Dozens reportedly laid off from New Georgia Project since December
New Georgia Project canvassers Kayla McCall and Mardie Hill (R) go door-to-door to inform residents about the upcoming primary election on May 23, 2022, in East Point, Georgia. (Photo by ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA - Dozens of employees at the New Georgia Project, a grassroots organization founded by former two-time Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, have reportedly been laid off with little notice.
A GoFundMe page posted on Wednesday claims that over 30 organizers are now out of work after two sets of layoffs in December and January.
Layoffs at the New Georgia Project
The backstory:
Abrams founded the New Georgia Project in 2013 while working as the Democratic minority leader in the state House to register voters. The organization gained recognition for its role in helping turn Georgia blue during the 2020 presidential election, but was under investigation by the State Ethics Commission at the time.
On Jan. 15, the commission voted unanimously that the New Georgia Project and its affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund illegally did election work for Abrams without disclosing campaign contributions and spending.
The commission alleges that the organization functioned as an illegal Super PAC for Abrams's 2018 gubernatorial campaign by failing to register as a Super PAC and not filing required financial disclosures. The New Georgia Project has admitted to 16 violations of state law.
New Georgia Project fined $300K by ethics commission
he New Georgia Project, a grassroots organization founded by former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, has been hit with a record-breaking $300,000 ethics fine.
The groups’ current leadership admitted to 16 instances of illegal activity in a consent decree and agreed to pay a $300,000 fine, the largest in state history, officials said.
Abrams stepped down in 2017 and said she had no role with the group thereafter. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a close Abrams ally, was listed as the New Georgia Project’s CEO on corporate filings in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
A report from Capital B in October said that four of the organization's executives had either resigned or been dismissed since April 2024.
What we know:
Stephanie Ali, the policy director for the organization, created the GoFundMe and wrote that 19 staff members were laid off "with fewer than 12 hours of warning" on Dec. 27.
According to Ali, a second round of layoffs happened on Jan. 28, leaving 12 employees scrambling for work with only 3 days left of their pay and benefits.
What they're saying:
"The organization has stated these reductions in force (RIFs) are due to economic downturns, reductions in fundraising in an "off" election year, and other contributing factors," Ali wrote. "No matter the reason, with this, over 30 of some of the most dedicated organizers, door knockers, and field tacticians who dedicated years of their lives to this work are now out of work - some whose insurance will lapse as soon as February 1."
The other side:
The New Georgia Project sent the following statement to FOX 5 Atlanta:
"The volunteers, members, and staff of NGP are family, and reductions in staffing are never easy. Nevertheless, NGP must meet its obligation to align its staffing plan with available resources to accomplish its mission.
NGP remains committed to leading efforts in building power through voter registration, organizing, and advocacy.
In 2024, NGPAF and NGP:
- Helped 55,561 Georgians register to vote, 82% of whom identify as Black and 43% of whom are under the age of 25.
- Knocked on more than 841,000 doors and had over 80,000 direct face-to-face conversations with Georgians to mobilize them for the March presidential primary, the May primary elections, and the November general election.
- Made nearly 86,000 calls and sent over 700,000 text messages to ensure voters had the resources they needed to cast their ballots in every election in 2024.
- Deployed more than 200 poll monitors to cover over 800 polling places on Election Day for the general election.
- Provided more than 1,700 rides to the polls to ensure everyone had access to the ballot box.
In last year’s high-stakes election, NGP went all out to engage as many Georgians as possible, and that remains its focus.
Despite recent changes, NGP remains one of Georgia’s largest progressive civic engagement organizations, registering nearly a 1,000 citizens each week and holding thousands of conversations in communities across the state."
What you can do:
As of Friday afternoon, the GoFundMe has raised more than $7,100 of its $7,500 goal.
Organizers say all proceeds will be given to laid off employees on an at-need basis. The remaining funds will be divided equally between the former staff members.
You can learn more about the GoFundMe here.
The Source: Information for this story was taken from a GoFundMe raising money for laid-off New York Project employees, previous reporting by the FOX 5 I-Team's Johnny Edwards, and additional details from the Associated Press and Capital B.