Vote Your Voice: 2026 Grant Cycles

Grant 1: Voter Mobilization & Civic Innovation

Midterm Grant Cycle 2026

This fund is designed for organizations that are deeply rooted in community, testing bold or emerging strategies, and able to adapt quickly to changing on-the-ground conditions. 

Purpose of the Fund

The 2026 Southern Voter Mobilization & Innovation Fund is a 12-36 month, election-cycle investment designed to support organizations that are: 

  • Closest to communities facing the most barriers to political participation
  • Testing bold, creative, or unproven civic engagement strategies
  • Shifting power to local groups participating in civic engagement
  • Responding rapidly to on-the-ground conditions during the 2026 midterms 

NOTE: Activity does not need to be specific to the November 3, 2026 general election. Funded activity can be exclusive to other elections, including local elections, occurring in other months of the year. 

What We Will Not Fund

  • Work that is outside of the geographic focus 
  • Work that is outside the demographic focus 
  • Work, that while it touches a very large number of target voters, disproportionately includes non-target voters and is thus not efficient (e.g. advertisements during football games). 
  • Work that is not specifically related to voter engagement in the 2026 midterm elections 

While we can provide funding to non-501(c)(3) entities, including (c)(4) and (c)(7), funds can only be used for (c)(3)-permissible activity. 

Grant Design Overview

Grant Term: 1 Year – 36 Months

Geography*: GA, AL, FL, LA, MS (*see more detail below)

Funding Type: Flexible program support + rapid-response use

Award Size Philosophy: Right-sized for pilot, scale test, or surge

Application Format: Short written + required video submission

Reporting Style: Learning-focused, story + data

Renewability: Not automatic; may inform future VYV eligibility or other VYV funding opportunities

* Geography

Vote Your Voice is most interested in boosting turnout amongst communities historically denied voting access. It has identified the following counties as priorities where turnout among sub-demographic groups is below the state-wide average (especially Black men). We intentionally did not include some counties in major metros areas because of our desire to increase voter engagement activity in other parts of the states.  

While we will consider funding requests for work in other counties, we will need to understand why you believe we should prioritize those counties ahead of the ones we have identified.  

 

Tier 1: SPLC Priority Counties  

Alabama: Calhoun, Chambers, Houston, Russell, Talladega, and Tuscaloosa  

Georgia: Richmond, Muscogee, Bibb, Chatham, Dougherty, Clayton, Liberty, and Lowndes  

Mississippi: Forrest, Harrison, Leflore, Washington DeSoto, Madison, Rankin, Jackson, Hinds, and Pike  

Florida: Orange, Hillsborough, Seminole, Duval, Pinellas, Osceola, Palm Beach, Lee, Polk  

Louisiana: LaFayette, Caddo, Ouachita, Calcasieu, Tangipahoa, and Jefferson

 

Tier 2: Context-Dependent Areas

While we have identified priority counties based on data and historic investment patterns, we remain open to proposals serving other counties within the five Southern states.  

For work proposed outside of previously identified priority areas, we invite applicants to share:  

  • Why this geography is urgent or strategically important at this moment 
  • What gaps or opportunities exist that may not be reflected in traditional metrics 
  • How this work complements- not duplicates of existing investments 

We are particularly interested in supporting communities that have experienced underinvestment or structural barriers to civic participation. In counties where turnout is already strong and resources are abundant, we encourage applicants to clarify the unique value-add of additional investment. We also value deep community relationships. If an organization is proposing work outside of its home base, we ask that applicants describe how they are building authentic local partnerships, staying informed about community dynamics, and ensuring their efforts are community-guided and locally accountable. Our goal is to fund work that is rooted, responsive, and positioned to strengthen long-term civic infrastructure. 

Voter Mobilization & Civic Innovation Priorities

Organizations should demonstrate how they will: 

  • Empower civic engagement in underrepresented groups
  • Activate disengaged or low-propensity voters 
  • Use culture, storytelling, or trusted messengers to move people 
  • Respond directly to voter suppression or civic disinformation 
  • Test new models that could scale beyond 2026 
  • Measure results either quantitatively or qualitatively1 

 

Priority will be given to efforts that: 

  • Are led by people most impacted by the issue 
  • Operate in hard-to-reach geographies or populations 
  • Combine organizing + narrative + direct voter engagement 

Utilize proven tactics and actions to increase voter engagement 

Deadline

April 17, 2026

Apply Now

 

1 Outcome measurements should be specific to people who organizations directly interacted with. If work could potentially impact a large group of people, measurements should at least include qualitative examples of people who were impacted to demonstrate the theory of change.  

