Tides Foundation Awarded $9.5M to Organizations Advancing and Protecting the Voting Rights of Communities of Color and Young People
SAN FRANCISCO – Tides Foundation has awarded $9.5 million since July of this year to more than 40 nonprofit organizations engaging in nonpartisan voter registration and civic engagement activities to close the voter turnout gap and protect the voting rights of communities of color and young people.
The foundation selected grantees that were community-driven and working in states where there are opportunities for BIPOC-led, local groups to: employ innovative and sustainable solutions to increase voter registration and engagement; counter disinformation campaigns; protect voter security; assure fair redistricting; and address emerging threats to our democratic systems.
“It is encouraging to know donors are heeding our call to ‘get off their assets’ so Tides can support movement groups and proximate grassroots leaders with the critical funding they need to coordinate a strong response to the ongoing waves of voter suppression,” said Faith Cordell, senior advisor to the Healthy Democracy Fund. “We hope the momentum continues through the midterms and beyond,” she added.
Recipients of the democracy grants included:
Jolt Initiative, a nonprofit organization that increases the civic participation of Latinos in Texas to build a stronger democracy and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. The organization builds the leadership capacity of young Latinos to mobilize their peers to action. The group also conducts on-site voter registration drives at quinceañeras in the state of Texas and nationwide to increase voter participation.
Arizona Democracy Resource Center, a nonpartisan coalition dedicated to expanding voter access for all voters in the state. In 2022, the center is working alongside election administrators to ensure accessible polling sites; training residents for poll site monitoring and deescalation; recruiting poll workers to ensure sites are reflective of surrounding communities; and staffing an election protection hotline for tribal communities.
Black Male Initiative Georgia, a nonprofit organization committed to advocating and advancing effective reforms for Black men and youth in the areas of civic engagement, voter empowerment, criminal justice reform, education, and health and economic justice.
Minnesota Youth Collective Education Fund, a nonprofit organization that centers leadership development of the new generation of movement leaders, leveraging electoral work and issue education as tactics to create a more equitable and just state for all people.
Funding for these grants was made possible by the Tides Foundation Healthy Democracy Fund (HDF) and donor advised funds that align with the fund. HDF is a Tides Foundation grantmaking initiative committed to fostering a more inclusive democracy and shifting power to historically underrepresented communities.
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About Tides
Tides accelerates the pace of social change, working with innovative partners to solve society’s toughest problems. We push the boundaries with every dollar and idea to fuel real and lasting change. We are working to create a world of shared prosperity and social justice founded on equity, human rights, and economic empowerment, a sustainable environment, quality education, and healthy individuals and communities.
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