Citizen Action of New York

What Citizen Action of New York does

Citizen Action of New York (CANY) is a statewide grassroots membership organization founded in 1983 and headquartered in Albany, NY. The organization operates seven chapters and one affiliate (Long Island Progressive Coalition) across New York State, covering Western NY, Rochester, Central NY, the Capital District, the Southern Tier, Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island. Its mission centers on social, racial, economic, and environmental justice, with issue campaigns spanning housing, healthcare equity, climate, democracy, education, mass incarceration, and progressive revenue policy. The organization serves individual dues-paying members, low-income communities, communities of color, progressive voters, and endorsed candidates, issuing endorsements for over 100 candidates in the 2026 election cycle. Revenue is generated through monthly and annual membership dues, tax-deductible contributions to its Public Policy and Education Fund, and non-tax-deductible donations for grassroots lobbying, collected primarily through the EveryAction, ActBlue, and ActionNetwork platforms. The organization is affiliated nationally with People's Action and is governed by a board that includes representatives from Democratic Socialists of America, 1199 SEIU, and Communications Workers of America, with current co-Executive Directors Rebecca Garrard and Carolyn Martinez-Class leading the senior team. Citizen Action does not develop proprietary technology; its digital infrastructure is limited to standard advocacy and fundraising tools, with member engagement driven by community organizing, coalition partnerships, regional events, and electoral mobilization across its chapter network.

Name

Citizen Action of New York

Legal name

Citizen Action of New York

Website

https://citizenactionny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Citizen Action of New York is a statewide grassroots membership nonprofit founded in 1983, operating seven chapters and one affiliate across New York to organize on housing, healthcare, climate, democracy, and justice issues. It is funded by member dues, donations, and grassroots advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grassroots Advocacy and Political Organizing

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Political Organizations (813940), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ), Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)

Keywords

• Grassroots community organizing
• Progressive political advocacy
• Electoral candidate endorsements
• Issue campaign organizing
• Political education leadership

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and monthly membership dues from individual members across New York State. Dues-paying members receive political education, skills trainings, newsletters, event invitations, and Citizen Action merchandise.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible contributions to the Public Policy and Education Fund (research and education affiliate) and non-tax-deductible donations for grassroots lobbying activities through ActBlue platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Citizen Action of New York is a statewide grassroots membership organization that organizes individual members across eight regional chapters to advocate for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. The organization conducts issue campaigns on housing, healthcare, climate, democracy, education, mass incarceration, and tax policy, while running an electoral endorsement program that vets and supports progressive candidates for state and federal office. Members receive political education, skills trainings, newsletters, event invitations, and a role in shaping organizational strategy.

Product overview

Citizen Action of New York is a grassroots membership organization focused on social, racial, economic, and environmental justice advocacy across New York State. The organization does not offer technology products or services; it provides membership-based political organizing, candidate endorsements, advocacy campaigns, and leadership development programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grassroots Membership Program Monthly or annually recurring membership in Citizen Action of New York that gives individual progressive New Yorkers access to political education, skills trainings, newsletters, events, merchandise, and a role in shaping organizational strategy and endorsements.
• Candidate Endorsement Program Endorsement process for progressive candidates running for state and federal office in New York, including endorsement questionnaires, interviews, and post-endorsement mobilization support in partnership with Blue Voter Guide.
• Issue Advocacy Campaigns Coordinated advocacy campaigns on the organization's seven core issue areas, executed through chapter-based grassroots organizing, coalitions, and public mobilization including rallies, protests, and press conferences.
• Annual Justice and Legislative Agenda Yearly policy agenda publications articulating Citizen Action of New York's statewide legislative priorities, advanced through grassroots lobbying, direct outreach, and coalition advocacy.
• Leadership Development and Political Education Member-facing skills trainings and political education programs that develop grassroots leaders through local chapter activities and organization-wide trainings.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• People's ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational affiliation with People's Action, a progressive coalition organization. Citizen Action is proud to be affiliated at the national level with People's Action, enabling coordination on national progressive campaigns and access to shared resources and organizing infrastructure.
• Blue Voter GuidemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to help voters make confident ballot choices. Citizen Action of New York has partnered with Blue Voter Guide to provide comprehensive voter guide for endorsed candidates.
• Hudson Valley Community CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for Hudson Valley organizing, including joint rallies and protests against Trump administration policies and Congressman Mike Lawler's voting record. Joint protests on attacks on working families, constitutional rights, and democracy.
• NY17 Community CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition including Citizen Action, NYWFP, and local advocates working to hold Congressman Mike Lawler accountable and flip NY-17 seat.
• Long Island Progressive CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization with office at 90 Pennsylvania Ave, Massapequa, NY 11758. Listed as one of eight chapters and affiliates across New York State.
• New York Working Families PartymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner including joint work on NY-17 accountability campaign. NYWFP State Director Jasmine Gripper cited as coalition partner in protests.
• Releasing Aging People in Prison Campaign (RAPP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy partner for mass incarceration issues. RAPP Westchester/Hudson Valley Organizer Melita Corselli participates in coalition rallies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Community Voices Heard: New York-based grassroots membership organization focused on low-income communities organizing for economic and racial justice; comparable in membership model, leadership development, and progressive issue advocacy.
• New York Working Families Party: Coalition partner working on progressive ballot-line endorsements and electoral organizing across New York; directly comparable in electoral advocacy mission and progressive voter mobilization in the same geography.
• New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG): Statewide New York nonprofit advocacy organization focused on consumer, environmental, and government reform issues; comparable in statewide nonprofit advocacy model and New York-specific chapter structure.
• People's Action: National progressive coalition of which Citizen Action of New York is a state affiliate; directly comparable as a grassroots membership advocacy organization focused on housing, healthcare, democracy, and economic justice.
• Make the Road New York: New York-based progressive membership organization focused on immigrant, worker, and tenant rights; comparable in grassroots organizing model, membership-driven campaigns, and statewide chapter presence.
• Common Cause New York: New York state affiliate of Common Cause focused on democracy, voting rights, and government accountability; comparable as a grassroots advocacy organization with overlapping democracy and civic engagement issue focus in New York.
• New York Immigration Coalition: New York statewide coalition of immigrant-serving and advocacy organizations; comparable as a statewide umbrella advocacy organization coordinating member organizations across multiple issue campaigns and electoral work.
• ACORN (New York operations): Former national grassroots community organizing network that operated New York chapters with similar membership-driven organizing on housing, living wage, and social justice issues; historically comparable in chapter-based advocacy model.
• New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU): Affiliate of the ACLU serving New York State with overlapping civil rights, democracy, and criminal justice advocacy; comparable as a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization operating across similar issue areas and geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Demos: National progressive policy and advocacy organization working on democracy, economic justice, and racial equity; comparable in advocacy mission but operates at national scope with broader portfolio rather than grassroots chapter model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/citizenactionny
• Xx.com/citizenactionny
• Facebookfacebook.com/citizenactionny

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Citizen Action of New York