NH Progressive Source List

New Hampshire is full of smart, strategic, progressive-oriented advocacy organizations doing good work to make our state a better place for everyone. Below are a few of the state-based, regional, or national organizations that we recommend as resources for community groups or activists. If you need help identifying potential issue groups or resources for your own efforts and do not find them below, please contact Granite State Progress & Education Fund at (603) 225-2471 or info@granitestateprogress.org in the chance that we are able to further assist you.

Disclaimer: Please note that not every New Hampshire-based organization is noted, explicitly progressive in mission, or approved being included. This is an advocacy resource list compiled by Granite State Progress & Education Fund based on our experience with these organizations and what types of resources or contacts community members need on issue advocacy work.

Alphabetical Listing
ACLU New Hampshire
AFSCME
ALEC Exposed
America Votes – also NH Campaign for Voting Rights
American Federation of Teachers (AFT-New Hampshire)
NH AFL-CIO
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC – NH)
Center for American Progress
Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy
Coalition for Open Democracy/NH Rebellion
Environment New Hampshire
GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP)
Granite State Progress
League of Conservation Voters
League of Women Voters of New Hampshire
MIRA Coalition
Moms Clean Air Force
Moms Demand Action (Everytown)
Moms Rising
NARAL Pro-Choice America
NEA – New Hampshire
New American Africans
New Futures
NH Fiscal Policy Institute
NH Peace Action
NH Voices for Faith
New Hampshire Young Democrats
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England
Rights and Democracy New Hampshire
Reaching Higher NH
SEIU Local 1984
NH Sierra Club
YWCA New Hampshire – Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women

NH Progressive Blog Roll

Birch Paper

Inzane Times

Granite State Progress

NH Labor News

Miscellany Blue

Susan the Bruce

Descriptions & Contact Information

ACLU New Hampshire

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to preserving the individual rights and liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. The ACLU of NH engages in litigation, legislative advocacy, grassroots organizing, and education campaigns. The ACLU’s mission stems from our core commitment to equality and reflects our decades-long work to fight discrimination, including on behalf of people of all faiths; immigrant communities; people of color; women; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and non-binary people. We carry out this work statewide, including from our headquarter office in Concord, with a full-time five-person staff assisted by interns, volunteers, cooperating attorneys, and an active Board of Directors. We are one of 53 affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union nationwide.

Website: https://www.aclu-nh.org/

Twitter: @ACLU_NH

Contact: Ed Taylor, Organizing Director, ed@aclu-nh.org

 

ALEC Exposed – The Center for Media and Democracy (National Organization)

ALEC Exposed is a project run through the Center for Media and Democracy with the goal of exposing the influence of the American Legislative Exchange Council in the formation of many radical bills introduced in state legislatures across the country. ALEC Exposed seeks to uncover and combat this rising tide of corporate influence to defend the rights of average Americans and the democratic process.

Website: http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

Twitter: #ALECExposed

ALEC Exposed NH: Granite State Progress, (603) 225-2471 or info@granitestateprogress.org

AFSCME

AFSCME Council 93 represents more than 45,000 state, county and municipal employees in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Working within a diverse array of fields ranging from correctional officers to school cafeteria workers, Council 93 members are a vital component of the essential public services that keep our states, municipalities and public facilities safe, clean, and running smoothly.

Website: http://www.afscme93.org/new-hampshire/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/afscme93

Contact: Steve Lyons, New Hampshire Coordinator, (603) 606-6726 or slyons@afscme93.org

America Votes

America Votes provides coordination, date and targeting services to progressive organizations through its permanent advocacy and campaign infrastructure. AV also seeks to advance progressive policies through state and local ballot initiatives, and works to ensure fair state redistricting processes to advance progressive policies and protect voting rights.

Website: https://americavotes.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmericaVotes

Contact: Kate Corriveau, kcorriveau@americavotes.org

AFT – American Federation of Teachers:

The American Federation of Teachers seeks to improve the lives of teachers and their families, giving a legitimate voice to their professional, economic and social aspirations. AFT also works to strengthen the institutions for which their members work, improving the quality of the services they provide.

