Galvanize USA

Galvanize USA develops research-backed strategies that bring women together to learn, share ideas, and support each other to build an America that works for everyone.

Galvanize USA (a fiscally sponsored project of the Hopewell Fund) emerged from a body of research that sought to understand why a particular subset of women in the U.S. professed progressive values of inclusion and care, but did not consistently vote accordingly. The research found that this was due to a number of factors, including feeling turned off by political conflict, feeling isolated from others who shared their values, and lacking confidence in their own beliefs. Founder and executive director Jackie Payne started Galvanize to engage, support, and empower women in communities across the country.

Engaging people to align their values with voter choice is a long-term process that hinges on long-term relationships. One of the things we appreciate about Galvanize is how seriously they take the question of lasting impact. They invest deeply in getting to know the women in their community to develop programs that are truly transformational.  

The grievance politics and disinformation that are so prevalent today have serious implications for our democracy. Galvanize’s strategies guard against these pitfalls that divide us by providing a supportive community in which women feel seen and heard, and can get help making sense of what’s going on. Its methodology is centered on holding two-way, values-based conversations that leverage innovative organizing strategies, such as deep canvassing, to foster meaningful engagement across audiences. In these extremely polarized times, Galvanize USA is staying grounded in research and science to ensure that they are finding the most effective ways to reach, engage, and empower women to strengthen our democracy.

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