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Event Recap: Strengthen Democracy: Collective Giving for Voter Engagement this Year (and Beyond!)

As part of our series of events for the Philanthropy for Voter Engagement Toolkit, we were invited by Philanthropy Together to spearhead a conversation at their annual We Give Summit. We were joined by Christian Arana, Vice President of Civic Power and Policy, Latino Community Foundation, and Nonprofit VOTE’s very own Executive Director, Brian Miller.

Watch the recording here for the full conversation:

Here are a few highlights from the conversation: 

  • Advice for foundations interested in getting started: It’s about just getting started and knowing what you can and cannot do. For example: You can target a historically underrepresented community promoting inclusion, but you can’t endorse a candidate. 
  • Aligning your giving with the long-term values of the foundation.
    • If supporting a specific group is important to your values as a foundation – we have to invest in these organizations on the ground so this advocacy work can scale.
    • It’s not always about the presidential election or specific figureheads, your local mayor is likely more important and the organizations supporting those local regions can ensure that voters have the correct information, and tools needed to get involved civically. 
  • Great source of information about voting by the League of Women Voters: www.vote411.org including where to vote, when, and who is on your ballot. Works across the country.
    • Lack of information is why people don’t vote. We need to share unbiased nonpartisan information – ensuring communities supported by nonprofits understand what’s on the ballot before going to the polls.
    • We need to help voters understand how the government works and how their voices can be heard.
  • To combat the potential misinformation of AI: Ensuring accurate information is shared with communities is more important today than ever before when we consider the influx of AI’s impact in the news.
    • It’s important to help nonprofits get AI education in this space. Admit we don’t know enough now to begin mobilizing and set us up for the next couple of years.

Want to bring this resource to your foundation or network? Request a briefing of the Philanthropy for Voter Engagement Toolkit by emailing us at: info@nonprofitvote.org.