DNC Announces Rhode Island As Grant Recipient
Today the Democratic National Committee announced Rhode Island as a recipient of a grant from the State Party Innovation Fund (SPIF), a first-of-its-kind, competitive grant program that incentivizes early organizing through state parties and supports efforts to engage local communities. The Rhode Island Democratic Party will receive $100,000, which will be used to support the party’s efforts to organize in communities across the Ocean State to re-elect Governor Gina Raimondo, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and Reps. David Cicilline and Jim Langevin, and to put Democrats in offices up and down the ticket in Rhode Island in 2018.
«The DNC’s investment in Rhode Island will go a long way toward helping us bring the change Rhode Islanders need and deserve,» said Governor Gina Raimondo. «After years of economic struggle in the Ocean State, we’re finally making real progress to create jobs and put our people back to work. There is a lot at stake on November 6 — we need four more years to get the job done for Rhode Island.»
«We appreciate the DNC’s commitment to bolstering Rhode Island Democrats’ ability to reach voters across the state,” said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “Through grassroots engagement and investments like these, Rhode Islanders are organizing to elect Democrats up and down the ticket in November.”
“With the general election less than two months away, it’s incredibly important that Democrats continue working hard every day to make sure we win seats at the local, state, and federal level,” said Congressman David Cicilline. “The DNC’s investment will help give Rhode Island Democrats the resources they need to reach as many voters as possible before November.”
“Organizing in every local community and talking to voters on the ground is critical to our party’s success this November,” said Congressman Jim Langevin. “The DNC’s investment will help Rhode Island Democrats connect with voters across the Ocean State and elect Democrats up and down the ticket, in 2018.”
“Rhode Island Democrats are fired up and ready to organize on the ground so we can deliver the change the state deserves in 2018. The DNC is proud to partner with the Rhode Island Democratic Party through this grant, which will amplify key grassroots organizing programs. Investments in organizing and community engagement will be the key to our success in November,” said DNC Chair Tom Perez. “When we build meaningful relationships with voters all across the state, we can win anywhere. Momentum is on our side, but we must continue to energize and engage voters in local communities across the country. These innovation and organizing grants are part of the new DNC’s commitment to partnering with state parties to lift every Democratic candidate across the country to victory in 2018, 2020, and beyond.”
“We are extremely grateful to receive the DNC’s Innovation Grant, a clear indication that the national party is fully committed to supporting and empowering local organizers working tirelessly to inform and energize voters,” said Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Joseph McNamara. “The stakes of this election are incredibly high; it is absolutely critical that we reach Rhode Islanders from every community from Providence to Jamestown and encourage them to vote for Democrats in November. This grant will allow us to reach even more voters as we deliver Governor Raimondo a second term and turn more local and state offices blue.”
In addition to SPIF, through the DNC’s Every ZIP Code Counts program, state parties have been receiving $10,000 a month since October 2017 based on state-specific strategic plans — a 33% increase over the base funding levels from 2016 and a 100% increase over 2015.