2025 REV UP Organizer Grants

The REV UP Organizer Grant is for disabled leaders who want to help others in their community vote.

The REV UP Organizer Grant is for disabled leaders who want to help others in their community vote.

If awarded this grant, you can receive up to $3,000 to host or support voter outreach events. Voter outreach events might include:

  • Helping people register to vote
  • Providing accessible rides to polling places
  • Providing plain language or ASL support to help people understand the voting process or understand what is on their ballot

We are especially looking for people who want to reach voters who do not live in the community and are often left out of voter engagement efforts — like people living in:

  • Nursing homes
  • Group homes
  • Jails
  • Psychiatric hospitals
  • State operated developmental centers

You do not need to have experience with voter registration. We’re looking for people who care about the disability community and want to make voting more accessible.

There are 10 grants available and only 3 people per state can receive one.

The Organizer Grant application is due July 25, 2025. Apply here.

If this google form is not accessible to you and you need to apply in a different format, please email revup@aapd.com. If you have any questions or need help applying, please email revup@aapd.com or schedule a time to meet with us over Zoom.

Eligibility

 

  • This grant is for individuals, not organizations. If you are an individual who works in a paid advocacy position, you can apply for this Organizer Grant, provided your grant activities are conducted on your own time and not during your paid work time. 
  • If you or the organization you work for received a 2025 REV UP Small Grant, you are not eligible for an Organizer Grant. 
  • You must be eligible to register voters in the state you live in. 
  • Must follow all laws and regulations around conducting voter registration in the state you live in. REV UP will help you find that information. 
  • While outreach and coordination are the responsibility of the grantee, REV UP staff can support the process if needed.

Organizer Responsibilities

  • Attend three one-hour virtual meetings with the REV UP team and other organizer grantees. The calls will be an opportunity to get support on your work and learn from each other. Meeting dates and times:
    • August 27, 6-7 p.m. ET
    • September 24, 6-7 p.m. ET
    • October 29, 6-7 p.m. ET
  • Submit W9 and sign a project participation form.
  • Host at least 3 voter outreach events.
  • Submit an event report after each event that includes the number of voters you registered and engaged with. 
  • Submit one final report form by December 5, 2025 to share your organizing outcomes and reflect on your experience.
  • Follow all state laws around voter registration, abide by REV UP Community Guidelines, maintain nonpartisan messaging and engagement.

Support from REV UP

  • A REV UP T-shirt, tote, and lanyard.
  • A partnership agreement form that authorizes you to host nonpartisan events and register voters on behalf of REV UP.
  • Stickers and signature guides for event swag.
  • Plain language “My Plan to Vote” template to use at events.
  • Access to a group chat with other REV UP Organizers. 
  • Guidance and support from the REV UP Team.

Payment and Allowable Costs 

  • After signing the agreement form, $2,000 will be paid via direct deposit to the organizer. 
  • After completing 2 events (and submitting event report forms ), a $1,000 payment will be distributed to the organizer.     
    • Transportation to the event
    • Parking for the event
    • Direct care/support 
    • Materials to support voter registration and engagement
    • Personal meals while working in your GOTV organizer capacity 
    • Event hosting costs – materials, space rental, food, tabling fees 
    • Accessibility costs – CART captioning, providing co-navigators or sighted guides, ASL interpreters
    • Translation costs, including Braille printing
    • Compensation for your work 
  • The recommended Organizer Grant breakdown is as follows:
    • Compensation for your time: ⅓ of payment
    • Travel expenses: ⅓ of payment
    • Materials to support event hosting and outreach: ⅓ of payment
  • The organizer should track expenses for their final report. This requirement is not a reimbursement process and we do not expect organizers to pay back any unused funds. This process is just to help us improve our understanding of costs accrued within this work.

REV UP Organizer Grant Timeline

Application Due: July 25, 2025. Apply for a 2025 REV UP Organizer Grant Here
Grantees Notified: August 22, 2025
Grantee Meetings: August 27, 6-7 p.m. ET, September 24, 6-7 p.m. ET, October 29, 6-7 p.m. ET
Grant Period Ends: December 5, 2025

FAQs for the 2025 Organizer Grants

Can I apply for an Organizer Grant if I received a 2025 REV UP Small Grant?

