FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2024
Contact:
Courtney Biggs | (212) 889-3963 | cbiggs@thenytrust.org
Peter Panepento | 202-531-3886 | peter@turn-two.co
$975,000 for nine nonprofits that are trusted messengers on the value of voting and civic engagement
(June 26, 2024) New York, NY – On the heels of this week’s primary election in New York, GoVoteNYC is announcing new grants to engage low-turnout voters in local elections over the next 18 months.
The New York Community Trust’s GoVoteNYC Fund announced $975,000 in grants to nine nonprofits focused on nonpartisan get-out-the-vote activities. These newest grants bring the total investment by GoVoteNYC funders since 2021 to $3.5 million in grants and more than $13 million in aligned funding, all supporting nonpartisan voter engagement. Now in its fourth year, the GoVoteNYC funder collaborative brings together nearly a dozen foundations to make grants and learn alongside grantees how best to advance civic engagement.
“GoVoteNYC supports nonprofits that have built close relationships with communities often overlooked in the democratic process,” said Eve Stotland, senior program officer for civic affairs and human justice at The New York Community Trust and a GoVoteNYC co-chair. “It’s inspiring to see the grantees deploy new technologies along with traditional person-to-person contacts to create momentum.”
The grantees include: The Asian American Federation, Center for Law & Social Justice at Medgar Evers College, El Puente, Faith in New York, Hispanic Federation, MinKwon Center for Community Action, New York Civic Engagement Table, New York Immigration Coalition, and United Neighborhood Houses.
“There is no time off when it comes to civic participation. In 2024, we have a presidential election, potential ballot measures, and several highly competitive congressional elections in New York State,” said Martha King, senior program officer at the Charles H. Revson Foundation and a GoVoteNYC co-chair. “And we also know that for issues like affordable housing, public safety, and education, the city elections in 2025 will be key. That’s why GoVoteNYC is providing funding now for our grantees to build and sustain capacity through next year’s elections.”
A 2023 evaluation of the first two years of GoVoteNYC’s grantmaking showed increased voter turnout across New York City’s five boroughs. Participating nonprofits used relational voter outreach, which involves methods emphasizing conversations and other types of one-to-one engagement with friends, family, colleagues, members, and clients.
In 2021, for example, voters of color, including Asian American, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx voters, canvassed by GoVoteNYC grantees voted at nearly double the rate of voters of color who were not contacted: 37 percent of those canvassed by GoVoteNYC partners voted, versus 20 percent of those not contacted.
The latest grants cover an 18-month term, allowing the organizations to engage would-be voters in the 2024 elections, while also building capacity for the 2025 municipal elections a year in advance.
The grant to the New York Civic Engagement Table (NYCET) will support the other grantee nonprofit partners to build targeted voter lists and refine outreach efforts by providing data support and training on the use of new tools. NYCET also offers field support to grantees as they implement programs. It will receive a $175,000 grant to continue this work. The other eight grantees will receive grants of $100,000 each.
“Each year, we ask our grantees where they are seeing success and how we can help with any challenges they are facing,” said Zabrina Collazo, program officer at the New York Foundation and a GoVoteNYC co-chair. “We believe in being intentional about listening to grantees and supporting their leadership as they respond to the rapidly shifting dynamics around voting. When we strengthen the capacity of social justice organizations to engage their communities, we strengthen democracy.”
The current GoVoteNYC funders are the Altman Foundation, Brooklyn Org, the Charles H. Revson Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The New York Community Trust, New York Foundation, New York Women’s Foundation, Scherman Foundation, Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies, and the Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock.
About The New York Community Trust
As New York’s largest community foundation, The New York Community Trust fosters and engages in enduring and innovative philanthropy, making grants that bring together the diverse, local knowledge and expertise of its team, nonprofits, and partners to help donors fulfill their vision for the causes they love. From education and the arts to health care and the environment, The New York Community Trust seeks to improve every aspect of the cultural and civic life of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. The Trust celebrates 100 years of impact and looks forward to the next 100 years of improving life for New Yorkers. This is philanthropy for New Yorkers, by New Yorkers. To learn more, visit www.thenytrust.org.
About GoVoteNYC
GoVoteNYC is a collaboration of New York City-based donors committed to strengthening democracy through civic engagement. Through pooled funds and aligned giving, GoVoteNYC is providing grants and technical assistance to nonprofit partners working on nonpartisan get-out-the-vote and other civic participation activities. GoVoteNYC is an open resource to other donors and a platform for sharing resources, information, and lessons-learned in the field. To learn more, visit www.govotenyc.org.