A civic organization is offering a $500 grant to the best project by any local organization or group to get African American voters to to the polls.
A news release said the money will come from the Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement, an African American Giving Circle housed at the Community Foundation of Chattanooga.
Sankofa is partnering with the Proud Voter Campaign to get more African Americans in Chattanooga registered to vote, to help restore voting rights and to "get significant numbers of people to the polls on Election Day," the release states.
The nonpartisan Proud Voter Campaign seeks to increase voter registration and turnout among underrepresented groups. The release states that nearly 750,000 people, including minorities, single women and people under age 30, are unregistered and thus voiceless on the policies affecting their lives.
The Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement is a membership organization committed to funding and supporting organizations, projects and efforts that improve Chattanooga's communities of color, according to the release. Members commit to making an annual gift to the fund, using their social networks to empower local African America communities, and collectively making funding decisions.
To apply for the grant, visit www.sankofacha.com and click on "Apply for Voter Challenge." The deadline to apply is Feb. 16.