Building State-Based Power

Grants

Grantee List

As a result of the implementation of our three-year strategic plan, in the fall of 2009 the Democracy and Power Fund began an effort to identify a set of key states where the opportunities to advance (or the threats to) an open society are significant, and to provide support to state-based groups to build power to impact lasting change. Following extensive due diligence consisting of research, site visits, and more than 125 in-person and phone conversations, the Democracy and Power Fund is offering the first set of recommendations for building state-based power in North Carolina and Texas through increasing public participation, nonpartisan voter engagement, policy research and analysis, strategic convening and collaboration, and social justice issue advocacy.

North Carolina

The Democracy and Power Fund’s emerging North Carolina funding strategy will build the grassroots organizing, issue advocacy, and civic engagement capacity and impact of African-American, Latina/o, and immigrant communities, along with that of young people across the state.  Beyond supporting organizations that meet the priorities stated above, the fund will also support key statewide organizations that build issue advocacy capacity, expertise, and impact, and those that enhance statewide civic engagement collaboration.

Texas

The Democracy and Power Fund’s emerging Texas funding strategy will build the grassroots organizing, issue advocacy, and civic engagement capacity and impact of African-American, Latina/o, and immigrant communities, along with that of young people. While our work will be statewide in desired impact in this vast state of more than 23 million residents, we’ll begin by focusing more resources on two fast growing and very diverse regions: Houston/Harris County and the Rio Grande Valley.  Beyond supporting organizations that meet the priorities stated above, the fund will also support—or help launch—key statewide organizations that build issue advocacy capacity, expertise, and impact, and those that enhance statewide civic engagement collaboration.