No, if you or the organization you work for received a 2025 REV UP Small Grant you cannot apply for an Organizer Grant.

Why should I apply for these Organizer Grants?

This is a unique paid opportunity to support civic engagement in the disability community. Voter outreach work can be a great way to connect with your community, build relationships, and learn about disability issues in your area. This work and grant will also look great on resumes for people looking to strengthen their advocacy skills or pursue an organizing role. REV UP national staff would be happy to serve as references or write letters of recommendation for organizer grant awardees, provided they successfully meet program requirements.

Do I need to have my own car/drivers license to work as an organizer?

No, but you do need to be able to coordinate your own transportation. You can use the Organizer Grant to pay for a vehicle rental, uber, paratransit, public transportation, or other method. 

How will the grant funds be distributed? 

Grant funds will be distributed in two $1,000 payments. However, if you receive public benefits and need to be mindful of an asset limit, we will work with you to find the payment structure that works best for you. 

Is there an experience or education requirement for these Organizer Grants?

No, but some familiarity with registering voters in your state is recommended. If you are engaging with voters for the first time, please let us know and we can help you access training and resources in your state.

What are the goals of the REV UP Organizer Grants?

  • Support disabled leaders doing on-the ground voter outreach.
  • Reach disabled voters who are historically left out of other canvassing efforts. 
  • Strengthen REV UP’s direct voter outreach capacity. 
  • Increase disability community civic engagement.
  • Remove barriers that make it difficult for disabled leaders to organize (example: cost of accommodations, transportation, direct support).

Application Questions 

We ask that you apply using our google form. You can read all the application questions here before applying. If the google form is not accessible to you and you need to apply in a different format, please email revup@aapd.com. If you have any questions, please email revup@aapd.com or schedule a time to meet with us over Zoom.

Section 1: Contact Information 

  1. First Name
  2. Last Name
  3. Pronouns
  4. Email address
  5. Phone number
  6. Street Address
  7. State
  8. Zip code
  9. I identify as a person with a disability. Choose: Yes or No

Section 2: Tell us about yourself and your ideas!

  1. Tell us about yourself and your connection to the disability community. Why is this work important to you, and what lived or professional experiences do you bring to voter outreach? (250 words or less)
  2. Please tell us about any experience you have with community outreach, organizing or voter engagement work. What did you do and what did you learn? (250 words or less)
  3. What kind of voter outreach activities do you plan to organize with this grant? We’re especially interested in outreach to people who are often left out of voter engagement efforts, such as those living in nursing homes, jails, or other congregate settings. Please include ideas for community events, outreach in nursing homes, group homes, state operated developmental centers, or other strategies to reach disabled voters who are often excluded.
  4. If you receive the grant, what will you use the funds for? Please include specifics and budget amounts. (Example: $1500 for ASL interpreting at 3 events; $150 for transportation and parking for myself at 3 events; $900 food and refreshments at events…)
  5. How might this grant make a difference in supporting your work and the broader community? In what ways might this grant support your work and positively impact the broader community? 

    Section 3: Demographic Information (optional)

    We ask demographic questions to learn more about the group of people who applied. These questions can be personal. You do not have to answer these questions if you do not want to. The information is helpful for our team to make sure we have a diverse group of applicants.

    1. Have you participated in an AAPD program before? Select all that apply. 
      1. REV UP 
      2. AAPD Summer or Fall Internship Program
      3. NBCUniversal Scholarship
      4. Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award
      5. Disability Mentoring Day
      6. Disability Career Fair
      7. Fannie Lou Hamer Leadership Program
      8. I have not previously participated in any of AAPD’s programs before
    2. What is your disability?
    3. Sexual Orientation
    4. Gender
    5. Veteran Status
    6. Race
    7. Ethnicity
    8. Age
    9. Religion