Website: http://nh.aft.org/

Twitter: @AFTNewHampshire

Contact: Terri D. Donovan, Esquire, Director of Field Services & Collective Bargaining, (603) 223-0747 or terridd@metrocast.net

NH AFL-CIO – American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations

The NH AFL-CIO is a diverse social justice organization that is committed to the struggle to improve the lives of working families and New Hampshire communities. The AFL-CIO brings together the unions of New Hampshire into one labor movement that fights for economic and social justice in workplaces and communities across the Granite State.

Website: http://nhaflcio.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nhaflcio

Contact: Judy Stadtman, Campaign Coordinator and Field Director, (603) 623-7302 or  jstadtman@nhaflcio.org

 

AFSC-NH – American Friends Service Committee

AFSC’s New Hampshire program supports the growth and development of an effective, sustainable New Hampshire peace and justice movement. The program works toward that goal by providing resources, training, and assistance to grassroots groups and coalitions, and by providing information and a Quaker perspective to the general public. Our current priorities are economic justice, the rights and well-being of immigrants and refugees, and the excessive political influence of corporations that profit from war and militarism.    * AFSC State House Watch Newsletter is highly recommended! *

Website: https://afsc.org/programs/new-hampshire

Contact: Maggie Fogarty, Co-Directors, (603) 224-2407 or MFogarty@afsc.org

BISC – Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (National Organization)

The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center is the progressive community’s only research and capacity-building organization focused solely on the ballot measure process. The BISC gathers and disseminates information to various progressive groups, while actively advancing reforms in the state initiative processes. Note: New Hampshire is not a ballot initiative state but BISC provides information on issue-based ballot initiatives in other states, and strategic support for Constitutional Amendments on the New Hampshire ballot in cooperation with America Votes NH and Granite State Progress.

Website: https://ballot.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BallotStrategy

Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy

When families are able to provide for themselves and trust that their children are well cared for, they are more likely to stay in the workforce, are more productive in their jobs, and stay in their jobs longer. That’s why the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy is fighting for policies that invest in our families so they, in turn, can invest in our communities and help build a stronger, more prosperous economy that works for everyone.

Website: http://www.familyfriendlyeconomy.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FamilyEconomyNH

Contact: Amanda Sears, Campaign Director, amanda@familyfriendlyeconomy.org

CAP – Center for American Progress (National Organization)

The Center for American Progress strives to improve the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action. CAP addresses issues such as national security, economic growth, immigration, education and health care by developing new policy ideas and challenging the media to cover issues that truly matter.

Website: https://www.americanprogress.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amprog

Coalition for Open Democracy/NH Rebellion

The Coalition for Open Democracy is dedicated to ensuring integrity, transparency and efficiency in political and legislative processes in New Hampshire and the nation. COD works to improve public policy and practices by gathering and disseminating information and engaging people in action.

Website: http://www.nhrebellion.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nhrebellion

Contact: Olivia Zink, Executive Director, (603) 715-8197 or olivia@opendemocracy.me

Environment New Hampshire

Environment New Hampshire is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. ENH researches the challenges confronting New Hampshire’s environment and raises awareness through education and public advocacy.

Website: http://www.environmentnewhampshire.org/

Contact: Sharon Solomon, Campaign Organizer, (603) 637-4757 or http://www.environmentnewhampshire.org/contact

GLAD – GLBTQ Advocates & Defenders (Regional Organization)

Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.

Website: https://www.glad.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GLADLaw

Contact: Chris Erchull, cErchull@glad.org

Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP)

