Foundation’s Vision for Voter Engagement Project Grants
Universal Health Care Foundation’s Voter Engagement Project Grants are a nonpartisan initiative to engage voters across the state to focus on elevating health care issues in the 2018 election season.
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut’s mission is to serve as a catalyst that engages residents and communities in shaping a democratic health system that provides universal access to quality, affordable health care and promotes health in Connecticut. One important aspect of our mission is to ensure that everyday people’s voices are heard on the critical health care issues that impact them.
As part of our commitment to ensuring that real people’s concerns about their health care are heard by those making policy decisions, in early 2017 we spearheaded Protect Our Care Connecticut (POCCT). Protect Our Care CT is a group of organizations and individuals who have been working together to defend and progress health care in the state.
The 2018 electoral cycle offers a clear opportunity for nonpartisan influence on the public debate – and for all people’s voices to be heard. Protect Our Care CT plans to engage voters in a variety of ways – voter registration, pledges to vote, workshops on health care policy, advocacy skill-building trainings, educating candidates, and being active on “Get Out the Vote” days (primaries and Election Day).
Despite the state-wide breadth of our POCCT, we know that other organizations across the state are trusted and well-positioned in their communities to engage people from diverse backgrounds in the upcoming election. Our Voter Engagement Project Grants seek to fund organizations up to $2500 to reach people whose voice is under-represented in the health care conversations – and connect them to the upcoming elections via nonpartisan voter engagement activities.
What are nonpartisan voter engagement activities? Nonpartisan voter engagement activities could include:
- Voter registration
- Having new and existing voters sign a "pledge to vote" card
- Participating in “Get Out the Vote” activities on Election Day (including primaries) to ensure those that sign pledge cards vote
- Protect Our Care CT’s voter engagement activities, such as:
- Voter education on health care policy
- Advocacy skill building
- Candidate education
Please note: These activities are open to all, and grantees are encouraged to connect those they engage to these activities.
Our voter registration activities are available without regard to the voter's political preference. Information or other assistance regarding registration or voting shall not be withheld or refused on the basis of support for or opposition to particular candidates, parties or policy positions.
General Eligibility for Voter Engagement Project Grants
We are looking for grantees who:
- Work in one or more of the following regions: Greater Hartford; Northeast CT; New Britain Area; Milford/Stratford Area; Meriden/Middletown Area; New London Area; Danbury Area; Norwalk Area; Waterbury Area.
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Have an ability to engage with communities that are under-represented in health care conversations, including people of color, young people, people with low incomes, and others.
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Can do this work for the grant period of July 15, 2018 – November 15, 2018
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Are a 501(c)3 non-profit
Grants include:
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A project grant of up to $2,500
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Mandatory training and support for conducting voter registration, voter pledge activities and other voter engagement
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Resources, materials, and tools for a successful voter registration and pledge to vote program
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Connection to local Protect Our Care CT activities
Expectations of Grantees
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Commit to engaging at least 200 people in the upcoming election, including
- Registering at least 100 people to vote
- Collect at least 200 signed pledge to vote cards
- Follow-up on signed pledges
- Turn in completed pledge cards
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Designate a primary contact for coordination and communication on this project
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Attendance at mandatory training of at least the person designated primary contact
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Participate in National Voter Registration Day on September 25, August 14 primary day (where applicable) and November 6 election day
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Participate in periodic check in calls with other grantees
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Voter engagement activities grantees will conduct include:
- Nonpartisan voter registration
- Get newly registered voters and existing voters to sign pledge to vote cards
- Run “Get Out the Vote” (GOTV) activities on November Election Day (August primaries included, where applicable) in order to to get newly registered and existing voters who signed pledge cards to vote
- Connecting people reached through voter engagement activities to Protect Our Care CT activities
Our voter registration, education and engagement activities and related materials are nonpartisan and are in no way intended to reflect an endorsement of, or opposition to, any candidate, political party or political action committee.
Key Dates
Grant application deadline: 5pm on June 8, 2018
Grantee notification: June 28, 2018
Selected grantees must sign and return a grant agreement before funds will be disbursed.
Grant period: July 15 – November 15, 2018
Primaries: August 14, 2018
National Voter Registration Day: September 25, 2018
Election Day: November 6, 2018
