Active civic engagement, including voting, contributes to the health and economic vitality of local communities served by nonprofits and foundations, which in turn supports these organizations’ social missions and goals. People who vote are more likely to connect with neighbors, communicate with elected officials, and engage civically in other ways. 

However, our nation’s democracy is distorted by gaps in voter participation that in large part reflect gaps in voter contact – who is and is not contacted about voting. By tapping the vast reach of America’s nonprofits and leveraging the role of foundations, we can engage underrepresented communities at scale and begin to foster a more inclusive democracy. As trusted messengers deeply rooted in local communities and invested for the long term, foundations and nonprofits are well positioned to engage the communities they serve in voting and democracy

This toolkit is full of case studies, common strategies, and best practices for foundations committed to sustain and strengthen our nation’s democracy while improving mission effectiveness.