The Hometown Project

What The Hometown Project does

The Hometown Project is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit founded in 2017 that mobilizes well-known actors, musicians, and athletes — branded "Hometown Energizers" — to engage voters in their hometowns on behalf of progressive local candidates, ballot initiatives, and judicial-retention efforts. The organization operates as a voter-engagement platform: it recruits Energizers through relationships with major talent agencies (Creative Artists Agency and United Talent Agency foundation arms), pairs them with vetted candidates identified in partnership with state-based organizations (HeadCount, Indivisible, Swing Left, Sister District, state Democratic parties), and produces targeted creative video and social content distributed through a dedicated YouTube channel and Instagram Reels. Core programmatic products include the Energizers Program (celebrity facilitation for local campaigns), GOTV Campaigns executed with state-based partners, a Ballot Lookup Tool that lets users discover their full local ballot, and the Voter Registration Opportunity Report co-produced with HeadCount that maps high-opportunity voter-registration geographies using third-party data.

The underlying technology is a lightweight digital-content and distribution stack — Squarespace-hosted site, YouTube, Instagram, email newsletter, and an interactive address-lookup tool — rather than a deep proprietary platform. No AI/ML capabilities, patented systems, or API products are disclosed. The organization's product surface is heavily distribution- and relationship-driven rather than software-centric; the "platform" is essentially a curated two-sided network of celebrities and political campaigns.

The revenue model is donation-based (501(c)(4) nonprofit, not commercial): funds are raised primarily through ActBlue and individual donor engagement across both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities, with no priced products, no disclosed revenue, and no funding rounds. The customer base is conceptually beneficiaries rather than buyers: supported entities include local progressive candidates and campaigns, state-based voter-mobilization organizations, and ballot-initiative campaigns (e.g., One PA's State Supreme Court retention effort). Geographic reach spans 18 U.S. states; cumulative impact cited by the organization includes 70+ Energizers mobilized and 125+ candidates/campaigns supported since 2017.

Name

The Hometown Project

Legal name

The Hometown Project

Website

https://thehometownproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Hometown Project is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit that recruits well-known actors, musicians, and athletes to support progressive local candidates, ballot initiatives, and judicial-retention efforts in their hometowns through creative content production and state-based partnerships across 18 U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that raises funds through donations via ActBlue. They manage fundraising and donor engagement across both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Hometown Project is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that mobilizes influential artists, actors, athletes, and musicians as "Hometown Energizers" to support progressive local candidates in their hometowns. The organization produces creative video and social media content targeted at specific local districts, partners with state-based organizations for voter outreach, and provides tools such as an interactive ballot lookup to drive local civic engagement.

Product overview

The Hometown Project is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that operates as a voter engagement platform connecting well-known artists with their hometowns to support progressive local campaigns. The core offering consists of multiple interconnected programs: the Energizers Program recruits and facilitates celebrity engagement in local races; GOTV Campaigns partner with state-based organizations for voter mobilization; Creative Content Production generates targeted video and social media content; and the Voter Registration Opportunity Report provides data-driven research. The Ballot Lookup Tool serves as an entry-point consumer feature. These products work together as a coordinated ecosystem to increase voter turnout in down-ballot races through celebrity endorsements and grassroots mobilization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hometown Energizers Program
• Local Candidate Support Campaigns
• Creative Content Production
• Interactive Ballot Lookup Tool
• Voter Registration Opportunity Report

