Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Mothering Justice Action Fund
Amount: Updated to $475,000 in 2023

What is Mothering Justice Action Fund?

Mothering Justice Action Fund is a Michigan-based grassroots policy advocacy organization that provides mothers of color in America with the resources and tools to use their power to make equitable changes in policy.

Why do we think this project is important?

Mothering Justice Action Fund works to diversify government leadership, expand the political power of communities of color, and transform governing institutions to fulfill the promise of “one person, one vote.”

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Mothering Justice Action Fund? 

In 2023 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $100,000 for a total of $475,000.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved an 18-month grant of $375,000 to Mothering Justice Action Fund.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: More Equitable Democracy Action
Amount: $620,000 in 2022

What is More Equitable Democracy Action? 

More Equitable Democracy Action, a fiscally sponsored project of NEO Philanthropy Action Fund, works with communities of color to advance electoral system reforms that increase representation for underrepresented communities.

Why do we think this project is important? 

Through public education, research, community engagement, and advocacy, More Equitable Democracy Action works to advance electoral systems reforms through a racial equity framework, to challenge the current winner-take-all system that shuts out minority voices in general and people of color in particular.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting More Equitable Democracy Action? 

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $620,000 to More Equitable Democracy Action.

Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: Equally American Campaign
Amount: $300,000 in 2022 over two years

What is the Equally American Campaign?

Equally American Campaign is a nonpartisan civil rights organization that fights to advance equality and civil rights for the 3.5 million citizens living in U.S. territories, 98% of whom are people of color.

Why do we think this organization is important? 

Equally American Campaign is leading efforts to address America’s colonies problem by advocating for systemic change both inside and outside the courtroom. Working across usual ideological and political lines, Equally American Campaign has developed a sophisticated legal, policy, and communications strategy that applies the lessons of past civil rights movements to challenge the racist colonial framework established by the Insular Cases and bring an end to the second-class treatment of millions of citizens who live in U.S. territories.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Equally American Campaign? 

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $300,000 to the Equally American Campaign.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Demand Justice
Amount: Updated to $400,000 in 2023

What is Demand Justice? 

Founded in 2018, Demand Justice is a 501(c)4 organization that aims to restore ideological balance and legitimacy to our nation’s courts by advocating for reforms that improve the trust in and legitimacy of the courts.

Why do we think this project is important? 

Demand Justice aims to restore the integrity of our federal courts within our democracy’s system of checks and balances by advancing structural reforms to restore balance and legitimacy to all levels of the judiciary and systemic changes to better support professionally diverse federal judicial nominees.

This work includes advocating more judicial nominees that reflect gender, racial, and professional diversity, such as public defenders, civil rights lawyers, and union-side labor lawyers. Demand Justice also advocates for structural reforms to federal courts to ensure they are viewed as legitimate, ethical, and are able to handle the significant caseload that comes before them.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Demand Justice? 

In 2023 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $100,000 for a total of $400,000.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $300,000 to Demand Justice.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Defend Democracy Action Project
Amount: $350,000 in 2022

What is the Defend Democracy Action Project?

The Defend Democracy Action Project (DDAP), a fiscally sponsored project of the North Fund, is dedicated to ensuring that Americans, members of the media,  and policymakers fully understand the work of the House Select Committee on January 6 and its investigation into efforts to undermine free and fair elections. To advance this mission, DDAP works as a communications hub and coalition effort to help educate audiences on threats posed by any and all efforts to undermine U.S. elections.

Why do we think this project is important?

Through educational messaging, press engagement, and validators and partners work, the Defend Democracy Action Project will help the public better understand the findings of the House Select Committee on January 6. DDAP will help disseminate a clear and objectively truthful accounting of the committee’s findings and will contextualize how those findings have implications for the health of our democracy. Ultimately, this work will develop important narratives about the importance of the rule of law, free and fair elections, and impartial governing institutions.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Defend Democracy Action Project? 

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a six-month grant of $350,000 to support the Defend Democracy Action Project.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, Inc.
Amount: $1,000,000 in 2023 over three years

What is the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center?

The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) is a movement-building infrastructure organization that strengthens democracy promoting ballot measures as a tool to build and support multi-racial, multi-issue, state- based, and people-powered movements.

Why do we think this work is important?

BISC works  with a wide range of movement allies to analyze and support the ballot measure landscape and develop ways to engage more people in our democracy. BISC also tracks efforts to undermine the ballot initiative process, providing strategic assistance and resources to allies on the frontlines in the fight to protect direct democracy.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center?

