Back to All News
Text that say, "New gifts support Kansas Voter engagement with a picture of folks sitting down at round tables with a man raising his hand a Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City"

Funding Announcement

Health Forward gifts $300,000 to support Kansas voter engagement

Kansas City, MO — Health Forward Foundation has proudly gifted $300,000 in funding to 11 nonprofit organizations working to register and mobilize Kansas voters ahead of the November general election.

“Research consistently shows that communities with high levels of civic engagement are often the healthiest,” said McClain Bryant Macklin, Vice President of Policy and Impact at Health Forward Foundation. “Data also supports the marked inequities in voter registration and turnout in our communities of focus. This funding underscores our commitment to ensuring that our democracy reflects the voices and needs of people and communities that have historically been excluded.”

This funding supports organizations working in Kansas but represents just one piece of Health Forward Foundation’s broader efforts to increase civic engagement and voter participation across the Kansas and Missouri state line.

“Voting is one of the most powerful ways for people to shape the future of our communities,” said Jason Williams, Principal Impact Strategist – Power at Health Forward Foundation. “It’s how we influence decisions about city planning, resource allocation, neighborhood development, and so much more. When more people participate, especially those who have historically been excluded, we can build healthier communities where everyone can thrive.”

Health Forward is partnering with the following organizations:

Agency Gift Funding Impact
ACLU Foundation of Kansas $50,000 To implement a direct voter registration program, specifically registering Kansans with felony convictions. Funding will also support an election protection program surrounding the 2024 general election to ensure all eligible Kansans can access their right to vote.
Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation $20,000 To organize a bloc of 25,000 pro-immigrant voters by providing voter education resources in Spanish and English, engaging voters through relational organizing, and getting out the vote for the general election.
Argentine Betterment Corporation $15,000 To provide one-on-one recruitment and training for informal leaders throughout the Argentine community, organize targeted canvassing, host coffee and candidates meetings, and set up an information booth at Silver City Day. Additionally, funding will support block leaders in identifying voters who need a ride to the polls.
Community Health Council of Wyandotte County $20,000 To increase civic engagement for Black and Latino/a/x communities in Wyandotte County by providing voter education and registration, community mobilization, connection to civic engagement resources, and community connection.
El Centro $25,000 To provide extensive outreach and education efforts through our Nuestro Poder es Nuestro Voto (Our Power is Our Vote) project in Wyandotte and Johnson counties.
Kansas Black Leadership Council $20,000 To increase voter turnout among Black Kansans, raise awareness about the importance of voting, and engage the community with accessible and relatable content.
League of Women Voters of Kansas $10,000 To encourage registered and unregistered voters in Johnson, Wyandotte, and Allen counties to make their voices heard. Funding will support using the Kansas Display Advertising Network to send electronic ads to 140 online newspapers, which are distributed to more than 500,000 homes, as well as other volunteer outreach initiatives.
Loud Light $45,000 To conduct culturally relevant voter registration and get out the vote campaigns through in-person, online, and direct mail engagement in order to increase youth voter registration and turnout.
Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity (MORE2) $20,000 To reach Black and brown Kansas voters before the November general election to share a single message: Our Vote Matters. Efforts will increase voting turnout for Black and brown voters in Kansas City, Kansas.
The Voter Network Foundation $65,000 To increase turnout among voters of color by collaborating with nonprofit organizations to coordinate and execute nonpartisan get out the vote activities, including voter registration, phone banks, and more.
Voter Rights Network of Wyandotte County $10,000 To register new voters, conduct voter education, and encourage voter turnout by focusing on historically excluded people, particularly Black, Latino, and other voters in Wyandotte and Johnson counties.

Keep In Touch  Stay up to date about our region’s health equity movement. Subscribe today