Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust Awards $3.55M in Civic Engagement Grants to 19 Organizations
Investment supports resources to increase access to voting in communities of color
DENVER (Dec. 5, 2023) – The Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust today announced $3.55 million in civic engagement grants. The grantees were chosen for their work focusing on increasing voter access in communities of color, with an emphasis on voter registration and education.
Rob Katz, former CEO and executive chairperson of the board of Vail Resorts, and his wife, Elana Amsterdam, New York Times bestselling author and founder of Elana’s Pantry, launched the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust in 2017 and the Katz Amsterdam Foundation in 2018 to be a catalyst for eliminating inequities, increasing access to opportunity and improving outcomes for all.
“We are committed to funding organizations that help close racial gaps in voter participation, so we can move towards the promise of a multiracial and inclusive democracy,” said Rob Katz. “These civic engagement grants are focused on increasing voter participation to help build community power and address the concerted voter suppression tactics that threaten to destabilize the foundation of our democracy.”
This is the eighth year Katz Amsterdam has awarded grants, with aggregate funding over the years totaling more than $56 million. Grants support not only civic engagement to help realize a multiracial democracy, but previous funding focused on improving community-developed behavioral health services for communities of color and reproductive justice.
The 2023 civic engagement grantees are:
Arizona
One Arizona $200,000
Brings together partners to strategize, share resources, build progressive infrastructure and support civic engagement goals.
Arizona Native Vote $150,000
Increases voter registration and civic engagement by educating rural and tribal communities about voter registration, elections, government and voting rights.
Arizona Center for Empowerment $100,000
Builds sustainable voter registration, voter education and mutual aid programs for Latine and BIPOC communities.
Black Phoenix Organizing Collective $100,000
Builds Black power through political education and leadership development, policy advocacy and civic engagement strategies that create strong, independent and self-reliant communities.
North Carolina
Blueprint North Carolina $200,000
Convenes 41 organizations to provide training and resource sharing to advocate for their communities and advance equity and social justice.
Southern Coalition for Social Justice $200,000
Supports marginalized communities in fighting for their right to responsive representation by protecting free and fair elections.
Imagine NC First $150,000
initiates, cultivates and funds strategic efforts to promote civic participation among underserved communities in North Carolina.
North Carolina Asian Americans Together $200,000
Fosters community among Asian Americans and allies in North Carolina through civic engagement, leadership development, grassroots mobilization and political participation.
We Are Down Home $250,000
Impacts community change by increasing voter registration in rural communities of color and addressing the disinformation and voter disenfranchisement.
Nevada
Silver State Voices $200,000
Creates a more robust democracy by increasing civic participation, fostering collaboration among diverse entities and employing new tools and technology to equalize access and representation.
Asian Community Development Council $200,000
Promotes, fosters, advocates and champions Asian American and Pacific Islander populations in Nevada with an emphasis on civic engagement.
Make It Work NV $250,000
Shifts the landscape of our community through advocacy and education to support the long-term health and vitality of Black families.
Make The Road $250,000
Increases voter participation within BIPOC communities in Nevada.
National
Voter Formation Project $200,000
Increases participation in elections using innovative and data-driven digital communications strategies to engage, register and mobilize new and infrequent voters of color.
Entertain Impact $100,000
Elevates civic engagement through voter registration of previously disenfranchised populations.
Movement Voter Project $200,000
Builds progressive power at all levels of government by strengthening the best and most promising local community-based organizations in key states, with a focus on youth and communities of color.
Mi Familia Vota $200,000
Builds Latino political power by expanding the electorate and strengthening local infrastructures through year-round voter engagement.
State Leadership Project $200,000
Incentivizes meaningful, long-term investment in structures, organizations and leaders in states across the country, with a focus on election protection, combatting misinformation and voter education.
All Voting Is Local $200,000
Removes discriminatory barriers to voting by tackling problems before they silence voters on Election Day.
About the Katz Amsterdam Foundation
The Katz Amsterdam Foundation strives to be a catalyst for eliminating barriers to health, increasing access to opportunity, and improving outcomes for all. The Foundation believes that everyone benefits from living in healthy and cohesive communities, but access to these benefits is unequal. KAF works in partnership with communities to advance just and equitable approaches to accessing mental, behavioral and reproductive health care and protect civil rights by increasing civic engagement and participation in a multiracial democracy. The Foundation does this work by addressing systemic injustice, racial and social disparities in mental health, reproductive health and civic engagement. KAF’s priority is to support community-driven work that meaningfully improves the lives of individuals and the social well-being of our communities. For more information, visit www.katzamsterdam.org.
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