Ignition Grants

Elections power American democracy. 

Strong elections depend not only on voters, but on the thousands of individuals who work to ensure that voting is smooth, secure, and accurate. This is not just a civic concern, it is a Jewish one – when elections work, they build a democracy where Jewish communities can thrive. 

A More Perfect Union’s Faith in Fair Elections campaign aims to help Jewish organizations ensure our elections remain free, fair, safe and accessible. 

To further support our partners doing this work, A More Perfect Union will be granting $125,000 to Jewish organizations that mobilize their communities to engage in five recommended election actions:

  • Recruiting Poll Workers

  • Building Relationships with Election Officials

  • Enlisting Pro Bono Attorneys

  • Engaging Poll Chaplains

  • Serving as Trusted Messengers

Applications will open on June 10. Email us at [email protected] to receive updates about Ignition Grants.

  • Faith in Fair Elections Ignition Grants will support partners that mobilize their communities to engage in our five recommended election actions this year. We selected these actions after deep research, extensive consultation with democracy experts, and an analysis of how and where Jewish communities can lead. 

  • Partners can apply for the following:

    • Ignition Grant: Up to $2,500 for meaningful and intentional efforts to engage your community in the election actions ($500 for each election action undertaken) 

    • Collaboration Power-up: If any of your efforts is a collaboration among multiple partners in the JPD, in which each organization is an equal and significant contributor, each partner can receive a one-time $500 Collaboration Powerup. (Max: 3 partners per election action)

    The maximum that a Jewish organization can receive in this funding round is $3,000.

  • June 10-July 22

    • June 10: Ignition Grant applications open

    • June 10 - July 22: Ignition Grant applications accepted as long as funds are available. Applicants will be notified about funding decisions on a rolling basis.

    • July 22: Ignition Grant applications closed

    • August 15: Ignition Grants final release date

    • November 4: Funded projects conclude

    • December 31: Concise report forms due

Eligibility Criteria

A More Perfect Union will consider funding proposals that meet all of the following criteria:

  • To qualify for an Ignition Grant, an applicant must:

    • Be a partner in the Jewish Partnership for Democracy (organizations can join the JPD for free at the same time as they fill out the Ignition Grant application);

    • Be in compliance on the terms of any previous Ignition Grants from A More Perfect Union;

    • Agree to submit a concise report after the project concludes and turn the initiative into a short playbook to help other partners in the JPD learn from your efforts. (A More Perfect Union will provide simple templates for you to use.)

  • To qualify for a Faith in Fair Elections Ignition Grant, each project must be:

    • A meaningful and intentional effort to engage your community around one or more of the five recommended election actions. 

      • Each partner can request $500 per activity for up to five activities, one per election action.

      • All activities should all be submitted at the same time on the application form.

      • Conducted between the award date and Election Day (November 3, 2026).

    • Nonpartisan and aligned with A More Perfect Union’s Democracy Principles.

    Funds can be used to support operational and program costs related to the initiatives, including staff time. 

    • Funds can be used to support operational and program costs related to the initiative, including staff time. Funded projects can take place at any time in 2026.

    • We are thrilled to provide a meaningful amount of funding to this effort and hope to be able to support every partner that requests a grant. However, depending on the demand, we may not be able to fund every proposal. To ensure the fairest possible process for all our partners, all proposals that meet our eligibility criteria will be awarded on a rolling basis as long as funds are available. We encourage partners to apply at their earliest convenience to increase the likelihood of receiving funding.

What Can My Initiative Look Like?

Faith in Fair Elections projects can look many different ways depending on your organization and community. Here is more information about each of our recommended election actions and some examples of activities that may qualify for funding:

  • Elections rely on people at every step – from staffing polling places to verifying ballots. Without that participation, our elections cannot function effectively. Federal elections in the U.S. require one million poll workers nationwide. For Jewish institutions, showing up to support our elections reflects a longstanding commitment to civic participation and community responsibility.

  • Becoming a poll worker is easy - anyone can sign up at https://powerthepolls.com/jewishdemocracy and be connected to your local election office!

    • Host a poll worker recruitment tabling event at your next community gathering.

    • Hold a phone banking or postcard writing campaign to encourage members of your community to sign up as poll workers.

    • If your state lets teens serve as poll workers, create a social media campaign geared towards recruiting teens.

