VoteRiders Announces Major One-Time Gift From Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott
By Roy Speckhardt, Development Director — FEBRUARY 12, 2024
Following a months-long process, VoteRiders is thrilled to announce its receipt of a one-time landmark gift from renowned philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The unrestricted grant represents the largest single donation VoteRiders has received in its nearly 12-year history, and is a powerful testament to the deeply impactful role that VoteRiders plays in the voting rights space at this critical moment for our democracy.
“Our entire team is incredibly honored by this gift, which is a recognition of the transformational and cross-cutting impact that our work continues to have in service of at-risk voters nationwide,” said VoteRiders Founder and Board Chair Kathleen Unger. “I am overjoyed to share this honor with our extended and ever-growing VoteRiders community of staff, volunteers, partner organizations, and supporters – especially all those who have already contributed so much during this journey.”
VoteRiders was selected for this award via a “Quiet Research” process led by Scott’s Yield Giving organization, which identifies organizations working to advance the opportunities of people in underserved communities. Yield Giving evaluates organizations’ work through careful analysis of criteria specific to their size, geography, and mission for indicators of high potential for sustained positive impact.
Since its founding in 2012, VoteRiders has reached tens of millions of Americans with crucial and timely information on voter ID laws, as well as by providing free help to eligible voters to obtain the type of ID they need to cast a ballot that counts.
“As voter ID laws are enacted at unprecedented rates across the country, MacKenzie Scott’s timely investment helps shore up our ability to provide expanded and completely free ID help to Americans both in 2024 and beyond,” said VoteRiders CEO & Executive Director Lauren Kunis. With the need for this work continuing to grow, VoteRiders has set the ambitious goal of reaching 10 million voters with ID information and assistance during the 2024 election cycle.
Voter ID laws pose a heightened threat to American democracy this year and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Against this backdrop, this gift represents an important boost to VoteRiders’ unwavering commitment to serve voters year-after-year and ensure that voter ID laws do not keep any eligible voters from making their voices heard at the ballot box.
For more information on VoteRiders and our efforts to protect and expand our democracy via voter ID education and assistance, please visit VoteRiders.org.
