District Announces Awardees of Voting Rights and Statehood Grant

Tuesday, Aug 23, 2016

(Washington, D.C.) - Today, the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia announced that five (5) grants have been awarded in response to the Request for Applications for a Grant to Promote District of Columbia Voting Rights and Statehood. The following organizations are recipients for FY2016:

DC Vote has been awarded a grant for $100,000.
The League of Women Voters Education Fund has been awarded a grant for $50,000.
Stand Up! for Democracy in DC has been awarded a grant for $10,000.
Students for DC Statehood has been awarded a grant for $30,000.
Vision House has been awarded a grant for $10,000.

Mayor Muriel Bowser has re-energized the statehood movement and issued the following statement at the Constitutional Convention in June 2016:

“The more than 670,000 residents of Washington, DC deserve full democracy and statehood. These men and women, families, veterans, seniors, and business owners pay their fair share of taxes and they have a right to full representation. In addition, the District deserves the right to govern our local affairs and to manage our own budget. The timing of this invigorated movement for DC statehood is particularly important since residents of the District of Columbia will have an opportunity to weigh-in on the statehood debate this November.”

These organizations will advocate for voting rights and statehood for the District of Columbia and will augment the District’s efforts in educating visitors to the District as well as others around the country about the lack of full democracy for District of Columbia residents.

The Request for Applications from nonprofit organizations for the grant program was published in the Friday, June 10, 2016 District of Columbia Register.