Investing in the
future of democracy in New York City
GoVoteNYC Fund in The New York Community Trust
We are donors committed to nonpartisan activity to strengthen democracy in New York City. We support nonprofit partners who are:
Educating, engaging, and mobilizing voters,
Strengthening civic engagement infrastructure citywide, and
Advocating a fair and barrier-free electoral system.
We invite the philanthropic community to join us in making grants, sharing information and ideas, and learning together with grantees how best to advance civic engagement and increased voter turnout across the five boroughs of New York City.
We know that the vast majority of New Yorkers do not vote.
Voter turnout in New York ranks among the lowest in the country.
In mayoral elections over the past two decades, only 1 in 4 registered voters went to the polls.
BUT - thanks in part to the efforts of GoVoteNYC grantees - the 2021 primary election had the highest voter turnout rate of any mayoral primary in several decades. Changing the turnout trajectory is possible!
We care because voting is the cornerstone of civic participation.
Low voter turnout is more likely among young and minority voters, and in low-income communities.
The extreme racial, economic, and geographic disparities in voter participation exacerbate inequalities across our city.
Our government is more accountable to and representative of all New Yorkers when voter turnout is high.
GoVoteNYC grantees have had exceptional impact on voter turnout
We came together to invest in voter engagement in 2021 — an election year of great consequence to New Yorkers.That year New York City voters elected a new mayor, a new comptroller, public advocate, five borough presidents, and 35 (out of 51) new City Council members. Over 400 candidates pitched their vision for the city’s recovery from a deadly pandemic that deepened systemic inequalities.
People are more likely to vote when they have accurate information about candidates and how elections impact their lives, and when that information comes from known sources.
GoVoteNYC partners for the 2021 election were trusted messengers with deep ties to their communities and experience getting-out-the-vote. New York City BIPOC voters canvassed by GoVoteNYC grantees voted at almost double the rate of BIPOC voters who were not contacted. We saw similar results in the 2022 elections.
GoVoteNYC’s going-forward two-year strategy through the 2025 city elections doubles down on the trusted messenger approach, along with electoral reform advocacy, strategic research, and a continued pursuit of innovative engagement tactics.
Current Grantees
GoVoteNYC’s grantees are “trusted messengers” to their communities, work in coalition across hundreds of neighborhoods, and combine on-the-ground relational organizing with a host of digital platforms. They have reached close to two million New Yorkers each year – many of whom are infrequent voters or are typically overlooked in the democratic process.
