Our 2026 Civic Infrastructure Slate

Published

By Phillip Sanders & Jessica Salinas

In the categories:

This year, New Media Ventures has identified a strategic slate of organizations positioned to have outsized impact, along with a clear plan for how to support them. Collectively, we bring the tools, experience, and conviction needed to meet this moment.

To shape this slate, we applied a focused set of criteria, prioritizing organizations with strong state- and regional-level strategies, particularly in places where elections are administered, rights are being contested, and long-term policy outcomes are being decided.

The selected organizations span four core areas: state-focused organizing, national media, local and community-rooted media, and AI-powered civic technology. Across these categories, we looked for demonstrated impact, resilience under pressure, and a proven ability to fill critical gaps, especially in communities that are often overlooked but electorally decisive.

As we introduce our slate of 12 organizations, our focus is on strengthening the organizations, media, and technologies that will shape the 2026 elections. This strategy reflects a deep commitment of our internal resources, including our time, networks, and expertise, to catalyze support for these 12 organizations, particularly in the first half of the year. At a time when federal threats can feel overwhelming, our approach is grounded in partnership, aligning efforts, maximizing shared power, and moving forward together.

Introducing the Slate

Electoral

Since launching in January 2017, Run for Something has recruited over 200,000 people across all 50 states to run for state or local office, supporting new and emerging progressive leaders at every stage with the tools, strategy, and community they need to run strong, grassroots campaigns.

Co-Founder & President: Amanda Litman

What they need in 2026:

  • Expand their dedicated supporter network.

  • Introduction to new funders - and seed-stage funders.

  • Support in product pitch review.

Faithful America was established to resemble a “religious version of MoveOn.org.” and it serves as a forum for petitions which promote progressive social policies, using a grassroots religious network of members across the United States.

Executive Director: Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck

What they need in 2026:

  • Introductions to potential funders and partners who are interested in meeting this urgent need to fight white supremacy.

Indivisible is a nationwide movement of millions of people working to stop the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and to demand a real democracy.

Executive Directors: Leah Greenberg & Ezra Levin

What they need in 2026:

  • c4 and PAC funding that is critical to building up the staffing and infrastructure needed to respond quickly and flexibly to emerging crises and opportunities

  • Identifying talent for open roles, particularly General Counsel.

New Disabled South is an organization working to improve the lives of disabled people and build a strong disability justice and rights movement in the South. NDS is raising $2.5M in 2025 (c3) and $1.0M (c4).

Founder & CEO: Dom Kelly

What they need in 2026:

  • Fundraising support, including investor introductions and pitch opportunities.

  • Technical and product advisory across critical focus areas.

Media

PushBlack is the nation’s largest nonprofit media organization for Black Americans, reaching 9 million people across multiple platforms.

What they need in 2026:

  • Multi-year fundraising support.

  • Strategic distribution and partnership introductions to expand the reach, sustainability, and long-term influence of Black-led media and storytelling.

Social Currant connects mission-driven organizations with creators to amplify impactful storytelling, driving awareness and action.

Co-Founder & CEO: Ashwath Narayanan

Gen-Z for Change is a collective of over 500 social media creators and progressive organizers using innovative tools to make a tangible difference and effect progressive change with more than half of a billion combined followers.

What they need in 2026:

  • Introductions to potential partners for this election cycle.

  • Introductions to aligned funders, platforms, creators, and institutions that can amplify reach and accelerate adoption.

Enlace Latino NC’s mission is to empower the diverse community of Latinx immigrants in North Carolina to become more involved in the social, economic, and political changes that affect them.

Co-Founder & Executive Director: Paola Jaramillo

What they need in 2026:

  • Funding for additional reporters in 2026 as the election heats up and they work to inform voters with their candidate forums and election guide!

NotiVisión Georgia is a Spanish digital media company dedicated to delivering timely information, news, and events in Spanish for the Hispanic community in Georgia, with a particular emphasis on Middle and South Georgia.

CEO: Monica Pirela

What they need in 2026:

  • Technical support as they prepare to launch multiple products including their interactive World Cup platform.

  • Fundraising support to help them scale this technology and their bilingual content production.

Civic Tech

Breakthru is a platform helping organizations reach, activate, and understand young people through AI-powered tools, education content, and incentive systems.

Founder & CEO: Alex Miles

What they need in 2026:

  • Closing out the remaining funds in their current round ($500k left).

  • Customer introductions in three key markets: politics, health, and nonprofits (all youth-focused).

INTRVL makes media more effective by measuring whether live campaigns are changing hearts and minds.

Founder & CEO: Steven McAlpine

What they need in 2026:

  • Partnerships: Organizations interested in leveraging their data to identify and engage the most persuadable voters.

  • Staffing: Hiring for a Data Sales role.

  • Investment: Strategic investors to accelerate their infrastructure build, enable scalable data movement, and expand access to highly predictive targeting across programs.

Scrutinize makes state court decisions transparent by collecting and analyzing judicial data, turning complex decisions into clear, actionable public insights on their AI powered platform.

Founder & Executive Director: Oded Oren

What they need in 2026:

  • Funders interested in new intros to RAI and civic engagement funders.

  • Intros to AI experts for learning AI prompting techniques and best practices.

Interested in joining us in supporting these organizations?