last updated: June 2020
I support a few causes that I consider critically important. I'm advertising them here in case you care about some of the same issues as I do, and would benefit from my experience of finding specific organizations that I consider especially worthy.
My theory of change is as follows. Though I live abroad, America still has outsize influence over the rest of the world when it comes to questions of war and peace, climate, and promotion of democratic institutions and human rights. Thus, I channel most of my time and money to organzations in the US. The best way to change the behavior of the United States is to change the people in charge of the federal government.
My short-term goals are to help elect Democrats to key offices, and support Democratic institutions. My longer-term goal is to promote small-d democratic reforms that level the playing field, such as fair electoral maps and automatic voter registration. I do these things with an eye toward the Electoral College. I shouldn't care more about fair districts and registration in Georgia than New York (I'd argue I shouldn't have to do any of this), but I do.
I try to donate to individuals and organizations whose fortunes can be significantly changed with comparatively little money, and whose success can have a disproportionately positive impact. In other words, I am looking for high ROI.
I believe that Joe Biden is likely to defeat Donald Trump, and that a presidential election is too expensive for me to make much impact. Without a Democratic Senate, Biden will have zero chance of passing any of his agenda. So I am making recurring monthly donations to the Senate races that I believe are the closest. I use Swing Left's Swing the Senate fund to donate, but distribute the money only to a selection of the individual funds bundled together, as follows:
State Democratic parties provide critical infrastructure for voter registration and turnout, and other party-building activities.
1Year2Win / Wisconsin Democrats. Wisconsin was the tipping point state that delivered the Electoral College, and the presidency, to Donald Trump. Polling suggests it is the most likely tipping point state for 2020. Removing Donald Trump from office is the single most imporant thing we can collectively do to improve the state of the world. I'm known for hyperbole, but I am deadly serious when I say that. I believe party-building, registration, and GOTV activities in Wisconsin are the most critical things we can support toward that end.
Flippable States Fund. I give to Swing Left's flipable states fund and customize my allocation to provide extra money to Texas, where there are millions of potential Democratic voters to register, and a longstanding underinvestment from the national party that needs correction.
HIAS. Formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, their slogan is "Welcome the stranger. Protect the refugee." I make a recurring monthly donation for three reasons. First, the Trump Administration policies toward refugees and immigrants is a cruel, nativist abomination, and HIAS is on the front-lines supporting refugee rights. Second, the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was attacked in October 2018 by a reactionary anti-semite terrorist explicitly because the community supported refugee rights via a partnership with HIAS, and my financial support was a small way to commemorate the dead and stand in defiance of terrible bigotry. Third, I have a personal connection to HIAS - the leader of the Baltimore chapter helped my maternal grandparents - who were refugees and Holocaust survivors - get settled, learn English, find jobs, and gain citizenship. I consider my support a small effort to give thanks for that assistance from +70 years ago.
Adopt a Swing State. Todo.
Adopt a Swing State. Todo.
Adopt a Swing State. Todo.
Fair Fight. Founded by Stacy Abrams, Fair Fight combats voter supporession in Georgia and nationwide.
Swing Left Virginia 2019 Immediate Impact Fund. Swing Left is a terrific organization doing vital work to try and raise funds for the most strategically important political races in the country. I supported many of their campaigns and candidates in the 2018 midterms and helped over 35 House, Senate, and gubenatorial candidates in the closest races nationwide. For that reason, I bundle most of my direct candidate donations through them.
This fund supports the eight candidates in the closest races for the Virginia House of Delegates, where control over the chamber was decided in the last election cycle by an actual coinflip. If Democrats take over the state legislature, they will be able to draw a fair congressional maps after the next redistricting. If not, republican legislators will gerrymander it to thwart the will of the people for another decade to come.