Represent Georgia Institute (Rep GA) is a left-of-center get-out-the-vote and leadership training organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. ¹ Rep GA recruits leaders in line with the left-of-center Wellstone Action (now RePower) training method for candidates, which has elevated left-of-center candidate work across the United States. ²

Rep GA supports expanded use of ballot drop boxes ³ and has partnered with Black Voters Matter, Progress Georgia, and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Georgia on election-related issues. ⁴

History and Leadership

Represent Georgia Institute was founded in 2018 and received tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service that same year. ⁵ Rep GA formed its board of directors in 2019 and finalized its official documents in 2021. ⁶

In 2020, Kimberlyn Carter, one of Rep GA’s founding members, became the organization’s executive director. ^{7 8} In 2014, Carter was the campaign manager for U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA). ⁹

Kendra Cotton is the founding executive director of Rep GA Institute. As of 2024, she is the CEO of the left-of-center New Georgia Project and the affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund. ¹⁰

Activities and Funding

Represent Georgia Institute is a left-of-center get-out-the-vote organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. Rep GA seeks to identify, train, build, and then work with hundreds of local leaders and communities across Georgia. ¹¹

Rep GA’s activities have been inspired by the left-of-center Wellstone Action (now RePower) training method for candidates, which has been credited with elevating left-of-center candidate work across the United States. ¹²

Rep GA recruits whom it considers to be the next generation of Georgia leaders and considers itself a statewide leadership development hub to address the far-left concepts of structural inequity and racial inequity. ¹³ Rep GA is committed to the far-left concept of equity and works to ensure that all individuals in Georgia have new opportunities, including noncitizens. ¹⁴

Policy Advocacy

Represent Georgia Institute supports the expanded use of ballot drop boxes in Georgia. ¹⁵ In 2023, Rep GA was selected by left-of-center activist organization Georgia Votes as one of 60 nonprofit groups in the state that Georgia Votes praised for conducting voter registration in Georgia. ¹⁶

In 2023, Rep GA partnered with Black Voters Matter, Progress Georgia, and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Georgia for voting-related issues in Georgia to oppose Georgia House Bill 42, which addressed selection of county election officials. ¹⁷

In 2022, Rep GA signed a letter by All Voting is Local to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) demanding that all counties be mandated to have drop boxes for every 15,000 to 20,000 voters. The letter also supported promotion of the availability of drop boxes. ¹⁸

Rep GA was a community partner of National Voter Registration Day campaign in 2021 ¹⁹ and has been a partner of National Run for Office Day. ²⁰

Rep GA sponsors Change the Face of Justice in Georgia. ²¹ Represent GA Action Network is Represent GA Institute’s affiliated 501(c)(4) organization. ²²

Funding

Represent Georgia Institute is funded by individual contributions and grants. ²³ All donations to Rep GA are routed through the Democratic-aligned pass-through organization ActBlue Charities. ²⁴

In 2021, Rep GA’s reported revenue was $286,451 and expenses were $223,776. The organization reported a revenue of $163,056 and expenses at $109,251 in 2020. ²⁵

In 2022, Rep GA Institute received $110,000 from A New Way of Life, $100,000 from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and $92,000 from Georgia Alliance Education Fund. ^{26 27}

Rep GA received $50,000 from the left-of-center Tides Foundation in 2019. ²⁸

1. “Contact Us.” Represent Georgia. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.repga.org/.
2. “Our Story.” Rep GA Institute. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.repga.org/.
3. “Voting Rights Advocates Call on Georgia Secretary of State to Mandate Ballot Drop Boxes.” All Voting Is Local. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://allvotingislocal.org/press-releases/voting-rights-advocates-call-on-georgia-secretary-of-state-to-mandate-drop-boxes/.
4.  “A Plea for Action in Georgia: Vote NO On HB 422.” Black Voters Matter Facebook Video. Uploaded March 1, 2023. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/BlackVotersMtr/videos/215888990943572/.
5. “Determination Letter.” Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service. July 10, 2018. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/dl/FinalLetter_82-3668416_REPGEORGIAINSTITUTEINC_05182018.tif.
6. “RepGA Institute Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Schedule O. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/823668416/202331989349301778/full
7. “Our Story.” Rep GA. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.repga.org/.
8. “Our Team.” Rep GA Action Network. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.repgaact.org/Home/Team.
9. Tamar Hallerman and Greg Bluestein. “Macon group with ties to Ga congressman indicted.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution. August 17, 2017. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.ajc.com/news/state–regional-govt–politics/macon-group-with-ties-congressman-indicted/u2nUtkk29JHFw9k265HNQM/.
10. “2024 Atlanta 500: Religion, Nonprofits, & Advocacy.” Atlanta Magazine. February 1, 2024. https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/2024-atlanta-500-religion-nonprofits-advocacy/.
11. “Our Story.” Rep GA Institute. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.repga.org/.
12.   “Our Story.” Rep GA Institute. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.repga.org/.
13. “RepGA Institute Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). Part I. 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/823668416/202331989349301778/full.
14. “Home.” Rep GA Institute. Accessed April 282, 2024. https://www.repga.org/.
15. “Voting Rights Advocates Call on Georgia Secretary of State to Mandate Ballot Drop Boxes.” All Voting Is Local. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://allvotingislocal.org/press-releases/voting-rights-advocates-call-on-georgia-secretary-of-state-to-mandate-drop-boxes/.
16. “Facebook Post.” Georgia Votes Facebook Post. March 23, 2023. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3530617787167143&set=a.1565769746985300.
17.  “A Plea for Action in Georgia: Vote NO On HB 422.” Black Voters Matter Facebook Video. Uploaded March 1, 2023. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/BlackVotersMtr/videos/215888990943572/.
18. “Letter to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.” LDF and All Voting Is Local. September 2022. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://allvotingislocal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Georgia-Drop-Box-Letter-Final.pdf.
19. “2021 Partners.” National Voter Registration Day. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/2021-partners/.
20. “Our Partners.” National Run For Office Day. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://runforofficeday.com/partners/.
21.  “Sign Up.” Change the Face of Justice. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://changingthefaceofjustice.org/Home/Contact.
22.  “About.” Represent GA Action Network. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.repgaact.org/Home/About.
23. “Donate to Rep GA Institute.” ActBlue Charities. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/rep-ga-institute-1?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_10_2_2020_1_45_COPY_01)&mc_cid=06de3207e7&mc_eid=71c61d9f78.
24. “Donate to Rep GA Institute.” ActBlue Charities. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/actblue-charities/.
25. “RepGA Institute Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/823668416/202331989349301778/full.
26. ^[1] “Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133615533/202302569349300030/IRS990ScheduleI.
27. “Rep GA Institute.” Cause IQ. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/rep-ga-institute,823668416/.
28. “Tides Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510198509/202043149349304239/IRS990ScheduleI.