At 50CAN Action Fund, we are passionate about helping local advocates participate in the local democratic process by making their voices heard to get policy wins that help kids and by supporting candidates who put kids first.
We know this electoral work is a critical component of a successful advocacy campaign: according to AdvocacyLabs, campaigns that engage in electoral work win 65% of the time in their legislative campaigns, compared to just 44% for campaigns that don’t.
50CAN Action Fund is a 501c(4) organization committed to supporting candidates that share our vision of an equitable education system. We strive to elect leaders who are committed to putting kids at the center of all the public education decisions we make in our communities and states. We are steadfast in our belief that students deserve better, and we are relentless in our pursuit of the educational systems and policies they deserve.
WE BELIEVE
That Growing The Ranks Of Citizen-Advocates Will Change The Trajectory Of Children’s Lives.
Reimagining American K–12 education is more than a just cause, it’s the most important work we can do as a democracy. The only way we can reach the goal of a high-quality education for all children, regardless of address, is by democratizing advocacy itself: casting aside one-size-fits-all, top-down mandates and growing a larger, more diverse, more dynamic leadership corps.
Equipped with nonpartisan research and proven tools, citizen-advocates can drive the creation of stronger, more equitable schools in every state and community—and usher in an era where every child has the opportunity to achieve the American dream.
In the power of evidence-based policy and the power of open advocacy.
All of our campaigns must start with proven theories of change—what we have seen add up to a real difference in students’ lives. That means researching the best policies for kids and learning from the results on the ground in communities across the country. It also means a commitment to open advocacy by making our tools and training methods easily accessible. This openness strengthens accountability, accelerates learning and promotes trust.
That nationwide change depends on a network of local advocates.
Education advocacy campaigns should be led by advocates who are members of the communities that they’re working to improve. We aim to recruit these smart, passionate people from every walk of life because no place or profession has a monopoly on producing them—they can be seasoned advocates or entirely new to the movement.
No one should have to work in isolation: By embracing a sense of community, advocates become part of an inspiring national network of talent and ideas.
That to improve education for all students, we need an unwavering commitment and a clear-eyed approach.
Education advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint: it demands equal parts resilience and accountability. We strive to have the tenacity to stay the course regardless of the obstacles, and the dexterity to incorporate emerging developments. This is a mindset that will ensure that we gain momentum across the nation.
We see every win—and every setback—as an opportunity to learn what’s working today and envision what might be possible tomorrow.
OUR WINS
2021 Election Wins
Over the past several months, prior to Election Day, we helped hundreds of advocates connect with 567,000 voters through calls, texts and door-to-door canvassing, nearly six times the number reached in the last election cycle. The result? Nine candidates won outright or advanced to a runoff.
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- In Albuquerque, New Mexico, three of our four endorsed school board candidates were elected in a wave of record voter turnout.
- In Atlanta, Georgia, we engaged in eight of the nine school board elections, with four candidates winning outright and another two advancing to the runoff. In our three most heavily targeted races, all three candidates won or advanced.
While the 2021 election cycle is over, our advocacy work has just begun. The upcoming 2022 legislative sessions will be crucial to ensuring a better education system for all.
Thank you for all your help and support this year and thank you for your continued support for our work to put the needs of kids first in cities and states across the country.
2020 Election Wins
At 50CAN Action Fund, we know that getting policy wins for students and their families starts with electing local leaders who put kids first. As we wrote in our Guide to Political Advocacy: “You cannot make policy changes if you do not introduce your ideas to the political process.” That’s why in 2020 our teams fought hard to make a difference in local elections.
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- Despite the challenges of Covid-19, our teams made 81,045 grassroots contacts with voters via phone, text and door-to-door outreach.
- We steered clear of sure winners and focused on the most competitive local races where there were clear champions for kids on the ballot. The result? Our teams won 32 out of the 45 competitive legislative, statewide and school board races we engaged in.
- We were unapologetically bipartisan in our work to help elected officials who show up for students. We assisted Democrat Mesha Mainor in winning an open State House seat in Georgia and we also successfully came to the aid of Tennessee House Education Chairman Mark White, who faced a difficult re-election.
- Similarly, in Delaware we helped defend Republican State Representative Mike Smith while strongly supporting a number of progressive Democrats, all of whom share our goal of reforming Delaware’s antiquated school funding model.