November is right around the corner, and all eyes are turning to Election 2020. Whether submitting our mail-in ballots early, or getting ready to vote in person at the polls, we're dedicating our attention to the critical importance of voting, this year in particular. As we gear up for one of the most important elections in American history, we want to send a special thank you to the numerous Tides philanthropic partners who contributed generously to the Healthy Democracy Fund this year. Your support helps everyone to get out the vote—the cornerstone of a healthy democracy.

We also want to call attention to women of color voters, who represent the fastest-growing voting bloc in the country. They have the power to dramatically shift the political landscape. Read more. And, while 84 percent of registered voters say it matters who wins the presidential election, issues like climate change and racial inequality continue to come in second to the economy and jobs. Read more.

- And please, vote like our democracy depends on it! -

Women of color are the fastest growing voting bloc in the country. Today, one in three voting-age women in the United States are women of color. Yet, women of color still vote at lower rates than white women. We must support more Black, Indigenous, and other women of color voters to stand up for their interests and make their voices heard. Tides’ Healthy Democracy Fund is proud to support numerous organizations led by women of color that are at the forefront of building a more inclusive democracy that works for all of us. Read more.

Every four years we hear the same story: “This is the most important presidential election of our lifetime!” This year, however—amidst a global pandemic, the uprisings against police violence, the growing climate crisis, and yet another economic crisis—voters seem to agree. Read more.

As we get ready to vote, we want to thank the numerous Tides philanthropic partners who contributed generously to the Healthy Democracy Fund this year. With your support, we’ve funded dozens of community and state-level groups working to close the voter turnout gap and protect the voting rights of communities of color, young voters, and the economically disadvantaged.

We also want to extend our gratitude to Healthy Democracy Fund Leadership Council members: Rajasvini Bhansali, Executive Director, Solidaire Network; Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, Co-Founder and Vice President, Way to Win; Natalia Salgado, Chief of Civic Engagement, Center for Popular Democracy; Sarah Audelo, Executive Director, Alliance for Youth Organizing; and Cristina Jimenez Moreta, Co-founder, United We Dream. Your expertise as leaders in civic engagement helped to ensure that we’re laying the groundwork for democracy reform for communities of color all across the United States.

Poder Latinx Collective Fund at Tides Foundation aims to support a healthy democracy through comprehensive civic engagement among Latinx voters across the country. The fund supports programs that combine educational efforts to inform hard-to-reach families with robust get-out-the-vote programs. The fund also works to provide leadership development, expanding the electorate and year-round civic engagement in the Latinx community. Programs funded through Poder Latinx Collective Fund have effectively adjusted their strategies in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, making training for communities and leaders accessible despite the shifting rules and regulations during this time. The fund supports get-out-the-vote efforts across the country via text messages, phone banking, and even door-knocking, with the goal of reaching 7.5 million Latinx individuals and families. To learn more or to donate, contact Yadira Sanchez at [email protected].

Florida Rights Restoration Coalition Education Fund (FRRC-EF) supports efforts that end disenfranchisement and discrimination against people with convictions. A major aspect of this work is ensuring that returning citizens across the state of Florida are able to engage in our democracy by voting. In 2018, Florida restored the right to vote to more than 1.4 million Florida residents who had previously been convicted of a felony and completed all terms of their sentence. Today, FRRC-EF is supporting the effort to register and engage Florida’s returning citizens and their families to be empowered and passionate voters. To learn more about the FRRC Education Fund or to donate, please contact [email protected].

In partnership with immigration leaders, Tides has developed a new approach to increasing capacity for nonprofits to effectively collect, analyze, and share data. Our Data and Technology Initiative brings together fully-funded experts, nonprofits, and donors to collectively build sustainable infrastructure within the immigration sector. Join us! Learn from immigration field-leaders directly and reach out to Tides Director Roxana Shirkhoda at [email protected] for more information.

• As of September 28th, almost a million ballots had already been cast by mail for the 2020 Presidential Election. Read about how these numbers stack up compared with previous elections and why this is historically unique.
• Public Rights Project, a Tides social venture partner, is defending workers who have been sexually harassed on the job but who are not protected by their employers because they aren’t considered employees.
• Watch Tides’ Director of IT Jonathan Mergy share his experience at a BoxWorks 2020 session: Securing critical nonprofit solutions and support.