The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center funds strategic democracy and ballot initiative work, combining research/strategy groups with state-level civic engagement and voter protection organizations. Grants concentrate on battleground states (notably Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Kentucky, Nebraska) and support research, communications, organizing, and general operating needs aimed at strengthening democratic processes and defeating or shaping ballot measures. The foundation mix emphasizes both national strategy partners and local advocacy groups to translate research into field action.
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Inc backs ballot initiative strategy and research alongside state-level civic engagement and voter protection work, with grants aimed at strengthening democratic processes and shaping ballot measures. A defining feature of the portfolio is how it pairs research-heavy national or regional strategy groups with local organizations that can turn that work into field activity. The largest grant in the recent record is $285,000 to Activate 48 Education Fund in Phoenix for research, followed by $200,000 to Organize Action Inc in Cloverdale for a 2.5 project. The foundation also returned to Arizona organizations across multiple years, including Arizona Wins, Progress Arizona, and Arizona Democracy Resource Center Action, which points to sustained interest in ballot-measure work in that state. Other awards support democracy-focused communications and general operating needs, suggesting that the funder values both message development and the organizational capacity needed to carry campaigns through. Its grantmaking is concentrated in battleground states and connected to advocacy organizations working on democratic issues, voter mobilization, and public education.
In ballot initiative strategy and research, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Inc gave $285,000 to Activate 48 Education Fund in Phoenix for research and $125,000 to Arizona Wins in Phoenix for research. Those awards show a consistent role for research-oriented partners in informing campaign work. Communications capacity also appears in the portfolio: Nebraska Votes in Lincoln received $10,000 in 2025 to strengthen communications focused on democracy. The foundation also supported broader democracy-defense work through $50,000 grants to Progress Arizona in Phoenix and Voter Rights Colorado in Denver to support efforts that strengthen democracy. General support shows up as well, including $45,000 to Missouri Jobs With Justice Voter Action in St Louis. Across these grants, the funder backs organizations that can translate strategy, messaging, and civic engagement into ballot-measure and voter-protection activity.
Typical grants cluster around mid-five figures, with a p25 of $47,500, a median of $87,500, and a p75 of $165,000. The recent record includes both larger project and research awards and smaller communications support, which suggests a mix of strategic investments and targeted capacity-building. Several recipients appear more than once across different years, including Arizona-based groups and Progress Arizona, indicating repeat relationships rather than one-off awards only. Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Inc is a public charity and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The recent grants data does not show an application process, so the pattern is best read through its recurring support for organizations already active in ballot initiative and democracy work.
$405K
$3.2M
$2.6M
$3.7M
Most grants fall between $48K and $165K, with a median of $88K.
25th Percentile
$48K
Median
$88K
75th Percentile
$165K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in AZ.
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Relatively concentrated giving with several large grants to strategy/research organizations and targeted awards to state-level groups; a blend of one-time project support and unrestricted/general operating support, with occasional repeat funding to priority state partners.
Notable grantees: Activate 48 Education Fund, Organize Action Inc, Arizona WINS, Progress Arizona, Voter Rights Colorado
Grantmaking is regional and heavily centered in the Southwest and Midwest. Arizona is the top state by grant count, with Phoenix appearing multiple times and Tempe also represented. Other named recipient locations include Denver, St Louis, Frankfort, Lincoln, and Cloverdale. All recent grants in the provided record went to US recipients, with no non-US country distribution shown. The foundation’s HQ is in Washington, DC, but its giving is concentrated elsewhere.
It funds ballot initiative strategy and research, state-level voter mobilization and democracy defense, communications for ballot or democracy campaigns, and general operating or project support for progressive advocacy organizations involved in ballot measures.
Typical grants are in the mid-five figures: p25 is $47,500, median grant size is $87,500, and p75 is $165,000.
Arizona is the top state by grant count. Recent Arizona recipients include organizations in Phoenix and Tempe, showing a strong concentration of giving in that state.
Yes. Progress Arizona appears in both 2023 and 2025, and Arizona-based groups also recur across the record, which points to repeated support rather than only one-time grants.
The recent grants include research, general support, and communications-focused support. Examples in the record include research awards, a general support grant, and a grant to strengthen communications focused on democracy.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORGANIZE ACTION INC | CLOVERDALE, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | 2.5 PROJECT |
| VOTER RIGHTS COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY |
| PROTECT OUR SCHOOLS KENTUCKY | FRANKFORT, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY |
| PROGRESS ARIZONA | PHOENIX, AZ | $50,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY |
| MISSOURI JOBS WITH JUSTICE VOTER ACTION | ST LOUIS, MO | $45,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT GRANT |
| NEBRASKA VOTES | LINCOLN, NE | $10,000 | 2025 | TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATIONS FOCUSED ON DEMOCRACY |
| ORGANIZE ACTION INC | CLOVERDALE, CA | $350,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ACTIVATE 48 EDUCATION FUND | PHOENIX, AZ | $285,000 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
| ARIZONA WINS | PHOENIX, AZ | $125,000 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
| PROGRESS ARIZONA | PHOENIX, AZ | $50,000 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
| ARIZONA DEMOCRACY RESOURCE CENTER ACTION | TEMPE, AZ | $40,000 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
VOTER RIGHTS COLORADO
$50,000TO SUPPORT EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY
PROTECT OUR SCHOOLS KENTUCKY
$50,000TO SUPPORT EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY
NEBRASKA VOTES
TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATIONS FOCUSED ON DEMOCRACY