While organizations that are not 501(c)(3)s (including 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(7)) may apply, all funded activities must be permissible under 501(c)(3) guidelines.  

 

Grant 2: Multi-Year Accelerator

Purpose of the Fund

The Vote Your Voice Accelerator Infrastructure Fund is a multiyear investment in trusted, high-capacity, and deeply networked civic-engagement organizations across: Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

This fund is designed to: 

  • Stabilize and sustain the organizations carrying the long-term weight of democracy protection 
  • Strengthen the connective tissue across state and regional ecosystems 
  • Support innovation, adaptation, and emergent learning in shifting political conditions 
  • Ensure frontline communities remain centered in voter engagement, protection, and shifting power to those historically denied it
     

Multiyear Grant Design Overview 

Grant Term: 3-5 Years

Funding Type: Majority General Operating + Strategic Initiative Support

Renewability: Annual check-ins, not competitive reapplication

Geography: GA, AL, FL, LA, MS

Grant Size Philosophy: Large enough to stabilize staff, infrastructure, and long-term planning

Reporting Style: Light-touch, learning-centered, narrative-based

Technical Assistance: Optional facilitation, peer learning, ecosystem coordination

Guiding Grantmaking Principles 

Ecosystem First, Not Organization First
We will fund organizations based on their role in the broader civic ecosystem, not only internal outputs.

General Operating as a Justice Practice
Flexible funding recognizes that movement work requires adaptation.

Emergent Learning Over Rigid Outputs
Learning cycles allow strategies to evolve with political realities. 

Power-Building & Community Trust
Priority is given to organizations with deep, accountable relationships with impacted communities

Movement Longevity, Not Just Election Cycles
The goal is infrastructure that lasts beyond headlines and seasons. 

Core Eligibility Requirements  

Organizations must: 

  • Be a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) (or have a fiscal sponsor) 
  • Be headquartered in or deeply rooted within one of the 5 southern states 
  • Demonstrate at least 5 years of sustained civic engagement or democracy protection work 
  • Show clear compliance with voter engagement, advocacy, and nonpartisan or partisan rules as applicable 
  • Serve communities most impacted by voter suppression and disinvestment
     
Accelerator Organization Criteria (Scored Across 6 Domains)

These are the defining qualities of organizations eligible for 3-5 year multiyear awards: 

  1. Ecosystem Leadership & Movement Role

The organization: 

  • Is widely recognized as a leader or hub within their state or region 
  • Plays a coordinating, convening, or connective role across multiple organizations 
  • Shares resources, data, strategy, or infrastructure with others 
  • Is often relied upon during high-stakes civic moments

 

  1. Community Trust & Accountability

The organization: 

  • Has deep, long-standing trust with directly impacted communities 
  • Demonstrates two-way accountability, not just outreach 
  • Is known locally as a protector, mobilizer, or defender of civic rights 
  • Reflects the communities it serves in leadership and staff

 

  1. Strategic Sophistication & Adaptive Capacity

The organization: 

  • Uses data, political analysis, or movement intelligence to guide strategy 
  • Demonstrates a track record of testing, refining, and evolving approaches 
  • Can clearly articulate how it shifts strategy based on changing conditions 
  • Balances rapid response and long-term systems change

 

  1. Organizational Stability & Leadership Health

The organization: 

  • Has stable executive leadership and senior management 
  • Demonstrates responsible financial stewardship 
  • Has operating infrastructure: finance, HR, compliance, technology 
  • Is realistic about capacity gaps and growth needs

 

  1. Collaborative Posture & Ecosystem Orientation

The organization: 

  • Does not operate in isolation or competition 
  • Regularly participates in: 
    • Coalitions 
    • Shared tables 
    • Joint strategy spaces 
  • Is seen as a trusted partner, not a gatekeeper

 

  1. Track Record of Impact & Reach

The organization: 

  • Can demonstrate: 
    • Voter outreach, protection, education, or civic engagement infrastructure-building outcomes
    • Policy, turnout, or systems-level engagement
    • Multi-cycle impact, not one-off wins 
  • Has reach across: 
    • Key geographies 
    • Target constituencies 
    • Or strategic issue areas 

Deadline

May 1, 2026

Apply Now

 

While organizations that are not 501(c)(3)s (including 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(7)) may apply, all funded activities must be permissible under 501(c)(3) guidelines.   