In 2023, Democracy Fund Voice approved a three-year grant of $1,000,000 to Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, Inc.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year general operating support grant of $300,000 to the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.

Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: Alaskans for Better Elections, Inc.
Amount: Updated to $400,000 in 2023

What is Alaskans for Better Elections?

Alaskans for Better Elections is dedicated to providing nonpartisan public education and research about how Alaska-style elections work.

Why do we think this organization is important?

Alaskans for Better Elections is building a brighter future for Alaska by securing more choice, more voice, and more power for voters. Alaskans for Better Elections is dedicated to ensuring that all Alaskan voters can confidently cast their votes on Election Day, with a particular focus on educating historically disenfranchised communities about new voting systems.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Alaskans for Better Elections?

In 2023 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $150,000 for a total of $400,000.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $250,000 to Alaskans for Better Elections.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Advance Native Political Leadership Action Fund
Amount: Updated to $300,000 in 2023

What is Advance Native Political Leadership Action Fund?

A fiscally sponsored project of Tides Advocacy, Advance Native Political Leadership Action Fund is the first and only national Native-led organization working to create a shared vision for power building in Native communities and building a nimble ecosystem of support for long-term equitable shifts in democracy.

The Native Leadership Institute (NLI) is the only national Native leadership training, research, and data institute created by and for Indigenous peoples focused on power building and Native voter research in the United States. Currently, the NLI has three core programs of focus: the Leadership Training Program, the Data Fellowship Program, and the Native PowerBase Voter, Data, and Research Program.

Why do we think this project is important? 

The Native Leadership Institute program aims to elevate the political power of Native American communities across the country, with a long-term goal of the continued existence of U.S. Indigenous peoples. There are nearly 520,000 elected officials in the U.S. at all levels of government. Fewer than 200 of those elected leaders identify as Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian.

The annual goal for the NLI training program is to recruit 300 Native leaders into the program. The NLI also utilizes data experts in their communities who have access to technology and are familiar with the voter file to support campaigns and Native voter turnout efforts. NLI also aims to address the lack of data and research on Native voters and non-voters so that they are no longer excluded from political and voter engagement strategies.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Native Leadership Institute?

In 2023 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $150,000 for a total of $300,000.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a one-year grant of $150,000 to the Advance Native Political Leadership Action Fund.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Collective Future
Amount: $100,000 in 2021

What is Collective Future?

Collective Future is a 501(c)4 that works to increase civic engagement and political representation of Black communities.

Why do we think this project is important?

Black women are underrepresented at the local, state, and federal levels of government. This results in legislative policies that often directly or indirectly harm Black women, despite their commitment to championing a healthy and fully inclusive democracy.

The state of Black women and girls isn’t fully known or understood by much of the electorate and those in positions of power, in part, because of the historical erasure in storytelling. When these stories are told in mainstream media and entertainment platforms, their lived experiences are often misrepresented.

The You Are My Sister (YAMS) Institute will work to reveal narratives about Black women and girls that focus on the realities, challenges, needs, and opportunities of this community in a data-driven, yet culturally relevant manner; resulting in proposed solutions to create systemic change.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Collective Future?

In 2021, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $100,000 to Collective Future.

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Working Families Power
Amount: $700,000 in 2023 over two years

What is Working Families Power?

Founded in 2006, Working Families Power (formerly named Working Families Organization, Inc.) engages in program incubation, coalition building, organizing, leadership development, advocacy, and public education on policies that advance economic fairness, racial justice, gender equity, climate sustainability, and a democracy which is responsive to the needs of the many—not the wealthy and powerful few. Their vision is a society rooted in equality, dignity, solidarity, and compassion.

Why do we think this project is important?

The threat to the project of American democracy is twofold. One arena of contestation is the institutions and administration that make democracy run. The other is in the public experience of and belief in the very idea of democracy itself, which has been understandably eroded as working-class participants in the electoral system consistently see little to no improvement in their lives from the people they elect specifically to bring those gains. Through its Democracy Program, Working Families Power supports efforts including: expanding voting rights, reforming campaign finance, and deepening partnerships with pro-democracy policymakers at every level of government to see long-term gains and improvement.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Working Families Power?

In 2023, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $700,000 to Working Families Power.

In 2022, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $350,000 to support Working Families Power. A previous grant of $250,000 was given in 2021. The organization was formerly named Working Families Organization, Inc.