Quantifiable outcome

• 70+ influential Hometown Energizers mobilized since 2017
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• HeadCountflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioned the Voter Registration Opportunity Report: 'Rethinking Voter Registration: A DATA-DRIVEN ROADMAP TO SAVE DEMOCRACY' with The Hometown Project to identify where voter registration need is greatest, barriers are highest, and targeted investment could have strongest impact.
• Clean VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-based organization partnered with The Hometown Project for Virginia campaigns and voter mobilization efforts.
• Common Cause NCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth Carolina-based good government organization partnering for state and local campaign support.
• Center for Popular DemocracycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational progressive organization partnered for state and local campaigns and candidate support.
• Creative Artists Agency (CAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor talent agency with foundation arm that partners to help recruit and facilitate celebrity engagement in local campaigns.
• Every DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on competitive congressional districts partnered for candidate support.
• Forward Justice OhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio-based progressive organization partnering for state campaigns and voter engagement.
• IndivisiblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational progressive grassroots organization partnered on 'Power to the People' campaign and voter mobilization initiatives.
• Lead LocallycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on 'Lead Locally in VA' campaign to mobilize voters in Virginia.
• Move TexascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTexas-based voter registration and mobilization organization partnering for state campaigns.
• Michigan Democratic PartycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState party organization partnered for Michigan campaigns and candidate support.
• New Virginia MajoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirginia-based progressive organization partnering for state campaigns and voter engagement.
• NJDACCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Jersey-based progressive organization partnering for state campaigns.
• Ohio Democratic PartycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState party organization partnered for Ohio campaigns and candidate support.
• One ArizonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArizona-based progressive coalition partnering for state campaigns and voter engagement.
• One PAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPennsylvania-based organization that partnered on 'Vote Yes in PA' campaign to retain State Supreme Court Justices.
• Run for SomethingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization recruiting and supporting progressive candidates partnered for candidate referrals and support.
• Sister District ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization connecting volunteers with state legislative races partnered for campaign support.
• United Talent AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor talent agency with foundation arm that helps facilitate celebrity engagement in local campaigns.
• Young Elected OfficialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of progressive young elected officials partnering for candidate support and endorsements.
• Planned Parenthood Action FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational reproductive rights organization partnered for progressive candidate and ballot initiative support.
• Red Wine & BluecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgressive organization focused on suburban women voters partnering for voter engagement.
• People for the American WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgressive advocacy organization partnered for candidate and issue support.
• Hudson+Valley+VotesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Hudson Valley, NY voter engagement organization.
• Kentuckians for the CommonwealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKentucky-based progressive organization partnering for state campaigns.
• NDRCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDemocratic redistricting organization partnered for electoral reform efforts.
• NJ Senate Democratic MajorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Jersey state senate Democratic caucus partnered for state legislative campaigns.
• Next-Up Victory FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgressive political action committee partnering for candidate support.
• Shared RootsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgressive organization partnering for campaigns.
• Iowa Democratic PartyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState party organization partnered for Iowa campaigns.
• Georgia Democratic PartyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState party organization partnered for Georgia campaigns including Public Service Commission races.
• Swing LeftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgressive organization focused on winning competitive districts partnering for campaign support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HeadCount: Nonprofit voter registration and engagement organization that is also The Hometown Project's flagship research co-commissioner; both organizations mobilize voters through celebrity-driven content and target the same progressive audience.
• Swing Left: Progressive organization focused on winning competitive districts; a listed The Hometown Project partner with overlapping mission around down-ballot Democratic races and shared donor base.
• When We All Vote: Nonpartisan (in practice progressive-aligned) voter registration and turnout nonprofit co-chaired by Michelle Obama; comparable celebrity-driven voter mobilization model targeting similar demographics.
• Indivisible: National progressive grassroots organization partnered with The Hometown Project on the 'Power to the People' campaign; both mobilize left-leaning voters around local and state races through coordinated content and partner networks.
• Sister District Project: Organization connecting volunteers with state legislative races; a direct The Hometown Project partner operating in the same down-ballot progressive mobilization space.
• Run for Something: Progressive candidate recruitment organization that is a listed The Hometown Project partner; both support first-time and diverse progressive candidates at the state and local level.

Emerging players

• Mobilize: Progressive mobilization technology platform used by many of The Hometown Project's peer organizations to coordinate volunteer events; adjacent infrastructure provider rather than direct competitor but shapes the same ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• MoveOn: Large progressive advocacy and civic engagement organization operating in the same donor and activist pool as The Hometown Project, with deeper resources and broader issue advocacy scope.
• League of Women Voters: Long-standing civic engagement organization providing voter education and ballot information tools; overlaps with The Hometown Project's ballot lookup tool and voter information mission across a much larger footprint.
• Rock the Vote: Established voter engagement nonprofit with a much longer history and broader scope than The Hometown Project; competes for the same youth and celebrity-driven voter mobilization lane at greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqJuKVwre1AXGKxZFK3Zwag
• Xx.com/hometownvoices

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 The Hometown Project