Equitable Civic
Engagement Fund
The Equitable Civic Engagement Fund (ECEF) aims to provide grants to nonprofit organizations committed to educating, connecting and empowering voting age residents in the Greater Cleveland area. ECEF is about bridging resources and organizations to a greater purpose of reclaiming and rewriting narratives around voting and elections.
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​We seek organizations that want to help us build a better democracy and who are committed to racial equity and participatory practices. Ultimately, we seek to shift power structures while catalyzing innovation and inclusive strategies to strengthen the social fabric of our community.
What makes this
grant program unique?
​In comparison to similar programs, what stands out within this program is the broad range of organizations we’ve had the opportunity to partner with. While we do fund more traditional voting organizations; we also fund organizations who may be considered non-traditional voting organizations. However the baseline for everyone we work with is being committed to incorporating equitable civic engagement into their work. Working with different types of organizations expands the variety of events and activities that we see being done throughout the community by the grantees we work with.
Jump to grant requirements
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The ECEF Story
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Our Co-Founders Erika Anthony and Crystal Bryant identified the need for micro-grants in the early phases of Cleveland VOTES. While much has changed and shifted over the last 10 years, when they were starting Cleveland VOTES, there were not too many funding sources explicitly focused on non-partisan civic engagement.
Erika and Crystal were both working in the social + human service sector and as such, many of the initial CV partners were also working in this sector. Most, if not all of those organizations, did not have specific staff who were solely dedicated to civic and voter engagement. So part of obtaining leadership’s buy in included an acknowledgement that organization’s should be compensated for their time in this work.
When we started this program, grants mostly ranged from $250-$500 per grant. There were a few times we were able to make $1000 grants. We are tremendously grateful and proud of how this program has grown over the years!
“The Equitable Civic Engagement Fund is one of our longest standing programs. This program has enabled us to not only make direct investments in some of this regions most remarkable leaders/organizations, but also develop long lasting relationships. While the financial contribution is a driving force behind this program, we equally value our community of practice, which is a generative space where we grow and learn together!”
Erika Anthony, Executive Director
Here are some of the ways our grantees invested into their communities.
To see our current grantees, visit our Who We Are page.
Application Information.
Who is eligible?
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Organizations must be a 501c3 or a fiscally sponsored organization
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Organizations must be an Ohio-based organization or a national organization with an office in Ohio
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We are seeking to partner with organizations that have a general understanding of the Equitable Civic Engagement framework
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We are seeking to partner with organizations are committed to, have attended trainings and/or have embedded racial equity and inclusion in their organization/work
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We are seeking the basic organizational details and contact information for the Executive Director and Primary Point Person for the grant period
Questions? Contact grants@clevotes.com
Grant Cycle Timeline
RFP released: April 14 2025
Deadline for Applications: May 9th 2025 by 7pm
Grantee Kickoff: June 26 2025
Interim Reports Due: September 15th 2025 by 7pm
Final Reports Due: November 21st 2025 by 7pm
Program commitments.
CLEVELAND VOTES.
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Provide funding to the grantee that will further organizational goals and objectives
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Offer opportunities to connect to organizations doing similar work throughout Northeast Ohio
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Serve as a direct line to mentorship, resources + tools to assist the grantee
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Share ongoing opportunities for community engagement beyond the grant cycle
GRANTEES.
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Attend scheduled Community of Practice sessions throughout the grant cycle
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Be prepared to learn, participate, and collaborate during the process
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Be responsive and cooperative with Cleveland VOTES team
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Provide Cleveland VOTES with updates + feedback during and after the grant cycle (e.g. reports, surveys)
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These funders help make the
Equitable Civic Engagement Fund possible!
Our lead funder for the ECEF is The George Gund Foundation. Over the years, we have received additional investments from foundations, such as the Cleveland Foundation and individual donors.
If you are interested in helping us build a better democracy by contributing to the ECEF Fund, please contact us at info@clevotes.com.
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