Piper Fund

NEW: Oakland voters adopted an innovative "democracy dollars" program, vouchers that can be donated to city candidates, as part of a sweeping Fair Elections measure. Campaigners in other cities are eyeing the results for similar efforts. readsludge.com/2022/12/15/oak…

Our latest resource breaks down the wave of bills introduced by state lawmakers in 2022 that would weaken the power and independence of state courts. bit.ly/3HwDAD6

“If the Supreme Court sides with a handful of extremist politicians who want to block state courts from enforcing much-needed checks and balances, there’ll be no one left to defend our right to vote.” - Julie from Piper grantee @WVCAG wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_…

Today @ReproRights and @BrennanCenter launched a new tracker that catalogs pending and completed state court litigation against abortion bans that were, or would have been, unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade. bit.ly/3ixl1nD

"It has increased participation in lesser areas in Seattle, and voter turnout from communities of color.” - liz suk of @OaklandRising, a Piper Fund grantee sfchronicle.com/politics/artic…

State courts are turning to their state constitutions to offer young defendants more protections from “cruel and unusual punishment.” bit.ly/3EkwLkR

State courts have been critical to protecting abortion access post-Dobbs. At Piper Fund, we're working to protect the courts from special interests so litigators can have a fair day in court. afj.org/article/the-ab…

In a major win for political transparency in California, voters overwhelmingly approved the Oakland Democracy Dollars program. “Democracy Dollars represents the future of campaign finance reform,” says @_jonathanstein of @CommonCauseCA. commoncause.org/california/pre…

The “independent state legislature theory” could render governors, state courts, and even state constitutions powerless to prevent abuses by state lawmakers when it comes to federal elections. bit.ly/3DSDzXO

NEW: Who is capturing our courts? Read about the opaque right-wing groups tied to Leonard Leo and Richard Uihlein coming for the states @Ev_Vorpahl @thelisagraves commondreams.org/views/2022/11/…

"Put plainly, ignoring court orders is a direct attack on our state Constitution and the system of checks and balances that it establishes." -- Kadida from Piper Fund grantee @NewPennsylvania Read more: buckscountybeacon.com/2022/10/will-e…

"Peaceful protest is a hallmark of our democracy...no matter our race, religion, gender, age, socioeconomic status or political affiliation." Learn about the @PiperFund — a pooled rapid response fund that is protecting the right to protest. proteusfund.org/piper/right-to…

What are the challenges and hope for #democracy in the US? @adamkahane speaks with @melissaspatz co-Executive Director at Trusted Elections Fund and Estevan Muñoz-Howard Interim Co-Director of @ProteusFund/Piper Fund and Sr Director at Ktisis Capital: hubs.li/Q01qfjvV0

Last month we hosted a funder briefing series on threats & opportunities to state courts. 1 key takeaway that emerged: the fight to preserve fair & impartial courts has deep implications for issues impacting people’s day-to-day lives. Read more takeaways: proteusfund.org/judicial-indep…

What exactly is the “independent state legislature theory” and how will it affect your right to vote? Our new explainer video has the answers. Watch now:

NEW: 74% of Oakland voters support the democracy dollar initiative on the ballot next month, per a poll released today. A similar program in Seattle has radically diversified political giving and made city races more competitive. @boltsmag boltsmag.org/in-california-…

1/ 🗣️ Help us celebrate big racial justice news from #Florida! Today FL cities fought off @GovRonDeSantis’ attempt to end their suit challenging #HB1, a racist, anti-protest law that restricts local governments’ ability to reform law enforcement budgets—ie. ‘defund the police.’

VICTORY! Court Rules MN Sheriff’s Blockade of #Line3 Water Protector Camp Was Illegal and Bars Ongoing Efforts to Obstruct Access @zhaabowekwe @GiniwCollective @WinonaLaduke @EarthRightsIntl protestlaw.org/news/cpll-vict…