This isn’t poker. It’s democracy. And it’s time to take one’s 501c3 chips and put them all on the table to support voter engagement and election protection.
The Crises Charitable Commitment’s mission is to encourage donors to simply give more, without specifying a cause, but sometimes the compelling needs of a cause can make it easier for philanthropists to open their wallets. We see it sometimes with disasters. But for the next sixty days that cause is democracy.
The late civil rights champion, Congressman John Lewis said “The right to vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy. I risked my life defending that right. Some died in the struggle.” Regardless of political party, ideology or policy prescriptions, nonprofits have always had a critical role in educating voters on issues, maximizing voter participation particularly among historically underrepresented communities, and ensuring that elections are free and fair.
The vote is so powerful in large part because it is fundamental to how all other substantive issues that we care about are decided, including the rules and ways in which our three branches of government function (or not).
From all sides of the political debate, there is agreement that this is the most consequential election of our lifetimes. {One sad-but-true indicator of the importance of this election is the $1.5 billion that just the top 50 donors have given to “political committees and other groups competing in this election,” according to the Washington Post.} Similarly, the two major political parties and the public debate have surfaced and provided different views on numerous critical issues at stake in this election: kitchen table economic issues, immigration, abortion, climate, health care, housing, political corruption, gun rights and gun violence, the Supreme Court, wealth accumulation and wealth inequality, and foreign policy including issues of peace, war, and human rights.
As the Bolder Advocacy team at Alliance for Justice – a respected provider of nonprofit advocacy guidance – explains: “Supporting election-related activities is an effective way for 501(c)(3)s to improve civic dialogue, strengthen democracy, give a voice to the underrepresented, and make an impact on important issues.” Charitable organizations absolutely may and do “conduct nonpartisan get-out-the-vote activities, voter registration drives, and voter education activity.”
There are millions of dollars that still are much needed and can be put to good use immediately by nonprofits in–as the Democracy Fund categorized it–Engaging and Mobilizing a Diverse Electorate; Strengthening Election Infrastructure; Protecting Voting Rights in the Courts; Countering Disinformation; and Fighting Voter Suppression and Election Subversion. (If you have questions or suggestions, you can reach my foundation’s WhyNot Initiative’s Senior Advisor Larry Ottinger, whose portfolio includes the interrelated issues of voter engagement, democracy and wealth inequality, and who co-wrote this letter with me, at lsottinger@gmail.com.)
As indication of how significant we feel protecting democracy is, the WhyNot Initiative has already given $10 million over the last year and a half to nonprofits for voter engagement and protection, roughly 25% of its total grant making budget. Even that didn’t seem to rise to the occasion, so we are committing to give another $6 to $10 million within the next few weeks. This will bring voter engagement spending over two years to 10% of the foundation’s assets.
Election day is just two months away. Early voting starts in some states next month. Voter registration deadlines in many states are about two weeks before the election. So, that’s why we say All-In…Last Call. Now, as much as ever, it is better to give than to hoard.
p.s. Gabriela Sandoval, the Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute’s Executive Director, and Rajasvini Bhansali, Executive Director of Solidaire Network and EWDi Board member, have together written for Alliance, “Taxation, wealth inequality and philanthropic collusion.” This is a must read.