Vote Mama

Vote Mama is a U.S. nonprofit organization working to build the political power of mothers and to remove the structural and cultural barriers that keep them from running for and serving in elected office. Founded by Liuba Grechen Shirley, who drew on her own experience running for Congress as a mother of young children, the organisation holds that the American political system was not designed for women or working families and aims to normalise mothers in leadership, from school boards to the U.S. Senate.

Its flagship initiative, Campaign Funds for Childcare (CFCC), pioneered a rule change allowing parent candidates to use campaign funds to cover childcare costs while running for office. The model has since been expanded to over 41 states. Vote Mama also operates through an interconnected trio of organisations: a Foundation (501(c)(3)), a Lobby (501(c)(4)), and a political action committee (PAC).

Vote Mama works across politics and elections, advocacy and civic engagement, and gender equity, with a geographic focus on the United States. Its team is composed of advocates, researchers and political operatives engaged in movement-building around the representation of working families and parents in public office.