The Granite State Organizing Project is a non-profit, non-partisan organization rooted in faith and democratic values and includes 28 religious, labor, and community organizations representing 40,000 New Hampshire families. The organization was incorporated in 2002 and works in Manchester, Goffstown and Nashua. GSOP focuses on problems, such as poor housing, failing schools, barriers to citizenship, unjust working conditions, and lack of access to health care, that affect the livelihood and sustainability of communities. For GSOP, the method used to achieve social change –increasing the ability of traditionally disenfranchised people to impact decisions affecting their lives – is as important as the reforms achieved. GSOP members and community leaders conduct research to determine which issues to act on using listening campaigns, one-to-one interviews, and focus groups, as well as more traditional research methods. GSOP’s community leaders then design issue campaigns based upon the research and relationships developed. Youth and Education Organizing- Young Organizers United! Young Organizers United (Y.O.U.) is a group of mostly immigrant and refugee students attending high school in Manchester. Y.O.U. believes that student voice is crucial in shaping and implementing policies that concern their education. We also believe that immigrant and refugee parents will support their children’s education ambitions and will take action to increase their children’s educational opportunities, including supporting student centered and non-traditional learning, when asked to do so by their children and when given clear avenues for action through effective community organizing. Y.O.U. is the only organized group of students focused on addressing systemic education issues in New Hampshire. Y.O.U. is convened by the Granite State Organizing Project.

Website: http://granitestateorganizing.org/ or http://granitestateorganizing.org/youth-organizers-united/

Contact: Sarah Jane Knoy, Director, (603) 668-8250 or sjknoy@granitestateorganizing.org

 

Granite State Progress

Granite State Progress is a progressive advocacy organization that addresses issues of immediate state and local concern. Granite State Progress works as a communications hub for the progressive community to provide a strong, credible voice in advancing progressive solutions to critical community problems. In addition to working in coalition on issue campaigns, some of our signature projects include an around-the-clock State House Video Monitoring Project, weekly calls and briefings for progress-minded organizations and advocates to network and strategize, State House and State Senate Report Cards; and Free State Project Watch and ALEC Exposed campaigns.

Website: https://granitestateprogress.org/

Twitter: @ProgressNH

Contact: Zandra Rice Hawkins, Executive Director, (603) 225-2471 or zandra@granitestateprogress.org

 

League of Conservation Voters/Climate Action NH

The League of Conservation Voters advocates for sound environmental policies, and elects pro-environment candidates who will adopt and implement such policies. The LCV also works to educate the public, lobby Congress and promote grassroots power while training the next generation of environmental leaders.

Website: https://www.lcv.org/sponsors/climate-action-new-hampshire/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LCVoters

Contact: Rob Werner, New Hampshire State Director, (603) 674-9810 or rob_werner@lcv.org

League of Women Voters of New Hampshire

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. The LWV influences public policy through voter education and political advocacy.

Website: http://www.lwvnh.org/

Contact: Liz Tentarelli, President, (603) 225-5344 (see website for email form)

MIRA Coalition

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) is the largest organization in New England promoting the rights and integration of immigrants and refugees. We serve the Commonwealth’s one million foreign-born residents with policy analysis and advocacy, institutional organizing, training and leadership development, strategic communications, citizenship assistance, and AmeriCorps initiatives that provide capacity-building for community-based organizations. The Coalition involves an active membership of over 130 organizations, including community-based groups, social service organizations, ethnic associations, schools, refugee resettlement agencies, health centers, hospitals, religious institutions, unions and law firms, as well as thousands of individual members, contributors, and allies. We also serve immigrants in New Hampshire through our affiliate, the New Hampshire Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (NHAIR). NHAIR works to build the power of low-income immigrants of color (regardless of immigration status); increase low-income immigrant leadership; and implement campaigns to protect employment and civil rights of NH immigrants and refugees, working closely with the labor and faith-based allies.

MIRA/NHAIR: Welcoming New Hampshire

MIRA’s Welcoming New Hampshire initiative, launched in 2012, works to bring the foreign born and native born together to achieve a positive integration of immigrants and refugees into the social fabric of their receiving communities. Through education and cultural activities that both engage non-immigrant audiences and empower immigrants to claim their own voices, Welcoming New Hampshire strives to build an understanding of the impact and contributions of immigrants that will lead to stronger and more inclusive communities and fight back against the anti-immigrant sentiment that has divided so many.

Website: http://miracoalition.org/ or https://miracoalition.org/en/home/52-nh-alliance-of-immigrants-and-refugees/113-about-nh-mira

Twitter:

Contact: Eva Castillo, NHAIR Program Director, (617) 350-5480 or ecastillo@miracoalition.org

 

Moms Clean Air Force – New Hampshire

Moms Clean Air Force is a community of hundreds of thousands of moms—and dads!—working together to combat air pollution, including the urgent crisis of our changing climate.

