Voting

The David Bohnett Foundation supports the principle of "One person, one vote," and believes that democracy depends on safe and secure elections, both during the voting process and after. We are committed to helping to ensure fair elections, protect voting rights, and raise the level of political discourse among all Americans, regardless of age, gender identity, partisanship or other diversities. The Foundation contributes to the American political process by supporting grantees working at local, state and national levels on a wide range of voter registration initiatives from preventing polling place irregularities to research that helps assess obstacles that keep certain groups from having their votes count.

David Bohnett Foundation Congressional Interns

The Foundation is committed to greater diversity in the public sector through its support of African American and Latino student internships in Congress. In partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, summer internships offer talented young African American and Latino college students, a behind-the-scenes look into the democratic process. In a series of educational opportunities on Capitol Hill, students are encouraged to explore diversity through civic engagement, and build coalitions based on shared values, purpose and goals.

David Bohnett Foundation Leadership Programs

The Foundation also supports advances in the political arena through David Bohnett Leadership Fellows programs at four world-class universities. At Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, an intensive executive training curriculum enriches and empowers established and up-and-coming governmental leaders who are already making a difference in the world. At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Affairs, the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University (NYU), experiential studies and internships help cultivate the next generation of leadership through hands-on assignments with senior executives in the Mayor’s office in each city.

Harvard’s Kennedy School

At Harvard, the David Bohnett Leadership Fellows program—in partnership with the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute—is designed for progressive senior and mid-career executives from state, county and local governments, as well as their elected counterparts. Because the program and its curriculum thrive on the political expertise and real-world experience of its esteemed participants, Fellows for each class are chosen to represent a full spectrum of governmental levels, functional responsibilities, geographic distribution and diversity in the LGBT community.

UCLA School of Public Affairs

With the David Bohnett Fellowship Program at the UCLA School of Public Affairs, outstanding graduate students in public policy, social welfare and urban planning are given hands-on responsibilities in the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s office. Fellows work under the direct supervision of deputy mayors, transforming scholarship into real-world governmental experience.

NYU Wagner

At NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, the David Bohnett Public Service Fellowship gives three Fellows per year the opportunity to engage in the challenges of governing New York City. The program provides for two annual internships in the Mayor’s office - the highest level of NYC government, and a third position working with the President of the US Conference of Mayors, which has an ongoing partnership with the Wagner School.

view full grant listing for this program

Recent recipients in this program area:

Liberty Hill Foundation (Mar 19, 2010)

UCLA School of Public Affairs (Nov 20, 2009)

Center for the Study of Political Graphics - CSPG (Oct 6, 2009)

Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United State Senate (Aug 10, 2009)

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (May 21, 2009)

Liberty Education Forum (Mar 12, 2009)

Fair Wisconsin Education Fund (Sep 2, 2008)

OffTheBus.net (Jul 3, 2008)

NYU Wagner (Jul 1, 2008)