Three grant opportunities are available to nonprofit organizations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi
Montgomery, Ala. — The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) announced the launch of its 2026 Vote Your Voice grant cycle, opening applications for three funding opportunities designed to advance full voter participation and fair representation across the Deep South. The SPLC’s Vote Your Voice initiative aims to support nonprofit organizations committed to voter education, civic engagement and voting access, with a particular focus on historically excluded and underrepresented communities. nonprofit organizations committed to voter education, civic engagement and voting access, with a particular focus on historically excluded and underrepresented communities.
“The Deep South has always been ground zero for the fight over who gets to participate in our democracy,” said Seth Levi, chief strategy officer, SPLC. “Vote Your Voice exists because we believe that lasting change requires investing in the organizations and communities doing this work every day. These grants are about building the civic infrastructure that sustains democracy for generations to come.”
Launched in 2020, Vote Your Voice was created to move beyond short-term, election-cycle funding and toward sustained, year-round engagement that strengthens democratic participation and community leadership over time. The initiative’s approach — centering continuous engagement, long-term relationships and collaboration across geographies — is rooted in the belief that democracy is strengthened by organizations with deep roots and the resources to sustain their work.
“Vote Your Voice has been a true partner to Stand Up Mobile. The grant opportunities have helped to respond to local issues and understand how statewide civic engagement efforts connect to the work happening on the ground in communities like Mobile,” said Beverly Cooper, Co-Founder, Stand Up Mobile, a previous grant recipient. “From supporting organizing around redistricting and the new Second Congressional District to providing early investments in capacity building and leadership development, their partnership has helped us grow our infrastructure and deepen civic engagement across our community. At a time when voting rights are being challenged and misinformation is widespread, this kind of support is critical to ensuring that communities have trusted partners, trusted information and real opportunities to participate in our democracy.”
Previous grant recipients include Alabama A&M University, Foot Soldiers Park, Florida Student Power, Florida Rising Together, ProGeorgia, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, Together Louisiana, Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, Mississippi Votes, Mi Familia Vota Education Fund and more.
“The Vote Your Voice grant has been transformational for the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable,” said Cassandra Welchlin, Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, a previous grant recipient. “This funding expanded our capacity statewide—deepening voter education and participation among Black women and their families through trusted, community‑based engagement; strengthening youth civic leadership through our Black Youth Vote program; mobilizing communities alongside statewide partners for strong turnout in key elections; educating voters on critical voting rights issues like redistricting and the issues that matter to their kitchen tables; and building long‑term civic infrastructure through leadership programs such as Power of the Sister Vote and Mississippi Women in the Lead. Vote Your Voice has helped us grow a stronger, more informed, and more empowered electorate across Mississippi.”
The three grant opportunities include:
- Voter Mobilization & Civic Innovation Grant: This grant supports organizations working to build community-based power, activate disengaged voters and use culture, storytelling or trusted messengers to drive civic participation. Priority is given to efforts led by those most impacted by the issues, those operating in hard-to-reach areas and those combining organizing with direct voter engagement. The application deadline is April 10, 2026.
- Multi-Year Accelerator Grant: The Vote Your Voice Accelerator Infrastructure Fund is a multi-year investment in trusted, high-capacity and deeply networked civic-engagement organizations. This grant is designed to stabilize organizations carrying the long-term weight of democracy protection, strengthen regional ecosystems, and ensure front-line communities remain centered in voter engagement and systems change. The application deadline is May 1, 2026.
- Neighborhood Power Grant: This grant is a rapid-response, short-cycle investment for neighborhood-based organizations and leaders who mobilize civic participation locally. Awards are tiered to match an organization’s size and scope. Funded activities may include voter outreach, community organizing, partnership-building and more. The application deadline is Aug. 10, 2026.
“VoteRiders’ partnership with Vote Your Voice has been a catalyst for growth, allowing us to fortify our mission-critical work in Florida and Georgia while launching vital new programs in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana,” said Lauren Kunis, CEO & executive director, VoteRiders, a previous grant recipient. “With half of these states enacting stricter voter ID laws since 2020 — and much of the region often overlooked by national campaigns—millions of voters face the very real threat of disenfranchisement. This support is essential to ensuring that every eligible voter in the South has the tools and the voice to make their ballot count.”
Applications are currently open to any eligible organizations that plan to engage in 501(c)(3) permissible activity. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) (or have a fiscal sponsor) and be headquartered or deeply rooted within one of the five Southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana or Mississippi. National organizations may apply if their services are grounded in the stated communities.
For more information and to apply, click here.
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About the Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.