Moderate Power Project

Our Programs

Venture Fund

Funding entrepreneurial projects that strengthen and expand the center-left ecosystem

Program Overview

The Moderate Power Venture Fund (MPVF) invests in and supports entrepreneurial projects working to build center-left social capital and political power. We run an annual grant cycle, with the application window typically open in February and March and grant decisions made by Memorial Day. In the year following grant awards, Venture Fund staff provide grantees with strategic guidance, tailored organizational support, and programming to foster a sense of community between and among cohort members and the greater center left ecosystem.

Who Should Apply?

We are seeking to support projects that fight for pragmatism—and against extremism—in American civic life. Applicants should share our passion for pursuing progress over positioning, pushing back against ideological rigidity and litmus tests, and taking commonsense, politically resonant approaches to the most pressing economic, social, climate, energy, and security issues facing the country.

Read our 2026 RFP

Stay in Touch

We are not currently accepting applications. Sign up here to be notified about our next funding cycle.

Contact Us

Reach out with any questions about the Venture Fund

Rachel Fersh | Senior Advisor to the Moderate Power Project

[email protected]

Learn More

Read about our past grantee accomplishments

MPVF Grant Cycle

  • APPLICATIONS

    We advertise a Request for Proposals (RFP). Interested projects apply for funding, and venture fund staff review applications and hold interviews with the most promising candidates.

    View our 2026 RFP

  • AWARDS

    With input from Third Way’s Management Committee, the venture fund team selects award winners and distributes funds to a cohort of grantees. We announce the recipients via press release, email blast, and social media.

    2025 Cohort Press Release

  • PROGRAMMING

    MPVF staff work with the cohort members individually and as a group to provide bespoke guidance and strategic support. Grantees attend at least one in-person gathering at the Third Way office and submit reports on their growth and progress throughout the funding year.

    2024 Grantee Accomplishments

Our 2026 Grantee Cohort

  • Elevating the voices of working Americans in economic policymaking

    Founded by former Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, the Dignity of Work Institute is dedicated to ensuring that economic policy reflects the experiences of working Americans and supports broad-based prosperity. With support from MPVF, DOWI will develop a first-of-its-kind social listening platform that captures how working people are talking about jobs, wages, and the economy. The organization will use those insights to inform its policy research and briefings, bringing the perspectives of everyday workers into conversations that too often rely on elite commentary and conventional wisdom. 

  • Deploying trusted national security voices to defend democratic values

    National Security Leaders for America works to connect trusted national security experts with audiences that may be skeptical of traditional political messaging. MPVF funding will support a network of retired military, intelligence, and diplomatic leaders who will appear on podcasts, YouTube programs, livestreams, and other digital platforms to discuss the importance of democratic institutions, civic trust, and constitutional governance. By bringing respected voices into the online spaces where people already consume information, the project seeks to reach persuadable audiences with messages grounded in service and public duty. 

  • Amplifying a new generation of rural-focused media creators

    One Country Project works to strengthen connections between legislative leaders and rural communities through trusted local voices and culturally relevant media. Best known for producing The Hotdish podcast, hosted by former Senator Heidi Heitkamp and radio personality Joel Heitkamp, the organization is now launching the One Country Network, a collaborative media ecosystem for rural-focused content creators. MPVF funding will help recruit and develop new podcasts into the network, providing production assistance, audience development, and new revenue opportunities. The goal is to expand the reach of factual, values-driven content that speaks directly to rural Americans' priorities and experiences.

  • Rebuilding trust through community partnerships that serve working families

    The Working Majority Coalition is a new Arizona-based initiative focused on rebuilding trust and civic participation among working-class Americans. Rather than relying solely on political messaging, the Coalition combines community service, practical problem-solving, and partnerships with trusted local organizations to build lasting relationships within communities. With support from MPVF, the project will expand this organizing model, creating more opportunities for working families to engage with civic life, strengthen local networks, and have a greater voice in the decisions that affect their communities. 

  • Empowering the next generation of young organizers and leaders

    Voters of Tomorrow is a national youth-led organization dedicated to building the political power of young people through organizing, leadership development, and voter engagement. MPVF funding will support the expansion of a rapid-response youth organizing model across more than ten competitive congressional districts. The project will recruit and train young organizers, host peer-to-peer engagement programs, and create leadership opportunities that help build a durable pipeline of center-left youth leaders going into the 2026 midterm elections and beyond. 

MPP Grantees in the Press