Type of Activity: Project Grant
Grantee: Florida Rights Restoration Coalition Education Fund
Amount: Updated to $300,000 in 2021 — originally approved as $225,000 in 2019 over two years
What is the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition Education Fund?
The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition Education Fund (FRRCEF), a fiscally sponsored project of Tides Foundation, is a grassroots, membership organization run by returning citizens who work to promote ex-felon re-enfranchisement and successful re-entry into society. Their work supports the implementation of voting rights restoration in Florida following the passage of Amendment 4.
Why do we think this project is important?
The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition Education Fund (FRRCEF) leads the movement to restore voting rights to 1.6 million nonviolent returning citizens (formerly convicted persons) in Florida. We believe this is an important opportunity to ensure these citizens can fully participate in American democracy by removing barriers to registration and voting. Research suggests that restoration of voting rights has multiple effects on individuals and society, including more effective re-entry and decreased recidivism.
With Democracy Fund’s support, FRRCEF is addressing implementation of the law, communications around the benefits of the law, and other important efforts of FRRCEF.
How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition Education Fund?
In 2019 Democracy Fund Voice approved a two-year grant to FRRCEF’s fiscal sponsor, the Tides Foundation, in the amount of $225,000. In 2021 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $75,000, for a total of $300,000. A previous grant was made in 2018 in the amount of $200,000.