy, the Defensive Democracy Advocacy project developed and offered cross-state resources, virtual learning opportunities, and technical assistance to legislators. These resources included education for legislators about post-election crisis scenarios, and how they could support peaceful resolutions, transitions, and reform in 2021. Briefings or materials covered post-election crisis scenarios (e.g. disputed vote counting and rampant post-election misinformation); the role of state legislators in the selection of presidential electors and legal ambiguities; and messaging guidance to help legislators navigate different crisis scenarios.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting SiX Action?

In 2020, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $300,000 to SiX Action.  

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Poder NC Action
Amount: Updated to $160,000 in 2021 — originally approved as $75,000 in 2020 over two years

What is Poder NC Action?

Poder NC Action is a Latinx-led and –serving, grassroots organization building the leadership and civic power of the Latinx community in North Carolina.

Why do we think this project is important?

Poder NC Action’s efforts to promote the active participation and engagement of the Latinx community in the democratic process are vital to improving voter participation and voter access in North Carolina. Poder NC is also building out its legislative work to more directly educate lawmakers on the impacts of election changes on the Latinx community.

As the Latinx community continues to grow in NC, organizations like Poder NC Action are key to ensuring inclusive elections and representative leadership in the state.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Poder NC Action?

In 2020, Democracy Fund Voice made a two-year grant of $75,000 to Poder NC Action. In 2021 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $85,000 for a total of $160,000.

Type of Activity: General Operating Support 
Grantee: Secure Democracy 
Amount: $400,000 in 2019 over two years

What is Secure Democracy?

Secure Democracy’s mission is to educate policymakers and the public about secure and fair elections. Launched in January 2018, Secure Democracy develops campaigns at the state and local level to secure and protect fair and secure voting access for all Americans.

Why do we think this organization is important?

Secure Democracy works to ensure that every eligible American has the opportunity to make their voice heard. They create campaigns to work with the public, lawmakers, and other key stakeholders to create a voting system that works for all Americans.

Secure Democracy has the ability to mobilize quickly, and the organization has a proven track record of engaging state legislatures and working across the aisle to create meaningful policy change.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Secure Democracy? 

In 2019, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant to Secure Democracy in the amount of $400,000.

Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: Living United for Change in Arizona
Amount: Updated to $225,000 in 2021 — originally approved as $100,000 in 2019 over two years

What is Living United for Change in Arizona?

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) is a membership-led, grassroots organization that builds power with Arizona’s working families to advance social, racial and economic justice for all.

Why do we think this organization is important?

Arizona was an early adopter of online voter registration, and Living United for Change in Arizona is working to bring further voter-centric reforms to the state. There is the opportunity to introduce same-day voter registration, to restore voting rights to returning citizens (formerly convicted persons), and to make changes to ID laws that create barriers to voting for many eligible voters. 

LUCHA’s strong grassroots mobilization capacity, civic engagement work, and advocacy work allows them to play a key role in Arizona election reforms. The work of LUCHA and its partners can help Arizona become a leader for voter-centric policies among the states. 

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

In 2019, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant to Living United for Change in Arizona project in the amount of up to $100,000. In 2020 and 2021 amendments were approved to increase the amount of the grant by $50,000 and $75,000 respectively, for a total of $225,000.

Type of Grant: General Operating Support
Grantee: Fair Fight Action
Amount: $350,000 in 2021

What is Fair Fight Action?

Fair Fight Action is a national 501(c)(4) voting rights organization rooted in Georgia. Fair Fight Action is a unique voting rights organization that brings high-impact, deeply-localized, and sophisticated strategies to make elections free and fair for all. 

Why do we think this organization is important?

This grant provides general support to the organization in its work on national advocacy and amplification of the need for federal voting rights legislation, protecting voting rights through litigation, mitigation of state legislation that seeks to dismantle the right to vote, and supporting efforts to ensure that historically disenfranchised voters and young voters have access to the polls.

Fair Fight Action is an important source of voter education, voter protection, and community organizing to ensure free and fair elections for Georgia voters.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Fair Fight Action?

In 2021, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $350,000 to Fair Fight Action. A previous grant of $50,000 was approved in 2019. 

Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: Defending Digital Campaigns
Amount: $150,000 in 2021

What is Defending Digital Campaigns?

Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC) is a nonprofit and non-partisan organization committed to bringing cybersecurity tools and resources to federal election campaigns. 

Defending Digital Democracy works to make our political process more secure by providing political parties and campaigns with the knowledge, products, and services to defend themselves from cyber threats and attacks.

Why do we think this organization is important?

Defending Digital Campaign provides free and reduced-cost cybersecurity services to campaigns that are operating at the federal, state and local levels.

Election campaigns lack support for cybersecurity even though they are primary targets for cyber attacks from those who would seek to disrupt an election. Establishing a robust and secure system is difficult due to the high cost of products, lack of technical expertise, and the decentralized nature of political campaigns. Defending Digital Campaigns overcomes these challenges by working with credible vendors to obtain access to cybersecurity tools at a lower cost, and by providing education and information sharing for campaigns.  

Ensuring that our elections are safe from outside influence is necessary to maintain the public’s trust in electoral results. For democracy to succeed, voters need to be confident in the integrity of the electoral process.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Defending Digital Campaigns?

In 2021, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $150,000 to Defending Digital Campaigns. A previous grant of $250,000 was made in 2019.

Type of Activity: Project Grant
Grantee: Color of Change
Amount: $200,000 in 2019 over two years

What is Color of Change?

Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. As a national online force driven by more than 1.5 million members, they move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America.

The Civic Engagement and Voting Rights Project is focusing on expanding voter access and ensuring the votes of all Black people count. Their work includes ending voter intimidation and suppression, including Voter ID laws to increase civic engagement before and after elections. Finally, the project works to ensure that the 2020 Census provides full and fair representation of the current US population. 

Why do we think this project is important?

Color of Change works with its 1.6 million members to defend against election policy that would limit access to the ballot for Black voters and advocate for election reform that expands voter access.

This grant will support Color of Change’s Civic Engagement and Voting Rights Project in their efforts to mobilize communities of color around issues of voter suppression throughout 2020 and 2021. During these two years, multiple legislative and administrative decisions about election policy will be made at the state level.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Color of Change?

In 2019, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant to Color of Change’s Civic Engagement & Voting Rights project in the amount of $200,000.