BRIDGE (Building Resourced Infrastructure for Diverse Grassroots Engagement) Movements Fund (BMF) is an organizing group that coordinates left-of-center nonprofits within the state of Texas. ¹ BMF is fiscally sponsored by the 501(c)(4) NEO Philanthropy Action Fund, while its sister group, the BRIDGE Infrastructure Fund (BIF), is fiscally sponsored by the 501(c)(3) NEO Philanthropy.² BMF accepts donations through ActBlue, a fundraising platform connected to left-of-center groups and campaigns. ³

The group’s founder H. Drew Galloway refers to BRIDGE as the “Y-Combinator of grassroots organizing, social justice advocacy, and civic technology movement-building in the Lone Star State.” Since its founding, BMF and BIF have founded roughly 18 organizations while providing support to 25 additional organizations within the state of Texas. ⁴

Alumni Organizations

Since its founding in 2021, the BRIDGE Movements Fund has helped the development of 18 similar left-of-center organizations in the state of Texas. ⁵ These include the Act 4 SA Action Fund, which advocates for public transit expansion in San Antonio; Somos Tejas, a leadership development group; the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute, a voter education group; the Mano Amiga Action Fund, an immigrant advocacy group; the Woori Juntos Action Fund, an Asian advocacy group; and South Asian American Voter Empowerment of Texas, a political advocacy group supporting members of the South Asian-American community in Texas. ⁶

Activity

The BRIDGE Movements Fund has provided resources and assistance to roughly 25 left-of-center organizations through its training programs. ⁵ Its first program, “Spark,” provided newly-formed organizations with $100,000 grants while offering mentoring support for a six month period. ⁴

BRIDGE later replaced Spark with several additional programs: “Accelerator” is a 25-week program that includes $50,000 in financial support, assistance with more fundraising, workshops, and organizational coaching. “Incubator” is a 15-week program for early-stage organizations that includes $5,000 in funding, networking opportunities, a retreat, and legal and compliance guidance. “Bootcamp” is focused on nonprofit leadership development. “Launchpad” is an early-stage organization support program that “[mitigates] startup risks, ensuring these vital initiatives can thrive from the outset.” ^{7 8}

Alumni of BMF’s programs maintain a support network that includes annual funding of $5,000 to $25,000. ⁶

Leadership

Drew Galloway is the founder of the BRIDGE Movements Fund and its sister organization, the BRIDGE Infrastructure Fund. From 2016 to 2021, Galloway worked as the executive director of MOVE Texas, a left-of-center voter engagement and advocacy organization focused on university campuses. In 2013, Galloway founded the Civic Court Project, a mobile app for registering new voters. ⁵

Roseangela Hartford has served as a program manager at BMF since May 2024. From 2023 to 2024, she worked at La Union del Pueblo, an advocacy group founded by labor union activist Caesar Chavez. From 2022 to 2023, Hartford served as the senior campaign manager of Texas turnout for the Good Deeds Corps, a voter mobilization group. From 2021 to 2022, she worked at the Texas Freedom Network, a left-of-center lobbying organization. Prior to this, Hartford was a corps. member of Teach for America. ⁹

Belen Iniguez has worked as the development associate and then development manager of BMF since February 2023. Iniguez was previously a fellow at Left Rising, a fundraising group for left-of-center political candidates, and the Movement School, a left-of-center leadership training organization. ¹⁰

Val Benevidez sits on the board of BMF, as well as the boards of the Workers Defense Project, the Workers Defense Action Fund, the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, the Texas Women’s Coalition, and Annie’s List. She is the president and executive director of the pro-abortion-access Texas Freedom Network where she worked since 2007. Beforehand, Benevidez worked at the League of Young Voters, the Texas Immigrant and Refugee Coalition, and United Ways of Texas. ^{11 12}

Funding

The BRIDGE Movements Fund is fiscally sponsored by the 501(c)(4) NEO Philanthropy Action Fund, while its sister group BRIDGE Infrastructure Fund is sponsored by the affiliated 501(c)(3) NEO Philanthropy.²

In 2022, the BMF received $943,455 in funding. ¹

In 2022, the BIF received $140,230 in funding. ¹

In 2023, the Ford Foundation gave $250,000 to NEO Philanthropy for “core support” for the BRIDGE Infrastructure Fund. ¹³

Also in 2023, the Hive Fund for Climate and Gender Justice (Hive Fund) made a grant to BRIDGE Infrastructure Fund. ¹⁴

1. “2021 Startup Report.” Issuu. August 16, 2022. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://issuu.com/koasismedia/docs/bm_report-digital.
2. BRIDGE Movements official website. Accessed October 16, 2024. Available at: https://bridgemovements.org/
3. “Let’s Build a Better Texas Together.” Act Blue. Accessed October 4, 2024.  https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bridgemovements.
4. Hamilton, Tracy Idell. “Accelerating change: Progressive leader Drew Galloway looks to nurture, fund grassroots groups.” San Antonio Report. June 1, 2021. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://sanantonioreport.org/accelerating-change-progressive-leader-drew-galloway-looks-to-nurture-fund-grassroots-groups/.
5. “H. Drew Galloway.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 4, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/hdrewgalloway/.
6. “Empowering Our Alumni.” BRIDGE. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://bridgemovements.org/collective/.
7. “Uplifting Tomorrow’s Leaders.” BRIDGE. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://bridgemovements.org/programs/#bridge-programs.
8. “BRIDGE Launchpad.” BRIDGE. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://bridgemovements.org/programs/launchpad/.
9. “Roseangela Hartford.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/roseangela-hartford956/.
10. “Belen Iniguez.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/belen-iniguez-75b620219/.
11. ^[1] “Val Benevidez.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/valbenavidez/.
12. “About.” BRIDGE. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://bridgemovements.org/about/.
13. “Core support for BRIDGE Infrastructure Fund to strengthen the capacity of social justice organizations in Texas.” Ford Foundation. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/awarded-grants/grants-database/neo-philanthropy-inc-147089/.
14. “Announcing Our Spring 2023 Grants.” Hive Fund. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://hivefund.org/news/announcing-our-spring-2023-grants.