State Infrastructure Fund

The State Infrastructure Fund (SIF) is a donor collaborative fund based at NEO Philanthropy that works to increase civic participation and advance voting rights among people of color and other historically underrepresented communities. SIF advances this mission by supporting networks of state-based and state-focused nonpartisan organizations that engage their communities through advocacy, organizing and litigation. Since its inception in 2010, SIF has raised more than $95 million to further its goals. SIF will distribute $45 million in grants in support for its work during the 2019/2020 election cycle. Meanwhile, the fund’s membership has grown substantially. Since the beginning of 2017, the number of foundations contributing to the fund has increased from 13 to 31. SIF’s funding decisions are guided by an integrated voter engagement and voting rights strategy that concentrates SIF funding in three regions of the country, the South, Southwest and Great Lakes. SIF prioritizes support to organizations led by people who authentically represent their communities. SIF currently funds 501(c)(3), nonpartisan organizations in 17 states. To optimize the impact of its funding, SIF develops a strategy for each state selected within these regions based on research, site visits and follow-up communications conducted by senior program staff who have deep experience in the civic engagement and voting rights fields. SIF’s grant making is carefully developed to meet the needs of the networks of organizations working on the ground to do this challenging work. During the 2019/2020 funding cycle, SIF will primarily support organizations in 16 states: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.