Website: http://www.momscleanairforce.org/state-of-new-hampshire/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CleanAirMoms_NH

Contact: Elizabeth Hauptman, State Coordinator, volunteer@momscleanairforce.org

 

Moms Demand Action – New Hampshire (Everytown)

Much like Mothers Against Drunk Driving was created to reduce drunk driving, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America was created to demand action from legislators, state and federal; companies; and educational institutions to establish common-sense gun reforms.

Website: https://momsdemandaction.org/

Twitter: @MomsDemand

Contact: Amy Bradley, NH State Director, abradley@momsdemandaction.org

 

Moms Rising

Covering all 50 states, the MomsRising Team is unified by a mission of increasing family economic security, decreasing discrimination, and building a nation where both businesses and families can thrive. MomsRising is also a new media outlet with over 1,000 bloggers and a combined estimated blogging and social media readership reach to over 3 million people.

Website: https://www.momsrising.org

Twitter: @MomsRising

Contact: Mackenzie Nicholson, Senior Director, New Hampshire mackenzie@momsrising.org

New American Africans

New American Africans (NAA) is a self-supportive community group for refugees living in New Hampshire. NAA was formed in 2004 to help newly arrived Africans integrate into their new community by building bridges with local institutions to help families meet their basic needs. NAA addresses institutional barriers through outreach, education and advocacy efforts with key providers and decision makers, while also providing classes and programs to educate and empower refugees and immigrants. The mission of New American Africans is to strengthen and sustain immigrants by gathering for mutual support and education, promoting leadership development and sharing values and culture that will enrich the broader community.

Website:  https://newamericanafricans.wordpress.com/

Contact: Honore Murenzi, Director, (603) 219-5219

NEA NH – National Education Association

The NEA-NH seeks to strengthen and support public education by serving the professional, political, economic and advocacy needs of New Hampshire educators.

Website: http://neanh.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/neanhnews/

Contact: Visit https://neanh.org/about/contact-us/ to identify local contact.

 

New Futures

New Futures is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advocates, educates and collaborates to improve the health and wellness of all New Hampshire residents through policy change. New Futures envisions a State and local communities where public policies support efforts to improve the health and wellness of all Granite Staters.

Website: http://www.new-futures.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/newfuturesnh

Contact: See staff directory for specific programs, http://www.new-futures.org/about/staff

 

New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute (NHFPI)

* NHFPI Common Cents blog highly recommended! Covers state budget matters, health policy, economic issues and more. *

The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute (NHFPI) is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring, developing, and promoting public policies that foster economic opportunity and prosperity for all New Hampshire residents, with an emphasis on low- and moderate-income families and individuals. Based in Concord, NHFPI produces regular reports on the fiscal and economic challenges facing New Hampshire and strives to serve as a resource to anyone interested in meeting those challenges in a fair and sound fashion. In its efforts to promote equitable, responsible, and sustainable fiscal and economic policies, NHFPI collaborates with two national networks of state-level policy research organizations, the State Priorities Partnership (SPP) and the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN).

Website: http://nhfpi.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NHFPI

Contact: Molly Redfield, Communications Manager at mredfield@nhfpi.org

New Hampshire Peace Action

The members of New Hampshire Peace Action are dedicated to making a contribution to world peace. We envision a world in which nuclear disarmament, mutual security, global understanding, international cooperation and respect for human rights create social, economic, and environmental benefits for all humanity.

Website: http://nhpeaceaction.org/

Contact: info@nhpeaceaction.org

NH Voices for Faith

New Hampshire Voices of Faith is a growing community of people from multiple faith traditions who believe in the power of moral witness as a force for social and political transformation for a more just and equitable society. Since 2011, we have conducted State House vigils for a humane budget and for public policy based on a shared commitment to the common good. As a matter of conscience, we bear faithful witness to the need for policies that promote the well-being and fair treatment of all people, especially those among us who are most vulnerable and whose rights and dignity are under attack.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/InterfaithVoices/

Contact: Rev. Gail Kinney (uniongale@aol.com). To join our email list, send your name, email address and your faith community affiliation to Maggie Fogarty (mfogarty@afsc.org).

