Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Public Citizen
Amount: Updated to $1,275,000 in 2022
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 2022 two amendments were approved to increase the amount of the grant by $50,000 and by $550,000 for a total of $1,275,000, with an extension of the grant period through June 2023.
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.