Several prominent voter engagement and racial justice organizations across the United States are grappling with significant funding shortfalls and staff reductions as voting begins in the 2026 midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.

Democratic strategists have voiced concerns that reduced resources and manpower may undermine efforts to register voters, mobilize turnout, and provide voter protection in a political climate marked by ongoing attempts to restrict voting access. Trump’s administration has pushed for greater federal oversight of elections, raising fears of interference that these grassroots groups may be ill-equipped to counter.

America Votes, a coalition coordinating more than 400 progressive organizations including the NAACP, Planned Parenthood, the League of Conservation Voters, and several labor unions, reported its funding is “well below” the levels seen in the 2022 midterms, according to executive director Daria Dawson. The group has traditionally served as a nerve center for voter mobilization spanning racial justice, climate, and civil liberties issues.

“There is still time to reach voters,” Dawson said, “but the window to engage them is narrowing every day.”

The funding decline has been attributed in part to a retreat by wealthy donors and philanthropic organizations from liberal causes after the 2024 presidential election. The cutbacks have disproportionately affected programs focusing on communities of color, which some activists view as a betrayal at a time when legal protections for voting rights have been further diminished.

Esosa Osa, founder of the research group Onyx Impact, highlighted the difficulty in encouraging turnout amid the absence of key Voting Rights Act protections, following a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that undermined the landmark 1965 law. “We are watching surrender, not strategy,” Osa said.

A memo circulated among major Democratic fundraisers in July underscored the concern, noting that voter registration and persuasion groups had raised nearly 40% less funding at this point than in prior midterm cycles. It emphasized that such investments were critical given the party’s lagging standing in generic ballot polls and low presidential approval ratings.

As a consequence, many organizations have scaled back their efforts, particularly those targeting lower-propensity voters, people of color, younger voters, and residents in rural areas. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has nonetheless sought to compensate by consolidating voter outreach and pledging “historic investments” in organizing and voter protection. Angelo Fernández Hernández, a DNC spokesperson, said the party was working to “defend Americans’ sacred right to vote” while confronting Trump and Republican actions in court.

Fundraisers and organizers have cited multiple factors behind the funding challenges. Some donors remain skeptical of Democratic strategies after the 2024 election loss and have withdrawn support for liberal political causes. Others are wary of potential retaliation from the Trump administration, particularly around given racial justice initiatives, causing some philanthropies to pull back.

Tameka Ramsey-Brown, director of the Michigan Coalition on Black Civic Participation, reported donors requesting that her group remove “Black” from its name or channel donations through intermediaries to avoid government scrutiny, reflecting a broader chilling effect. “Just being Black in this country again has become a bad word,” she said.

Groups are responding by adjusting their approaches. Vamos a Votar, a coalition focused on Latino voters, has reduced its funding goals and ambitions, struggling to secure sufficient contributions despite the decisive role Latino communities are expected to play in key battleground states. Juan Proaño of the League of United Latin American Citizens and Héctor Sánchez Barba of Mi Familia Vota expressed disappointment with donor support yet affirmed their commitment to the effort.

Some organizations are turning to technology and partnerships to extend their reach amid staff shortages. These include using artificial intelligence for multilingual voter guides, collaborating with ride-share companies to provide free transportation to polls, and leveraging social media influencers for engagement.

Melanie Campbell, head of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, described the funding environment as unprecedentedly difficult in her three decades of organizing. She called on supporters of democracy to strengthen financial backing for these efforts, emphasizing the vital role of grassroots groups in safeguarding electoral participation.

Though challenges persist, these organizations remain active in preparing voters and defending the integrity of the election, stressing that sustained investment is crucial amid an evolving political and legal landscape.