NORTHEAST OHIO VOTER ADVOCATES INC

What NORTHEAST OHIO VOTER ADVOCATES INC does

Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates (NOVA) is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan grassroots nonprofit organization headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, dedicated to expanding voter participation among under-represented populations in Northeast Ohio. The organization conducts voter registration drives at food pantries, social service agencies, supermarkets, libraries, correctional facilities, schools, and a local university, and has registered thousands of under-represented voters across these venues since at least 2006. NOVA also conducts original research on voter accessibility and has testified at local, state, and national levels, contributing to improvements in Ohio's election laws and voting accessibility policies. Its primary service segments are under-represented voters in Northeast Ohio (particularly in Cleveland's wards 3 and 6) and incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals served through a dedicated Incarcerated Voter Advocate program.

The organization operates with a small staff of approximately two paid employees (Ken Brooks as Organizer for Wards 3 & 6, and Jacob Shanklin as Incarcerated Voter Advocate), supported by a volunteer board of directors and board members emeriti. Revenue is generated through donations via a PayPal fundraising portal and grants from foundations such as St. Luke's Foundation, which funds the Wards 3 & 6 Organizer position. NOVA's go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on grassroots outreach, volunteer recruitment and training through SignUpGenius, and partnerships with civic organizations including the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, League of Women Voters, State Voices, Greater Cleveland Congregations, and Cleveland Votes. The organization's 501(c)(3) non-partisan status is a key structural enabler, providing access to social service agencies, schools, food pantries, and correctional facilities that partisan organizations cannot enter. NOVA has no proprietary technology platform; its digital footprint is limited to its website, donation portal, and links to the Ohio voter registration system.

Name

NORTHEAST OHIO VOTER ADVOCATES INC

Legal name

NORTHEAST OHIO VOTER ADVOCATES INC

Website

https://nova-ohio.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates (NOVA) is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan grassroots nonprofit that conducts voter registration, research, and advocacy to expand voting access for under-represented populations in Northeast Ohio, including incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Engagement and Voter Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electoral Support & Election Observation (BPADAGAA), Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)

Keywords

• Voter registration services
• Civic engagement advocacy
• Voter accessibility research
• Community voter mobilization
• Non-partisan voter outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: NOVA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds through donation portals (PayPal) and likely grant funding. The organization receives programmatic support from foundations such as St. Luke's Foundation, which funds specific staff positions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates (NOVA) is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan grassroots organization that conducts voter registration drives at food pantries, social service agencies, supermarkets, libraries, correctional facilities, schools, and universities in under-represented areas of Northeast Ohio. The organization uses its own research to advocate for legislative and administrative changes that improve Ohio's election process, and runs jail voting initiatives for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals.

Product overview

Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates (NOVA) is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan grassroots organization that provides voter registration, research, and advocacy services. The organization focuses on expanding voter participation in under-represented areas of Northeast Ohio through voter registration drives at food pantries, social service agencies, schools, correctional facilities, and supermarkets; conducting voter accessibility research; and advocating for legislative and administrative changes to improve the election process in Ohio. The organization operates through staff organizers working in specific geographic areas (wards) and through incarcerated voter advocacy initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Voter Registration Drives
• Voter Accessibility Research
• Jail Voting and Incarcerated Voter Advocacy
• Voter Advocacy and Policy Testimony
• Volunteer Training and Recruitment Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Registered thousands of under-represented voters
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 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 and minor.

• Cuyahoga County Board of ElectionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVA collaborates with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to improve voting access for under-represented populations. The organization has coordinated voter registration in the County jail since 2006.
• League of Women VoterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVA collaborates with the League of Women Voters on voting accessibility and advocacy efforts to improve voting access for under-represented populations in Northeast Ohio.
• State VoicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVA partners with State Voices to improve voting access for under-represented populations through coordinated civic engagement initiatives.
• Greater Cleveland CongregationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVA collaborates with Greater Cleveland Congregations to improve voting access for under-represented populations through faith-based and community organizing channels.
• Cleveland VotescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVA collaborates with Cleveland Votes to improve voting access for under-represented populations through joint voter advocacy and accessibility initiatives.
• People Feeding People / Akron Canton Regional Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeople Feeding People is a mobile food distribution program launched in 2023 in partnership with the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank. NOVA organizer Ken Brooks helped launch this program, creating an additional community touchpoint for voter registration outreach.
• National Association of Social WorkersminorOthersNOVA President Meredith Hellmer was accepted as an expert panelist for the National Association of Social Workers, contributing to their policy statement on voting importance for incarcerated individuals.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Faith in Public Life: Faith-based civic advocacy organization supporting state-level voter engagement and civic participation efforts. Comparable intersection of community organizing and voter access mission.

Direct peers

• State Voices: National civic engagement coalition supporting state-based voter access and turnout efforts for under-represented communities. Directly comparable mission and existing NOVA partner.
• Michigan Liberation: Civic and voter rights organization focused on under-represented communities with comparable voter registration and policy advocacy activities. Similar nonprofit civic engagement model in a neighboring Midwest state.
• Cleveland Votes: Local Cleveland-area civic engagement coalition focused on voter registration, education, and turnout. Direct operational peer and existing NOVA partner, serving overlapping Northeast Ohio constituencies.
• League of Women Voters of Ohio: State-level nonpartisan civic organization conducting voter registration, education, and advocacy across Ohio. Directly comparable voter access mission and existing NOVA collaborator.
• New Virginia Majority: State-level 501(c)(3) civic engagement organization conducting voter registration and advocacy in under-represented communities. Closely mirrors NOVA's structure, mission, and target population, though operating in Virginia.
• Greater Cleveland Congregations: Local interfaith community organizing coalition advancing civic engagement and policy advocacy in Northeast Ohio. Comparable nonpartisan grassroots organizing model and existing NOVA partner.

Broad incumbents

• ACLU of Ohio: State affiliate of a national civil liberties organization litigating and advocating on voting rights in Ohio. Overlaps with NOVA's advocacy on voting accessibility, with substantially broader legal and financial resources.
• Common Cause Ohio: State chapter of a national good-government nonprofit advocating for election reform, voting access, and democratic participation. Comparable election administration advocacy mission at greater scale.

Regional players

• Let Ohio Vote: Ohio-focused coalition advocating for ballot initiatives and voting access reforms. Comparable Ohio-specific civic advocacy focus, though with a more ballot-measure orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/northeastohiovoteradvocates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nova-ohio

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 →

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