Read This Before You Donate
- Jane Jerrard
- Feb 19
- 3 min read
Updated: May 2
Updated 5/2/2026
Make your contributions count!
If you're like most of us, you're getting texts and emails from candidates and organizations, all insisting that they need your help urgently! Here's a guide to help ensure our donations go to organizations and races that are top priority, effective and relevant.
Organizations that Support Democracy
Indivisible Indivisible would rather be driving action than fundraising. This link shows you all the ways you can donate: directly to a local group, in a loved one's honor or memory, etc. Indivisible is currently funding billboards to get the word out in communities near proposed or existing detention camps. Support Billboards Against Detention Camps
Oath Vote: Empowers donors to give to candidates more strategically. (Recommended by Jessica Craven). Oath Vote analyzes thousands of elections from President to school boards to find which candidates are likeliest to benefit from your support. They provide free personalized recommendations based on your key issues and don’t sell or share your contact information.
ACLU Illinois and ACLU National: The ACLU is challenging a growing wave of attacks on people’s rights and freedoms. Their lawyers, advocates, and organizers need your help. Donate to support voting rights, LGBTQ equality, reproductive freedom, free speech and more in every state.
Activate America: Empowers activists to help elect Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Blue Voter Guide. Blue Voter Guide is entirely powered by volunteers, but they do have expenses. They give you specific information on elections, offer in-depth candidate intel including endorsements, maintain their website and spread the word on social media. It's easy to use, and you can build your ballot there.
Contest Every Race: Has a mission to encourage candidates to run everywhere, with emphasis on rural areas, so vital to our election objectives.
Democracy Docket: Founded by election attorney Marc Elias, whose law firm is leading litigation to defend our voting rights and elections.
Field Team 6: Focuses on voter registration for Democrats. “Register Democrats, Save the World”.
Focus for Democracy: Encourages giving money through “giving circles” and focuses on data based research to get the highest impact for each dollar spent. They host events you can attend where they recommend organizations.
Force Multiplier: They provide research-based recommendations on candidates and groups defending democracy, resisting authoritarianism and ensuring people can and do vote.
Run for Something: Provides extensive assistance, especially for younger candidates. They have a roster of hundreds of thousands of potential and declared candidates across the country.
The States Project: Focuses on getting Democratic majorities in state legislatures.
States Win: Formerly Sister District, this organization targets selected legislature races by supporting Democratic candidates, mobilizing volunteers, engaging voters, and equipping lawmakers with the tools to effectively govern.
Swing Left: Helps win elections for Democrats by making it as easy as possible for anyone to have maximum impact on the elections that determine the balance of power in our country.
Senate Races
Consider donating to these campaigns that have a reasonable chance of flipping from red to blue in the mid-terms:
Community Organizations
Interfaith Action needs donors to meet the needs of their Evanston soup kitchens. They are experiencing gaps in the weekly sponsorship of the Monday soup kitchen, which feeds about 100 hungry people. Please make a one-time donation, or set up a monthly donation, to help bridge this gap.
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