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Access to Democracy
We support access to policymakers
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Public officials should be representative of, and accountable, to their diverse communities.
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Community-based organizations must have working relationships with policymakers and public officials.
- Community leaders must be valued as policy advisors, ensuring a more responsive government.
We believe in unimpeded access to elections
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Voting mechanisms must be simple, accessible and verifiable.
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Election policies must eliminate barriers to voting.
- Voting districts must ensure competitive elections and diversity in government.
We value access to information
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Voting materials must be translated into various languages.
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Materials that educate voters on issues and candidates must be easily available.
- Interpreters must be available during public meetings and elections.
Strategies for Democracy
Priorities are set by communities
Organizations we fund work on issues prioritized by their constituencies.
Organizational leadership is representative of, and accountable to, the communities they serve
Our goal is to increase the number of leaders, at board and staff levels, who mirror the demographic interests of their constituencies.
Coalitions are built across issues, regions and constituencies
Successful organizations share strategies for increasing urban grassroots mobilization, discuss tactics for creating coalitions, and pool resources in order to expand their effectiveness.
Systemic barriers are addressed
America’s promise to people of color, immigrants, women, and low income communities must be realized by eliminating barriers to democracy so government can respond to the needs of its citizenry.
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Funding Democracy
Learning is important to us
We commissioned a survey of community leaders to help us understand how to fund democracy in communities of color. We bring together the organizations we support to encourage the sharing of ideas and resources.
Funding democracy takes time
The Access Strategies Fund provides multi-year funding that enables organizations to institutionalize their civic engagement efforts. In addition, most of the Access Strategies Fund grants support general operating expenses, which strengthens organizations’ infrastructure.
Leading by example
The Access Strategies Fund strives to incorporate leaders from grassroots organizations and communities of color in all levels of the foundation from our board to our staff.
“Access Strategies Fund is a great example of a family foundation that has brought community representation and social change expertise into multiple layers of its grantmaking and governance.” — Creating Change Through Family Philanthropy: The Next Generation. Alison Goldberg and Karen Pittelman.