New Hampshire Young Democrats

New Hampshire Young Democrats (NHYD) is an official chapter of Young Democrats of America (YDA) and a wing of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. The mission of NHYD is to help young Democrats seeking office, advocate for progressive issues, and train the next generation of progressive leaders. Founded in 1932, YDA is the largest partisan, youth-led political organization in America. 603 Forward is NHYD’s program to guide young candidates through a successful campaign. Young candidate running for office benefit from additional support throughout their campaign as they have varying levels of experience, most running for office for their first time. Whether a candidate is running for a municipal seat or state-level office, 603 Forward is to facilitate effective campaigns through support, training, and guidance to ensure these candidate have the best opportunity to be elected.

Website: https://www.nhyd.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NHYoungDems

Contact: Jay Bowie, President, president@nhyd.org

Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund (PPNHAF)

Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund (PPNHAF) is the non-partisan New Hampshire state based not-for-profit political advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. PPNHAF engages in educational and electoral activity, including legislative advocacy, voter education, and grassroots organizing to promote the Planned Parenthood mission. We work to create a policy and political environment that promotes women’s health and supports full access to reproductive care. We also encourage community engagement and help educate voters so they will understand how elections and elected officials can jeopardize or enable the provision of health care at Planned Parenthood health centers. Note: Community Action Teams are currently located in Manchester, Concord, Keene, Upper Valley, Seacoast, Nashua, Lakes Region and Derry.

Website:  http://ppnhaf.org/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ppnhaf

Contact: http://ppnhaf.org/get-involved/volunteer/

Rights and Democracy New Hampshire

Our mission is to bring people together to take action to build healthy communities and make the values of our communities guide the policies of our government. We are building a popular movement to advance rights and build a real democracy.  We work in partnership with community groups, progressive unions, faith communities, organizations fighting for human and civil rights, and environmental and climate action groups.

Website:  http://www.radnh.org/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RightsNH

Contact: Sebastian Fuentes, Movement Politics Director, sebastian@radnh.org

 

Reaching Higher NH

New Hampshire has always considered public education a precious civic asset. Our mission is to foster that support for high standards in our public schools, giving ALL New Hampshire children the opportunity to prepare for college, for immediate careers and for the challenges and opportunities of life in 21st Century New Hampshire. Reaching Higher NH will bring together voices – business, teachers, parents, community members and civic organizations – from every part of New Hampshire to convey our shared support for New Hampshire public education.

Website:  http://reachinghighernh.org/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ReachHigherNH

Contact: Christina Pretorius, Director of Policy at christina@reachinghighernh.org

 

State Employees Association of New Hampshire, Local 1984 (SEA, SEIU Local 1984)

SEIU Local 1984 represents over 10,000 state employees across New Hampshire. SEA is committed to defending and improving the services provided by its members. SEA is part of the Service Employees International Union, an organization of 2-million members united by the belief in the dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide and dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society.

Website: http://www.seiu1984.org/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/seiu1984

Contact: David Holt, Organizer, (603) 271-3411 or dholt@seiu1984.org

NH Sierra Club

The Sierra Club works to protect New Hampshire communities and wild places, along with the planet itself. It strives towards creating safe and healthy communities, smart energy solutions to combat global warming, and an enduring legacy for New Hampshire’s wild places.

Website: http://www.sierraclub.org/new-hampshire

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NHSierraClub

Contact: Catherine Corkery, Chapter Director and Senior Organizing Representative, (603) 224-8222 or catherine.corkery@sierraclub.org

YWCA New Hampshire – Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women

YWCA New Hampshire has been providing comprehensive services to meet the needs of women, children and families in New Hampshire since 1920. Over the years, we have launched successful campaigns aimed at empowering individuals and communities. Our current mission to empower women and eliminate racism is based strongly in our founding roots.

Website: http://www.ywcanh.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ywcanh

Contact: Mariah Cahill, Community Education Advocate, (603) 625-5785 or mariahc@ywcanh.org