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How can grantmakers coordinate funding to have a strategic impact on strengthening democratic systems and civic engagement? There is a group in Illinois that illustrates one way to do this. Just Democracy was created about five years ago as a collaborative bent on getting democracy-building laws in shape in Illinois. They focused their efforts and made automatic voter registration a reality. They got some of their muscle from the coordinated approach grantmakers took to sustaining the group.
Rey Lopez-Calderon, Vice President for Development at Common Cause was in Illinois when Just Democracy was being organized. Jay Young is the political director of Common Cause Illinois. He’s at the collaboration table and at the capitol in Springfield making it happen for Just Democracy. Rey and Jay (yes, it’s the “Rey & Jay” show) will join us by video to share their story and join in on our conversation.
Other plans for this meeting of the Democracy Funders Working Group include a check-in on what’s happening with you, a look at MCF’s current democracy public policy agenda to see if it needs updating, and a happy hour. That’s right? Happy hour! It’s the least we can do to cap the meeting and your work week on a Friday afternoon in June.
Do you make grants that support community capacity building or organizing, civic engagement, public policy research and development, or efforts to create power in communities working to promote inclusion and equity? Then you should show up a Democracy Funders Working Group meeting!
Video conference participation is available for this event. Information about connecting through video conference will be included in your registration confirmation email.
For information, contact Bob Tracy, MCF's director of public policy and communication (612.335.3558).
If you plan to attend via video conference, after registration, please email Brianna Kocka.
This event is supported by a grant from The Joyce Foundation.
Mark you calendar. The group’s next meeting is Friday, October 26 from 2 to 3:30 pm.
