August 22, 2017
Voqal is pleased to announce five new grants to organizations working across the country to advance social equity. The grants of $30,000 to Melange of Applachia, $50,000 to Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN), $75,000 to New Media Ventures, $75,000 to MHAction and $50,000 to PICO National Action Fund reflect Voqal’s commitment to support progressive movements for social change.
Melange of Appalachia
Melange of Appalachia encourages self-sustainable programs with communities in need through multicultural arts, media and education in Tennessee. Voqal’s support will enable Melange to use public education and research to secure the political will, resources and popular support for publicly-accountable broadband in rural East Tennessee
Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN)
Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN) is a network of community organizations in Massachusetts working for economic and racial justice. Thanks to Voqal’s help, MCAN will work to build support for two 2018 ballot initiatives aimed at creating a $15 an hour minimum wage and a more progressive tax infrastructure in Massachusetts.
New Media Ventures
New Media Ventures finds, supports and finances organizations that are building advocacy movements and catalyzing civic engagement. With support from Voqal, it will expand its thought leadership, branding and communications efforts to ensure it is well-positioned to meet this moment of emerging progressive activism.
MHAction
MHAction is a growing national movement of manufactured home owners who work to protect the affordability and quality of their communities through local and state campaigns. Voqal’s grant will enable MHAction to lend its unique voice to social, racial, climate and economic justice campaigns that promote the well-being of manufactured homeowners and their communities and further develop its online infrastructure to deepen the reach of the progressive movement in exurban and rural locales.
PICO National Action Fund
PICO is a national network of community organizations working to create innovative solutions to problems facing urban, suburban and rural communities. Voqal’s support will enable PICO to conduct a campaign to hold prosecutors across the country accountable and bring light to racist biases that have led to disproportionally high incarceration rates in communities of color.
Voqal looks forward to seeing how the work of these organizations helps to advance social equity in the coming months.
Learn more about the Voqal Fund here.