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The Southwest is the highest growth area in the country for Latinos - including new citizens - and is where the Native American population is most concentrated. The region's urban centers, such as Las Vegas, Phoenix and Albuquerque have high concentrations of low-wage workers and large numbers of "domestic immigrant/new resident" families who are not registered or particularly civically engaged. The opportunity for engaging new voters - including large numbers of young people - is unique. On the other hand, the low population density of the rural areas of these states present barriers and challenges to voter participation. Subsequently, organizing efforts in these areas, particularly among Native American populations, is resource-intensive.
| Organization Name | Organization Description | Grant Amount |
| Border Action Network (BAN) | BAN is a grassroots membership organization that organizes new Latino citizens and recent immigrants in the under-served border region between Mexico and the United States in the Southwestern United States. Focusing on three border communities, BAN will register 10,000 community members and increase voter turnout by 20%. |
$15,000 |
| Moving America Forward Foundation (MAFF) | MAFF seeks to register over 160,000 Latino, Hispanic and Native American voters using reverse voter files. The Southwestern United States is the fastest growing region in the United States-and mostly through the rising numbers of Latinos. NM, AZ, and NV are all states with low levels of political participation and high concentrations of Latinos, Hispanics and Native Americans. |
$20,000 |
| Native Action | National Action seeks to target its voter registration and mobilization at the seven Indian Reservations of Montana. The Native population is the largest single minority in the state at nearly 10% of its total population. Native Action has successfully mobilized the Indian vote in the past; and the Native American vote is considered "swing" to both parties within the state. |
$10,000 |
| Public Campaign Action Fund | Public Campaign Action Fund is fighting the corrupting influence of money in politics by working with groups around the country to educate the public about the role of money in American politics and to mobilize voters around this issue. Tides funding will support outreach to the Latino community in Arizona related to a ballot initiative recalling the public campaign law in that state. |
$25,000 |
| SAGE Council's Native American Voters Alliance (NAVA) | NAVA will expand a voter base of Native Americans in urban areas in New Mexico; coordinate NAVA outreach to the National Indian Youth Council; and get 4,000 Native Americans out to vote. NAVA is reaching potential Native American voters through community-based, culturally appropriate methods. NAVA is focusing on urban voters because they are the most difficult to identify and most unlikely to vote. NM, though small in population, is home to a very poor community that is made up of infrequent or rare voters. |
$26,667) |
| The Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) | SWOP aims to register and mobilize low-income youth in NM. Folding in a disenfranchised segment of the population that has an historical rate of only 28% participation in elections is key for a state whose majority is low-income and of color. There is great value in local grassroots organizing in states where many organizations are 'parachuting' in to conduct this type of work. |
$20,000 |
| The Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) | SVREP is working to register, educate and turnout newly registered Latino and Hispanic voters. As part of VAF's Southwestern strategy, SVREP has the regional infrastructure and technical expertise necessary to complement the work of local grassroots organizations in the Southwest. SVREP is targeting these states as they are home to the highest rates of unregistered Latinos. |
$20,000 |
| The Western States Center | The Western States Center is working to advance voter education and mobilization in historically under-represented communities-especially those of recent immigrants and those of color. The organizations the Western States Center is working with are grassroots, community-specific points of entry and engagement for traditionally disengaged communities. These organizations target Latinos, youth, Native Americans and rural populations in the Western United States. |
35,000 |
