Onward Toward Progress is a left-of-center organization that formed after the 2016 presidential election. Its focus is primarily on voter registration and canvassing efforts in California, Nevada, and Michigan. Onward Toward Progress partners with Field Team 6, a left-of-center voter mobilization organization, to host fundraisers and events.

About

Onward Toward Progress is a Los Angeles, California-based ¹ group focused on raising money for voter registration and canvassing efforts. ² The group was created after the 2016 presidential election by a group of “concerned progressive citizens.” ³

Onward Toward Progress partners with the left-of-center coalition Field Team 6, a voter mobilization organization with more than 45 partners in California and a number of national left-progressive partners including Blue Future, Reclaim Our Vote, Vote Save America, Stand Up 4 America, Women for Biden, and Women’s March Action. ⁴

Outreach

In 2018, Onward Toward Progress organized a GoFundMe fundraiser that raised $3,150 for canvassing efforts to flip California’s 25th congressional district. ⁵ The seat was held by then-Rep. Steve Knight (R-CA) who was unseated by Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA). ⁶ Hill later resigned after allegations surfaced of having inappropriate relationships with staffers. ⁷

Onward Toward Progress claimed to raise about $90,000 during the 2020 election cycle that Field Team 6 used to help register more than 30,000 Democratic voters in Michigan. ⁸

In July 2022, Field Team 6 highlighted Onward Toward Progress’ expansion into Nevada in a newsletter. The organization cited efforts to re-elect Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Reps. Susie Lee (D-NV), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Governor Steve Sisolak (D-NV) as reasons for expanding into the Sagebrush State. ⁹

Onward Toward Progress hosts events, sometimes in conjunction with Field Team 6, to raise money for voter registration efforts. Onward Toward Progress hosted a virtual fundraiser for Field Team 6 called “Beer & Politics” where participants viewed a screening of the film Suppressed: The Fight to Vote, a documentary about alleged voter suppression during Georgia’s 2018 mid-term elections. ¹⁰ In July 2020, Onward Toward Progress and Field Team 6 co-hosted a virtual gala to raise money for voter registration and digital outreach efforts in Michigan. The event advertised raffle prizes as well as conversations with Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ), and Giffords’ husband, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ). ¹¹

1. “Be the Light on July 26!” ActBlue. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ft6bethelight?refcode=newsletter07232020.
2. “Flip Ca 25 in 2018, Organized by Angel Treinen.” Gofundme.com. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://www.gofundme.com/f/flip-ca-25-in-2018.
3. “Be the Light on July 26!” ActBlue. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ft6bethelight?refcode=newsletter07232020.
4. “Field Team 6.” FieldTeam6. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://www.fieldteam6.org/mission.
5. “Flip Ca 25 in 2018, Organized by Angel Treinen.” Gofundme.com. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://www.gofundme.com/f/flip-ca-25-in-2018.
6. “California’s 25th Congressional District Election, 2018.” Ballotpedia. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/California%27s_25th_Congressional_District_election,_2018.
7. CHENEY, KYLE, JOHN BRESNAHAN, and HEATHER CAYGLE. “Rep. Katie Hill to Resign amid Allegations of Inappropriate Relationships with Staffers.” POLITICO, October 27, 2019. https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/27/rep-katie-hill-to-resign-amid-allegations-of-inappropriate-relationships-with-staffers-000301.
8. “Register Democrats in NV with Onward toward Progress & Field Team 6!” ActBlue. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/nv-otp.
9. “Paddle!!! – the Field Team 6 Weekly.” Field Team 6, July 28, 2022. https://myemail.constantcontact.com/PADDLE——The-Field-Team-6-Weekly.html?soid=1134400222544&aid=QMvv7Pd_2U0.
10. “Beer & Politics – A Fundraiser for Field Team 6.” ActBlue. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ft6fighttovote?refcode=otp.
11. “Be the Light on July 26!” ActBlue. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ft6bethelight?refcode=newsletter07232020.