ENGAGING POLL CHAPLAINS

  • In an election in which polling locations may become sites of confrontation, Jewish clergy can play a meaningful role in deescalating tensions and keeping voting safe.

  • Jewish clergy can sign up to become poll chaplains at LINK - fill out the form to let us know you are interested, and then you will be rerouted to sign up.

    • Speak with your local Board of Rabbis about recruiting poll chaplains in your community.

    • Write an op-ed in your local Jewish newspaper urging area clergy to sign up.

    • Reach out to other area faith leaders in your community to register to be poll chaplains together

RECRUITING POLL WORKERS

ENLISTING PRO-BONO ATTORNEYS

  • Election Officials are under enormous strain this election season, including political pressure, rampant distrust, threats, harassment, and even violence. These challenges can impede their ability to administer elections safely and effectively. Attorneys can provide pro bono legal support through our trusted partner, the Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN), to support election officials in need.

  • Attorneys can sign up to volunteer for EOLDN at LINK - fill out the form to let us know you are interested, and then you will be rerouted to sign up.

    • Host a briefing for attorneys in your community about threats to election officials, and encourage sign ups at the event.

    • Enlist community members and board members to reach out to attorneys in their networks.

    • Launch a commitment campaign to get local law firms and legal associations to publicly pledge to support EOLDN.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ELECTION WORKERS

  • Meeting with Election Officials is a powerful way to build trust and accountability in elections. During these meetings, community members can make clear their support for free, fair, safe and accessible elections, express gratitude for officials’ important civic contributions, connect election officials to vital resources, and increase transparency for community members.

  • Staff and members of Jewish organizations can use A More Perfect Union’s Election Official Meeting Resources for sample meeting agendas, talking points, leave-behind materials, and more.

    • Hold a meeting with your Election Officials as early in the election season as possible.

    • Send a staff person or lay leader to attend local Election Board meetings and election machine testing, then share their experiences with the community.

    • Organize a tour of a local Election Office or invite an Election Official to speak to your community about the upcoming elections.

    • Hold an Election Official Appreciation Event or thank-you card campaign to show support.

SERVING AS TRUSTED MESSENGERS

  • In an election where misinformation is likely to be rampant, Jewish communal leaders have a unique opportunity to build trust in our elections by sharing accurate election information.

  • Educate voters about local elections, both proactively and in response to misinformation. Use our list of trusted sources to share vetted election information.

    • Commit to utilizing our Faith in Fair Elections Toolkit throughout the duration of the campaign

    • Launch an election information section in your newsletter to share updates on upcoming events and important voter information.

    • Host a nonpartisan candidate forum to educate the Jewish community about candidates for local, state, and federal office.

    • Share accurate election information from the bimah during the High Holy Days and during Shabbatot leading up to the election.

These are just examples – you can create your own activities that align with the grant criteria. A More Perfect Union staff are happy to help you brainstorm and design your initiative. 

FAQs

Any questions? Reach out to [email protected].

  • While there are many worthy election-related causes and actions, this year we are funding Jewish organizational efforts to engage their community around our five recommended election actions. Thus, projects focusing on voter registration, GOTV, and similar initiatives - while important and well-supported by other funding sources - will not be eligible for funding from A More Perfect Union this year.

    Also, any projects that are partisan in nature or that are inconsistent with our Democracy Principles will not qualify for funding.

  • To qualify for an Ignition Grant, an organization must be a partner in the Jewish Partnership for Democracy. Joining is free, quick, and simple, and you can do it at the same time as applying for a grant!

    If you are already a Community Partner in the JPD, applying for an Ignition Grant will automatically upgrade you to a Civic Renewal Partner (our partners committed to action) for free. You can learn more about the different partnership levels at https://www.jewishdemocracy.org/join. 

  • Yes! Partners can participate in multiple collaborative projects; however, organizations are only eligible to receive a one $500 Collaboration Powerup, even if they partner on multiple election actions.

  • Yes! Recipients of previous Ignition Grants will be eligible for this round of funding if they are in good standing on the terms of those grants.  

  • Yes! Recipients of an Ignition Grant this round will be eligible for future rounds of funding, including another expected funding round in the second half of 2026, as long as they are in good standing on all previous grants at the time of application.