The Final Push: October Grantmaking Updates
WDN Action has granted more than $8.6 million in c4 funding to 67 organizations in 13 states this year. Together, we are focused on organizing for near-term wins and long-term power building, and resourcing BIPOC women-led organizing across the country.
With abortion on the ballot and the critical funding gaps our partners in the field have faced this year, we mobilized additional resources in key Senate states and funded efforts to mobilize young voters around reproductive justice and abortion access across several battleground states. Read on for more about our latest grantmaking and what we’re hearing from our grantee partners.
Turning out voters to make history again in Georgia
Georgia remains a battleground for voting rights, with groups like New Georgia Project Action Fund working to prevent further anti-voter, anti-democratic policies from the GOP-controlled state legislature. And with a marquee governor’s race and Senate race, all eyes are once again on Georgia. “We officially launched our c4 program yesterday and this pushes us closer to staying on the doors until Nov 8th. Daily we send out over 150 canvassers who are knocking over 12,000 doors. We are aiming for 250 canvassers, who can knock over 20,000 doors a day. This helps us get there! Let’s make history again in Georgia!”
Activating young voters across the country
NextGen America organizes young people with year-round engagement and advocacy training, persuasive communications in communities and on campuses, and coalition and capacity building in battleground states. “Thank you for your support of NextGen and the power of young voters! WDNA's support continues to be a catalyst for other funding for us. It not only underscores WDNA's commitment to supporting the leadership of women led organizations but also the importance of young voters in protecting our rights and democracy.”
Mobilizing Black women’s political power
Higher Heights is the only national organization exclusively dedicated to harnessing, organizing, and mobilizing Black women’s political power. They help Black women vote, run, win, and lead, and employ a culture-shifting communications strategy to counter disinformation and improve the electoral environment for Black women candidates. In the lead up to the midterms, they are hosting #BlackWomenLead GOTV weekends, text-a-thons, and phone banks to organize volunteers and influencers to support on-the-ground engagement efforts.
Flipping a Senate seat in Wisconsin
The battle for abortion rights is also a battle for working families. Wisconsin is within striking distance of flipping a crucial Senate seat, and Working Families Organization is mobilizing voters to make it happen to help open the door for legislation to protect abortion rights, voting rights, marriage equality, and more. “Everyone on the ground here knows in their gut how much is at stake. This will help put some of our ideas into action that could have been shelved. We deeply appreciate your support.”
Shifting the political landscape in Minnesota
Minnesota has an opportunity to flip the state legislature, which could shift the political landscape to move a number of progressive policies including the restoration of voting rights for formerly incarcerated people and other pro-democracy policies. Recent grants have supported Faith in Minnesota, a political home for people of faith working to create a new, people-centered politics in Minnesota and the Minnesota Youth Collective, focused on building power of young people in the state.
Building long-term infrastructure in the Lone Star state
Texas has served as ground zero for several regressive conservative movements (including anti-abortion laws and voter suppression policies) that are moving across the country. Despite the Republican majority in the state legislature, progressive organizations have been building a long-term strategy to shift Texas blue. To help these organizations build momentum, investing in statewide progressive infrastructure is critical. Partners like the Texas Freedom Network, a grassroots organization of more than 150,000 religious and community leaders, are key to this strategy.