Florida Philanthropic community unites to improve voter turnout
MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2020 / Florida Counts: Vote 2020, a statewide non-partisan initiative formed by nine philanthropic and nonprofit organizations throughout the state of Florida, announced that it has awarded more than $350,000, to 21 community-based organizations throughout the state of Florida to propel voter education and participation efforts addressing eligible voters of all ethnic groups in communities with low voter turnout. In the 2016 presidential election, only 59.5% of Florida's citizen voting age population turned out to vote, placing our state #44 for voter turnout. (U.S. Census Bureau). Turnout rates were only 50.5% for African Americans, 54.1% for Latinos, and 40.4% for Asian Americans. In addition, voter turnout in Florida has decreased in every election cycle since 2004. The Florida Counts Vote 2020 coalition formed to advance voter education and turnout.
The Florida Counts: Vote 2020 coalition invited community-based 501 (c) 3 nonprofits to submit proposals to reach eligible voters in low turnout communities Their work will focus on communities of color, immigrants, young voters, LGBTQ+ and other communities with historically low turnout. Our 21 partners conduct their work in 32 counties across the state. Each partner has received grants to lead outreach, education, and mobilization for participation efforts.
The grantee partners are conducting their work in 32 FL counties including Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Bay, Brevard, Broward, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Gadsden, Indian, Hillsborough, Jackson, Lake, Lee, Leon, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns and Volusia.
The 21 community-based organizations are:
- Jump For Joi
- The Common Ground Project
- WeCount
- Florida Voices for Health
- Student Aces
- Progress Florida Education Institute
- The Children's Campaign
- Avanse Ansanm
- Faith in Florida
- League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County
- NALEO Educational Fund
- Miami Workers Center
- Sant La, Haitian Neighborhood Center
- La Federación
- Radical Partners
- New Shiloh Christian Center
- The Black Commission International
- The Black Collective, Inc.
- Women Alliance of Miami-Dade and Broward, Inc
- The First Coast Leadership Foundation
- MASA Foundation
"Florida Counts: Vote 2020 initiative will continue to raise funding for regranting to the important trusted community voices that will encourage and educate hard to turnout voters to participate in the upcoming 2020 general elections." said Susan Racher, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, one of the nine nonprofits spearheading this non-partisan initiative.
The Initiative Florida Counts: Vote 2020 will help mobilize community-based organizations in support of voter outreach and education in line with national best practices, cutting edge digital tools and other resources to its grantees and partners. Florida Counts: Vote 2020 believes that it is essential to Floridians' quality of life that local philanthropic organizations provide financial capacity for grassroots nonprofit organizations to encourage communities to participate fully in the civic engagement process. Florida Counts: Vote 2020 will collaborate as funders and community partners to leverage non-partisan civic engagement opportunities and increase voter participation in the 2020 election and beyond.
The nine philanthropic and nonprofit organizations spearheading this initiative are: Florida Philanthropic Network, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, Florida Nonprofit Alliance, Florida C3 Civic Engagement Table, Urban League of Broward County , Ventus Charitable Foundation, The Miami Foundation, Health Foundation of South Florida and NALEO Educational Fund. Florida Philanthropic Network (FPN) is the fiscal sponsor for this program. FPN is a charitable organization, recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3), that will accept donations, collect and distribute funds raised.
For more information or contributions to the work of Florida Counts: Vote 2020, please visit www.FLcounts.vote.
Media Contacts:
The Conroy Martinez Group, 305-445-7550
Jorge Martinez, jorge@conroymartinez.com
SOURCE: Florida Counts: Vote 2020
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https://www.accesswire.com/608474/Florida-Counts-Vote-2020-a-Statewide-Non-Partisan-Initiative-Awards-Grants-to-Increase-Voter-Participation
