Where to donate for ongoing progressive change?

July 12, 2023 11:47 AM

During election periods, I try to donate to candidates who seem good, and to voter registration organizations. Where should I donate to drive progressive change in the off season? Who's most effective? I'm thinking about Swing Left and The States Project. Who can do the most good with a few bucks to get effective progressives into effective positions?
posted by kristi to Society & Culture (7 answers total)

Please consider Ohio Citizen Action.

Ohio concluded an extremely successful petition drive to get protections for women’s health options added to the State constitution.

In response, the Republican legislature has called for a “special election” on August 8, 2023, for a proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to raise the threshold for passing all future constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60%. It is gaining national attention as a political power grab intended to change the rules and rob Ohio voters of their voice.

To highlight how crazy this is, just last year the same Republican legislature voted to abolish all “special elections”.

Ohio needs support to fight the August power grab as well as in November, when the women’s health amendment comes up for a vote. Ohio is bonkers because of a lot of successful gerrymandering — keeping it a swing state and not a pure red state is helpful for the national issues, as well.
posted by Silvery Fish at 11:57 AM on July 12, 2023 [4 favorites]

I donate to Act Blue at the local level once a month. They support local, progressive candidates at the primary level before the general election, where most progressive candidates need the money to get started.
posted by indianbadger1 at 12:17 PM on July 12, 2023

For political donations, I donate exclusively to the Democratic Party. My reasoning is that donating to fewer organizations (ideally one) is preferred for cost reasons - lots of small donations are more expensive to groups than fewer larger donations. Further, the Democratic Party has scope all over the USA, and can help local races as appropriate. If Democratic politicians aren't elected, with near-100% probability, Republican politicians will be elected. With near-100% probability, that will harm progressive change. Hence, it's to my benefit to elect Democrats.

I am highly pragmatic. Others are likely less so, and that's fine.
posted by saeculorum at 12:33 PM on July 12, 2023

I support the Movement Voter Project monthly -- they have year-round community organizers in swing states, identifying effective grassroots orgs that are building strong community ties and directing money where it's highest impact, with a focus on developing new diverse leaders.
posted by john hadron collider at 1:24 PM on July 12, 2023

I like the Justice democrats because they’ve gotten a lot of folks elected who have actual progressive values.
posted by congen at 1:36 PM on July 12, 2023

You could also look at local elections in your area. Local electeds make a lot of key decisions related housing, human services, education, transportation, climate change. If your area of the world has a housing crisis, homelessness, needs more public transit, more after school enrichment for kids, better parks, etc. Then please, please, please, get involved in your local elections.

Your local electeds are often the ones who run for governor, attorney general, and congress. Build the bench by electing good city council members and mayors
posted by brookeb at 5:55 AM on July 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

I would look at local elections and local groups involved in voter registration and rights.
There are school board elections in the US where dark right-wing money provide seven figure budgets to support banning books and worse.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 2:16 PM on July 15, 2023 [1 favorite]