On the heels of a New York Times/Sienna poll and last week’s election results, Blue Tent notes that voters are deeply concerned about the economy. Blue Tent encourages donors to support Rural Democracy Initiative and other organizations that are creating a shared vision for an economy that works for everyone.
In the November ’23 elections, voters in Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky protected core freedoms like reproductive choice, education, and democracy itself. Rural Americans elected leaders who support clean energy, climate progress, and racial justice to city and county government, school and water boards, and as sheriffs and district attorneys. These leaders will determine whether rural Americans have senior care, child care, and adequate school funding.
Rural groups are building multi-racial majorities to build power, win elections, and implement local-led solutions. Barnraiser reports on Rural Democracy Initiative's recent Netroots Nation panel with grantees Black Male Voter Project and Showing Up for Racial Justice.
In April and May, Rural Democracy Initiative’s (RDI) 501c3 Heartland Fund and 501c4 Rural Victory Fund committed over $2.4 million in grants to 37 groups to build on the momentum of our network’s 2022 rural wins. These groups are defending against emboldened attacks on democracy, healthcare, core freedoms, and economic security, and also maximizing opportunities with new state governing majorities, cross-partisan partnerships, and federal funding.