Civic Health Funding: Vot-ER’s Multi-Stream Approach

Vot-ER is a nonprofit organization that develops nonpartisan civic engagement tools and programs for every corner of the healthcare system —from private practitioners to medical schools to hospitals. Recognizing the potential to increase their resources and grow healthcare as an arena to register to vote, they strategized methods to add small-dollar donors to their existing strength in gifts from foundations and major donors. 

With a grant from Progressive Multiplier, Vot-ER identified sources and strategies for creating small-dollar donor lists. They hired a fundraising firm that helped to create a segmented email list through targeted list purchases and rentals and developed a regular fundraising email strategy and cadence. 

Over the contract, they raised over $6,000 from digital ads and fundraising emails. At the start of 2022, Vot-ER did not have an official small-dollar email fundraising list; through these efforts, they could grow the list to more than 16,000 names as of June 2023.

Progressive Multiplier also encouraged Vot-ER to further diversify their giving streams by viewing regularly scheduled events as fundraising opportunities. Vot-ER decided to open their second annual Civic Health Conference – typically reserved for medical health professionals – to donor prospects. As a result, Vot-ER secured two major funders who together contributed $675,000.

Vot-ER develops nonpartisan civic engagement tools and programs for every corner of the healthcare system — from private practitioners to medical schools to hospitals. Their work is driven by a community of healthcare professionals, organizers, clinical students, and technologists united by a common vision: healthy communities powered by inclusive democracy.