Making Grants

Dec. 3, 2014 Five of Chicago’s top documentary production companies presented the world premiere of a new web series examining public education after the fallout from the city’s historic closing of 49 public schools. The School Project, a six-part series of 10-minute segments, launched with a free public screening and discussion at the Chicago History

Oct. 22, 2014 With support from Voqal Fund, New Organizing Institute (NOI) conducted a 3-day new media and digital strategy training for organizations working to reform the campaign finance system. The training covered both a theoretical understanding of organizing, as well as hard skills to execute campaigns. Participants learned to create a strong narrative online

Oct. 22, 2014 “J Street: The Art of the Possible” is a feature-length documentary that tracks a progressive, pro-Israel lobby group advocating for a two-state solution. Originally funded partially by a Kickstarter campaign, support from the Voqal Fund was instrumental in allowing the filmmakers to move the documentary project across the finishing line. Filmmakers are

Update: Nov. 25, 2014 Original Post: Oct. 7, 2014 Update: We have now expended the funds allocated for the Net Neutrality Rapid Response funding. Voqal thanks everyone who showed interest. Voqal plans to make a number of grants for activity in support of the FCC’s reclassifying broadband as a common carrier service under Title II

Sept. 25, 2014 This summer, with support from Voqal, Hollaback! embarked on its first ever Innovation Challenge: a proposal writing challenge for Hollaback! site leaders around the world. Hollaback! Bahamas won the challenge with their team’s proposal titled: “HERassment Stories: An Experiential Documentary.” The Bahamas team plans to secure hidden cameras to women walking down

Sept. 22, 2014 An Olive Garden employee started a petition on Co-worker.org to voice workers’ concerns over layoffs and wages that has gathered over 7,000 signatures. Voqal Fund grantee Coworker.org is a digital organizing platform for workers’ rights that provides a combination of online tools, media outreach and research-based strategic support to help employees have

Sept. 16, 2014 Founded in 2000 by a volunteer group of retired teachers, Reading Results works toward the vision that all children finish third grade able to read. Based in Portland, Oregon, Reading Results partners with schools serving low-income students to provide a proven reading intervention program. Reading Results identifies early-grade children most at risk

Sept. 8, 2014 Hollaback!, a movement to end street harassment powered by a network of local activists around the world, has gained a good deal of traction this summer in its efforts to show that street harassment is not okay. With support from many organizations, including Voqal Fund, Hollaback! sites around the world are holding

Sept. 3, 2014 The Computers to Youth program at the University of Colorado Boulder works to bridge the digital divide by providing high school students from low-income communities in the Denver-Boulder area with upgraded computers and select applications. With support from Voqal Fund, Computers to Youth refurbishes surplus computer equipment to robust standards, thus enabling

August 27, 2014 KGNU, an independent, noncommercial, community radio station located in Boulder, recently launched AfterFM, an online all-music channel and News.KGNU.org, a news portal. With support from Voqal Fund, the new enhancements help KGNU to both build its audience base and address the increasing migration of radio listening from broadcast to online. The success