Community Resource Center (CRC) has been a vital force in Colorado’s nonprofit ecosystem since 1981. With a mission to support, strengthen, and galvanize change makers across the state, CRC is dedicated to creating a more equitable Colorado. A key part of this work is their civic engagement and advocacy programs, the Participation Project and Root Causes Network, which provide ongoing support to direct service nonprofits to offer nonpartisan voter engagement to their constituents and advance inclusive, community-centered policies.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Alex McHenry, CRC’s Interim Co-Executive Director and Director of Civic Engagement, to learn more about CRC’s voter engagement efforts and how partnering with Nonprofit VOTE has strengthened their work.
[Alex McHenry (Director of Civic Engagement) & Alexandra Cruz (Lead Organizer) from CRC] Photo by Sugelema Lynch
Alex shared that Nonprofit VOTE’s consistent guidance, training, resources and technical support have been instrumental in allowing CRC to grow their voter engagement programs. “Nonprofit VOTE is a long-standing partner of CRC and has been critical to building the infrastructure needed to fully engage nonprofits and support them to integrate voter education and outreach into their service delivery,” Alex said. “We especially value the support with nonpartisan outreach materials, voter engagement data analysis, and facilitating peer-learning with similar organizations leading these efforts in other states.”
The comprehensive trainings and resources provided by Nonprofit VOTE have also been incredibly valuable for onboarding new CRC team members, especially given the high rate of staff transitions typical in the nonprofit sector.
Integrating voter engagement into CRC’s mission and programs has been a priority since 2015. As Alex explained, “CRC recognizes the vital importance of simultaneously providing support to nonprofits to identify and address the root causes of persistent and systemic challenges in our communities. Supporting voter engagement is an effective way to help nonprofits elevate community voice and embrace their power to effect community-driven change.”
Resources like Nonprofit VOTE’s Nonprofit Power Report have been crucial for highlighting the impact nonprofits can have on increasing voter turnout among often-overlooked high-potential voters. “This report, in conjunction with countless conversations with the Nonprofit VOTE team, have bolstered our work and challenged us to think deeply about the most effective strategies for engaging voters and supporting our nonprofit partners to more fully integrate voter engagement into their services,” said Alex.
At Nonprofit VOTE, we are proud to support dedicated partners like Community Resource Center who share our commitment to strengthening democracy and empowering change makers. Together, we can build a more inclusive and engaged electorate in Colorado and beyond. Learn more about the impact nonprofits can have on increasing voter engagement by reading our Nonprofit Power Report here and stay up to date by following us on social media.
