Bluespark Partners is a communications advisory firm that helps clients from the private, nonprofit, and electoral sectors improve their reach. It supports left-of-center political initiatives. ¹

Bluespark states that it works with funders who “either work to protect our democracy or to spark other forms of social change,” influencers who want to use their platforms “for good,” companies who are looking to find a “strategy for their social impact and corporate responsibility work,” and nonprofits “who need strategic support and advice to tackle urgent organizational challenges and sharpen their theory of change.” ¹

As of November 2024, Bluespark Partners had become one of the 72 signatories of the left-of-center Election Day to Every Day (EDED) pledge. ²

Background

Bluespark Partners is a communications advisory firm that helps clients from the private, nonprofit, and electoral sectors improve their reach. It is predominantly dedicated to advancing left-of-center political initiatives. ¹

According to its LinkedIn profile, the company was formed in 2024. ³

Activities

Bluespark Partners helps its clients through strategy development, sourcing and vetting project proposals, managing the implementation of strategies, evaluating activities, filtering requests, and keeping up-to-date with the latest news and technology. ¹

Bluespark states that it works with funders that “either work to protect our democracy or to spark other forms of social change,” influencers who want to use their platforms “for good,” companies that are looking to find a “strategy for their social impact and corporate responsibility work,” and nonprofits “who need strategic support and advice to tackle urgent organizational challenges and sharpen their theory of change.” ¹

As of November 2024, Bluespark Partners had become one of the 72 signatories of the Election Day to Every Day (EDED) pledge. As a signatory, Bluespark was involved in the confirmation of EDED’s 2025 grantmaking budget, helping to decide which election-related left-of-center organizations should receive funds to combat “violent threats and the authoritarian playbook.” ²

Leadership

Jason Bakerfield is the founder and president of Bluespark Partners. Bakerfield was the full-time leader of the personal political funding initiative of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt as well as the head of strategy and chair of the investment committee of his philanthropic organization Schmidt Futures. In this role, one of Bakerfield’s chief focuses was funding groups doing work related to elections. He describes his time working with Schmidt as his attempt to explore “the many ways in which technology can be used to bolster an inclusive, multiracial democracy instead of tearing it apart.” ¹

Bakerfield previously worked for the 2008 presidential campaign of President Barack Obama, for Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign as regional get-out-the-vote overseer for southwest Iowa, and as the campaign manager for now-New York state Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan). ¹

1. “Home.” Bluespark Partners.” Accessed January 6, 2025. https://www.bluesparkpartners.com/.
2. “Election Day Every Day: A Post-Election Call to Action for Pro-Democracy Philanthropy.” Election Day Every Day. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://www.electionday-everyday.org/letter-and-signers/.
3. “Bluespark Partners – About.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/company/bluespark-partners/about/.