Ignition Grants

A More Perfect Union is proud to once again provide Ignition Grants to help our partners protect and strengthen democracy. 

This year, we are excited to award up to $100,000 in Ignition Grants – our largest grant pool yet – to 501(c)(3) organizations in the Jewish Partnership for Democracy working to ensure free, fair, safe, and accessible elections in 2024.
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July 2024 Update: While we are no longer accepting applications for 2024 Ignition Grants, we look forward to reopening our next round of Ignition Grants in 2025.

Already a partner in the Jewish Partnership for Democracy? Check out our other resources to help you protect and strengthen democracy.

Not a partner yet? All American Jewish institutions are eligible and it’s free! The steps are simple. Click below to get started.

Ignition Grant Focus Areas and Examples

In 2024, our grant priorities align with three nonpartisan focus areas for advancing free, fair, safe and accessible elections. Below, you can find examples of grant-eligible proposals based on our focus areas. You can learn more about these focus areas on our Election Action Menu, including resources and toolkits to be released in the coming weeks to support partners.

Support the smooth administration of local elections

  • We recognize the critical importance of ensuring that our elections are administered by effective and impartial local election officials and poll workers. This infrastructure, largely overlooked for decades, is imperative to running safe and secure elections. Unfortunately, in some states, more than half of local election officials have left their posts since 2020 due to a heightened climate of fear and harassment from bad actors as well as the mounting challenge of recruiting enough poll workers. These are our friends and neighbors performing an imperative public service – and they need our support.

  • A synagogue organizes a recruitment campaign to register volunteer poll workers. Two other local synagogues join the network as new partners and co-lead this initiative. Each synagogue would be eligible for $2,000 in grant funding.

    Toolkit coming soon but feel free to use this link to recruit poll workers starting now!

  • A JCRC brings a group of constituents on a tour of their local election office, including a meeting with election officials. Afterwards, they send dozens of “thank you for making our democracy work!” cards made by children in the community. The organization would be eligible for $1,000 in grant funding.

    Toolkit coming soon!

Counter misinformation meant to disrupt our electoral process

  • Mis, dis, and malinformation (MDM) is consistently recognized among experts as one of the biggest threats to this year’s election. At best, it confuses voters, and at worst, it intentionally heightens a climate of fear and tension. Our best tool against MDM is accurate information shared by trusted messengers through trusted mediums. This is where we come in.

  • Three Hillels co-create an 18-part series of TikTok videos sharing factual information and refuting false information around the election, which they share with their followers each week in the run up to the election. The organizations would each be eligible for $2,000 in grant funding.

    Resources coming soon!

  • A synagogue joins the network as a new partner and implements a campaign to counter MDM in the community. The synagogue incorporates a segment in its newsletter to share vetted election information and offers a sermon from the rabbi on the Jewish case for challenging MDM. The synagogue would be eligible for $1,000 in grant funding.

    Resources coming soon!

Equipping Jewish leaders to preserve social cohesion in contentious times

  • Faith leaders – especially Jewish leaders facing the compounding reality of rising anti-Semitism – must be prepared both to lead and model to their communities through contentious times this election season and use their voices to reinforce democratic norms and moral accountability in public life. This is one of the key and unique opportunities for faith-based communities to contribute to American society this election season.

  • A JCRC, JCC and two local synagogues launch a Community Preparedness Working Group with the primary goal of making their constituents more resilient, supported, ready, and confident during the election season. The group brings together a diverse cross section of organizational leaders and community members for regular meetings, organizes expert briefings, adopts recommendations and best practices from A More Perfect Union’s Community Preparedness Toolkit (scheduled to be released in July), and sends representatives to A More Perfect Union’s Community Preparedness Virtual Summit in September. Each organization would be eligible for $2,000 in grant funding.

    Toolkit and Summit registration coming soon!

  • A Jewish museum serving as a polling place brings in an expert to conduct a security review, and institutes new policies and procedures to improve security during the election based on their recommendations. The organization would be eligible for $1,000 in grant funding.

FAQs

More questions? Reach out to info@jewishdemocracy.org.

  • Yes, with caveats. Partners applying for Individual Organization Grants may submit one proposal at a time. Organizations can participate in multiple Collaboration Grant proposals per round; however, organizations are only eligible to receive a maximum of $2,000 in total Ignition Grants, even if multiple proposals in which they are involved are selected.

  • Yes! Recipients of A More Perfect Union’s 2023 Ignition Grants (awarded in January 2024) will be eligible for this round of funding once the terms of their initial grant are fulfilled, including submitting a concise status report.

  • Applicants that are awarded Individual Grant funding in the first round will not be eligible for another Individual Grant in a second funding round, with the exception that an additional $1,000 may be available as part of a Collaboration Grant in a second round application.

    Applicants that are not selected in the first round will be given an opportunity to revise their proposal or submit a new proposal for the second application round.

  • Our work in 2024 is specifically focused on supporting election officials and workers during this pivotal election year. That support translates into registering poll workers, thanking election officials for their tireless efforts, and providing voters with accurate information they need to accurately, safely, and joyfully engage in local elections. As such, for this year, GOTV efforts or issue-specific campaigns are not a funding focus for our organization.

    We encourage you to reach out with questions or clarifications. Feel free to email info@jewishdemocracy.org.