Category Archives: Participation

Four Freedoms Action Fund

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: NEO Philanthropy Action Fund
Amount: Updated to $600,000 in 2022

What is the Four Freedoms Action Fund?

The Four Freedoms Action Fund (FFAF) is a project of NEO Philanthropy Action Fund (NEO-PAF) that builds and supports a robust local, state and national infrastructure of immigrants’ rights organizations and leaders. The project conducted a post-2018 election mapping and analysis to determine and understand what legislative opportunities there are at the state level to support immigrant communities. Following completion of that mapping, organizations have identified those opportunities and are working to provide c4 support to effectively organize and advocate.

Why do we think this project is important?

We believe that diverse, bipartisan organizations and communities can work together for the common good. Bipartisan efforts are required in order to create safe and secure communities, develop a sense of shared national identity, and make space to defend constitutional norms under attack. Using the information gained from their mapping work, Four Freedoms Action Fund will collaborate with allies engaged in protection of targeted communities and employ communications tactics to advance positive norms at the national level.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Four Freedoms Action Fund?

In 2022 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $150,000 for a total of $600,000, as well as to extend to the grant period through November 2023.

In 2019, Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant of $300,000 to the Four Freedoms Action Fund. In 2021 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $150,000 for a total of $450,000. A previous grant of $100,000 was made in 2018 by Democracy Fund Voice to conduct mapping of the 2018-midterm election and determine where there are legislative opportunities at the state level to support immigrant communities.

TXBIZ Votes: Online Voter Registration

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Type of activity: Project Grant
Grantee: TXBIZ Votes
Amount: $75,000 in 2018

What is TXBIZ Votes?

TXBIZ Votes provides non-partisan and unbiased information about where candidates and elected officials stand on issues important to Texas employees, industry sectors, and consumers.

 Why do we think this project is important?

We believe in solutions and institutions that work to support election administrators and improve processes. Election Administrators in Texas have to consistently deal with large amounts of paper registration forms. Online Voter Registration is a reform policy that greatly benefits the public, as well as state and local election officials, by streamlining the voting process. Currently, Texas is the largest remaining state without Online Voter Registration, and it has some of the lowest electoral participation and registration rates in the country.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting TXBIZ?

In 2018, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $75,000 to support TXBIZ Votes’ ongoing state-based efforts to modernize elections in Texas.

RISE to Vote

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Type of Activity: Project Grant
Grantee: Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)
Amount: $250,000 in 2018

What is RISE to Vote?

RISE to Vote, a project of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), is a nonpartisan campaign that partners with sports teams and athletes to harness the unifying power and influence of sports to improve civic engagement in our democracy.

Why do we think this project is important?

The RISE to Vote initiative specializes in educating, empowering, and engaging young voters and underrepresented communities. RISE empowers professional athletes as ambassadors for democracy, providing a space for them to lead meaningful discussions on the importance of civic engagement and voting. We believe that by serving as an example of how to become civically engaged, these leaders will help promote greater civic participation.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting RISE to Vote?

In 2018, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $250,000 to the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality for their project, RISE to Vote. A previous grant of $200,000 was made in 2017.

“Show Up and Vote” Campaign

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Type of Activity: Project 
Grantee: Global Citizen
Amount: $325,000 in 2016

What is the “Show Up and Vote” Campaign?

Global Citizen is a social action platform for a global generation that wants to solve the world’s biggest challenges by learning about issues, taking action on what matters most, and joining a community committed to social change. Over the last five years, millions of global citizens around the world took six million actions to solve the world’s biggest challenges. In 2016, Global Citizen’s “Show Up and Vote” effort will focus on increasing voter registration and participation among younger Americans through a series of events and concerts with high-profile artists.

Why do we think this project is important?

Registration and participation among younger voters is historically low, and Democracy Fund Voice believes Global Citizen’s “Show Up and Vote” campaign is the kind of cultural effort that reaches and engages young people where they are — through concerts and events, and digital and social outreach.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Global Citizen?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $325,000 to Global Citizen, which is managed by the Global Poverty Project, to support the “Show Up and Vote” Campaign.

Funny or Die’s “Everyone Votes”

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Type of Activity: Project 
Grantee: Unity of Purpose Project
Amount: $250,000 in 2016

What is Funny or Die’s “Everyone Votes”?

Funny or Die’s “Everyone Votes” project is a nonpartisan cultural campaign using humor and celebrity to engage young people in pledging, registering, and planning to vote.

Why do we think this project is important?

Democracy Fund Voice believes our politics are most robust when young people are engaged, and too often civic education fails to spur young voters to go to the ballot booth. Built on a popular and proven comedy website, “Everyone Votes” is well-positioned to reach and engage Millennials and eligible Gen Z voters who are often ignored by traditional politics.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting “Everyone Votes”?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $250,000 to the Unity of Purpose Project, the 501(c)4 arm of Funny or Die, for their “Everyone Votes” project to promote civic engagement in young adults through culturally relevant videos.

National Voter Registration Day

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Type of Activity: Project 
Grantee: National Voter Registration Day
Amount: $250,000 in 2016

What is National Voter Registration Day?

National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit effort to raise national awareness of voter registration deadlines in every election cycle. On September 27, 2016, NVRD will host hundreds of events in order to reach and register eligible Americans across the country.

Why do we think this project is important?

Democracy Fund Voice believes an engaged citizenry is central to a responsive republic, and our elections are at their strongest when more eligible voters punch their ballots. NVRD leverages an array of technology, partnerships, and culture to engage and register eligible Americans.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the project?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $250,000 to National Voter Registration Day, administered by the Bus Federation Education Fund, for voter outreach and registration.

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.

Citizens’ Initiative Review

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Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Healthy Democracy Action
Amount: $250,000 in 2015

What is a Citizens’ Initiative Review?

The State of Oregon established a Citizens’ Initiative Review Commission in 2011 to provide voters with quality, unbiased information about ballot measures to help them make good public decisions. Each election year, the Oregon Commission convenes groups of randomly selected and demographically representative voters to hear arguments for and against ballot measures. Designed to be fair and in-depth, the review process culminates with the production of a Citizens’ Statement detailing the key findings of the Citizens’ Initiative Review panel. The Citizens’ Statement is included in the statewide Voters’ Pamphlet mailed to every voter prior to an election.

A team of nationally recognized researchers funded by the National Science Foundation has concluded that the CIR Citizens’ Statements are widely used and helpful to a large percentage of voters.

Why do we think the Citizens’ Initiative Review is important?

While lawmakers have access to public hearings about proposed legislation, the initiative process asks citizens to vote with very little objective information on important, often complex topics. Most voter information comes from political campaigns and campaign ads. As a result, most voters tell pollsters that they often find ballot measures too complicated and confusing to understand, and most say that they have cast ballots on measures with which they are unfamiliar. While voters say they like the ballot initiative process, they want it to work better.

The Citizens’ Initiative Review is a bipartisan idea that responds directly to the needs of the public and reduces the ability of campaigns to deceive or manipulate the public with misinformation. External evaluations of the informative value of Citizens’ Initiative Reviews show consistently positive results. In Oregon:

  • 65% of voters who read the statements said they helped them decide how to vote.
  • CIR statements were found to help voters become more informed.
  • CIR deliberations were found to be fair and respectful, producing statements free of gross factual errors or faulty logic.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Citizens’ Initiative Review?

In 2015, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $250,000 to Healthy Democracy Action to support advocacy for the adoption of legislation that would enable the creation of Citizens’ Initiative Reviews in states outside of Oregon.