 

Grant 3: Neighborhood Power Grant

Purpose of the Fund  

The VYV Neighborhood Power grant entails a swift and concentrated allocation of resources to a designated geographic area to attain immediate, quantifiable outcomes within that specific area before or immediately following a pivotal date.  

The grant is designed to be a short cycle, rapid response investments in esteemed neighborhood-based organizations and leaders who mobilize civic participation within a defined local footprint. These grants support small teams collaborating closely with the community to enhance turnout and engagement around pivotal civic events.  

Core Eligibility Requirements  

Organizations must: 

  • Be a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) (or have a fiscal sponsor) 
  • Be headquartered in or deeply rooted within one of the 5 southern states 

The Neighborhood Power Grant Priorities and Tiered Structure  

The tiered structure ensures a “right need, right time” approach by matching funding to an organization’s specific capacity and geographic footprint. 

Tier 1: Surgical Focus ($2,500 – $5,000)

The Target: Small, grassroots organizations or neighborhood civic associations. 

The Logic: This is laser-focused on SPLC-priority precincts. These are majority-minority areas where voters of color have lower-than-average turnout and face structural barriers. 

The Footprint: Designed for a highly localized reach of approximately 2,000 to 5,000 voters. 

Tier 1: SPLC-Priority Precincts  

Alabama: Calhoun, Chambers, Houston, Russell, Talladega, and Tuscaloosa  

Georgia: Richmond, Muscogee, Bibb, Chatham, Dougherty, Clayton, Liberty, and Lowndes  

Mississippi: Forrest, Harrison, Leflore, Washington DeSoto, Madison, Rankin, Jackson, Hinds, and Pike  

Florida: Orange, Hillsborough, Seminole, Duval, Pinellas, Osceola, Palm Beach, Lee, Polk  

Louisiana: LaFayette, Caddo, Ouachita, Calcasieu, Tangipahoa, and Jefferson

 

Tier 2: Emergent Opportunity Areas A ($5,000 – $10,000)

The Target: Small-to-medium-sized organizations. 

The Logic: Supports groups ready to scale beyond a single neighborhood into “place-based clusters,” such as specific cultural corridors. 

Tier 2: Emergent Opportunity Areas A

Applicants may define their own place-based clusters—such as corridors, or culturally connected communities, based on how residents experience and organize within their geography. To remain eligible, at least 50–60% of proposed activities must be grounded in Tier 1 priority precincts most impacted by voter suppression and structural barriers to participation 

 

Tier 3: Emergent Opportunity Areas B ($10,000 – $25,000)
  • The Target: Medium-to-large-sized organizations. 
  • The Logic: Targeted at groups rooted in entire regions or multiple neighborhoods with consistent engagement history and multiple paid staff. 
Tier 3: Emergent Opportunity Areas B

Organizations eligible for Tier 3 typically: 

  • Are rooted in specific counties, regions, or muli-neighborhood areas 
  • Have multiple paid staff and/or structured volunteer teams that work in specific communities 
  • Demonstrate consistent civic engagement activity 
  • Are trusted by community partners and coalitions   

Grant Structure 

  • Flexible, general operating or capacity-building awards 
  • 1-2 year grants 
  • Tiered by priority (1, 2, 3) 
  • Funds may support personnel, technology, infrastructure, evaluation, partnership-building, and leadership development 

 

Organizations that: 

  • Are rooted in and accountable to the communities they serve; 
  • Operate within or partner deeply in counties with high turnout; disparities 
  • Identify their own capacity gaps and strategic needs; 
  • Engage proximate leaders and local communities involved in civic contribution and community-driven action;
  • Advance frameworks connecting civic engagement to broader justice movements; 
  • Use relational organizing, digital infrastructure, or place-based strategies to build long-term power; or 
  • Grassroots groups, small nonprofits, community collectives, and multi-issue justice groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Deadline

Rolling applications accepted through August 10, 2026

Apply Now

 

Souther Poverty Law Center’s Vote Your Voice is a fund held at Tides Foundation.