Imagine a world where our leaders are honorable and authentic. Where government is beholden to regular people, not to moneyed interests. Where elected officials speak to constituents as real people and not just as a means to an end.
By minimizing the influence of money in government and politics, Open Progress seeks to make the world more just. We live our values and are not for profit, technically a 501c(4). Our leadership has worked in close partnership with volunteer groups, ballot initiatives, and campaigns.
FEBRUARY 2017 CT
Greg Cava
for State Senate CT-32
Result: +26 points
MAY 2017 KS
James Thompson
for Congress KS-4
Result: +24 points
JUNE 2017 ME
Ballot Initiative - $50 MIL in bonds for investment in creating Maine jobs
Result: Ballot Initiative Passed
NOVEMBER 2017
Supported 47 candidates in the Virginia House of Delegates, sent people to the polls for Maine Medicaid Expansion via Ballot Initiative plus fixed Alabama voter statuses to ensure a free and fair electorate for the Doug Jones race
Result: Progressive Wins from
Coast to Coast
While our vision is idealistic, our approach is pragmatic. We cut through the clutter of traditional communications (mailings, robo calls, TV Advertising) by harnessing modern ways of reaching people: on-point social media, human-to-human texting, and volunteer- to-opportunity matching. We help build digital coalitions that inspire people at the local and district level to act in real life.
We develop and distribute software that makes these techniques as accessible as possible to as many groups as possible.
We evangelize low-cost approaches to winning by authoring practical how-to guides for political campaigns and ballot measures.
Most progressive leaders today are obsessively focused on fund raising. Traditionally they need this money to fund incredibly expensive outreach and communications campaigns. They spend most of their days and nights on on the phone or at fundraisers, asking people for money all the time. Not surprisingly this leads them to spend most of their time speaking and interacting with the 5%, not the 95%. Eventually, they lose touch with the perspectives of everyday people, us. They don’t mean to. It just happens.
By lowering the costs to build an engaged audience, we reduce this heavy dependence on raising money. We make it possible for progressive leaders to stay grounded and stay in touch with all of us. We make it possible for leaders to emerge from all walks of life because, frankly, you don’t need to raise such vast sums of money to support a ballot initiative, start a new non-profit, or run for local elected office. We want people to succeed by being who and what they are.
Honorable and authentic humans become honorable and authentic leaders creating a more just and inclusive world.
End Big Money. Open Progress.
