Non-profit

Centre for Voters Initiative and Action (CVIA)

Website:

www.cvia.ch/

Location:

Falls Church, VT

Tax ID:

99-2302833

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Type:

Youth Voter Outreach

Executive Director:

Samad Quraishi

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The Centre for Voters Initiative and Action (CVIA) (not to be confused with the Center for Voter Information) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to registering voters and election turn-out for young Americans, as well as advocating for youth power globally. CVIA was founded and is run by high-school students. 1 2

Though CVIA claims to be non-partisan, its proposed legislation has been sponsored by Democrats, its founders and executive staff formerly worked for Democratic organizations, and CVIA accepts donations through Act Blue. 3

Leadership

The Centre for Voters Initiative and Action consists of a board of directors, executive board, national staff, and 750 national volunteers, all of whom are high school students. CVIA also has an “adult advisory board.” 4 5

Samad Quraishi is the executive director and co-founder of CVIA. Before establishing the organization, Samad served as the Virginia Chair of the High School Democrats of America, on the State Steering Committee for the Virginia Democratic Party, and as director at Voters of Tomorrow, Virginia, advocating for youth empowerment in state politics. 6

Vedansh Garg is a co-founder and “assistant director for international programmes” at CVIA. Previously, Garg worked at Voters of Tomorrow as a state director. 7

Nia Gouvis is the assistant director for public diplomacy at CVIA. She previously worked at the Fund for Women’s Equality and the Equal Rights Amendment Coalition. 8

Eleanor Liang is assistant director for U.S. programs at CVIA. She also previously worked at the Fund for Women’s Equality and the Equal Rights Amendment Coalition. 9

Hannah Rohde is assistant director of fiscal oversight at CVIA and previously worked at the Fund for Women’s Equality and the Equal Rights Amendment Coalition. 10

Activities

In October 2023, the Centre for Voters Initiative and Action’s executive team began meeting with the Biden White House’s Counsel to the Vice President to encourage means of promoting voter registration for high school students. Over the following six months, CVIA met with over 250 U.S. Congressional offices. The product of the meetings was the High School Voter Empowerment Act, a proposed bill to register all public high schools as voter registration agencies to promote voter registration among high schoolers. The bill’s sponsorship was led by U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and U.S. Representative Frederica Wilson (D-FL). 11

CVIA has been involved in advocating for the rights of Somalia’s youth at the United Nations. In February 2024, CVIA submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee about the Somalian government’s failure to abide by the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights due to a lack of education and opportunity, and fear of violence in Somali society. 12

In May 2024, CVIA executive director Samad Quraishi spoke at the NATO Youth Summit on CVIA’s goals. 13

CVIA runs get-out-the-vote efforts targeted at American youth, particularly “disenfranchised members of civil society” including racial minorities. 14

CVIA offers consulting services to nonprofits aiming to launch public-interest campaigns or influence politicians. 15

Financials

The Centre for Voters Initiative and Action attained tax-exempt status in April 2024. As of July 2024, it did not have any publicly available tax records. 16

CVIA receives donations through ActBlue, a major fundraising group for Democratic-aligned organizations. 17

References

  1. “Our Team.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/team.
  2. “SAMAD QURAISHI.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/team/samad-quraishi.
  3. “Donate to the Centre for Voters Initiative & Action.” Act Blue. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/centreforvoters.
  4. “Our Team.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/team.
  5. “SAMAD QURAISHI.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/team/samad-quraishi.
  6. “SAMAD QURAISHI.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/team/samad-quraishi.
  7. “VEDANSH GARG.” CVIA Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/vedansh-garg.
  8. NIA GOUVIS.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/team/nia-gouvis.
  9. “ELIANOR LIANG.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/team/eleanor-liang.
  10. “HANNAH ROHDE.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/team/hanna-rohde.
  11. “CVIA Launches U.S. Bill by High Schoolers, for High Schoolers.” CVIA. April 30, 2024. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/post/cvia-launches-us-high-school-bill.
  12. “Somali Youth Engagement in Public Affairs – CCPR 140th Session.” CVIA. February 19, 2024. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/post/electoral-rights-review-on-somalia-ccpr-140th-session.
  13. “Director Presents CVIA’s Vision at the NATO Youth Summit.” CVIA. May 14, 2024. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/post/cvia-at-nato.
  14. “Grassroots Outreach.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/grassroots.
  15. “Consulting Services.” CVIA. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://www.cvia.ch/consultancy.
  16. “Centre For Voters Initiative & Action In.” ProPublica. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/992302833.
  17. “Donate to the Centre for Voters Initiative & Action.” Act Blue. Accessed July 3, 2024. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/centreforvoters.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: October - September
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 2024

  • Available Filings

    No filings available.

    Centre for Voters Initiative and Action (CVIA)


    Falls Church, VT