Best of Tennessee lands Catalyst Fund investment

The Best of Tennessee, Inc. was named one of nine recipients of grants from Leadership Now Project’s new Catalyst Fund, a $1 million initiative focused on civic organizations and trusted messengers. The backing adds momentum to the Tennessee group’s effort to boost primary turnout and broaden who shapes election outcomes.

Why it matters: - The grant puts new funding behind efforts to increase primary-election participation in Tennessee. - Best of Tennessee is targeting voters who reliably show up in November but skip primaries. - The work aims to make primary electorates less hyper-partisan and more representative of the broader public. - The investment is part of a national push to strengthen the political center through civic organizing and education.

What happened: - The Best of Tennessee, Inc. was selected as one of nine recipients of grants from Leadership Now Project’s new Catalyst Fund. - The Catalyst Fund is a $1 million initiative. - Leadership Now Project unveiled the fund at its 2026 Annual Summit, “A Roadmap for America’s Next Chapter,” on May 11 in New York City. - The announcement was made June 8, 2026. - The fund is designed to direct capital toward high-impact organizing, civic education and trusted messengers.

The details: - The Catalyst Fund was made possible in part by leading funders including Pivotal, a group of organizations founded by Melinda French Gates. - Partner selection was guided by the Catalyst Fund Investment Advisory Committee, composed of Leadership Now Project members. - Best of Tennessee founder and CEO Chloe Akers said increasing primary participation in Tennessee could serve as a model for other states. - Akers described hyperpartisan primaries as a national crisis with a local solution. - Leadership Now CEO Daniella Ballou-Aares said engaging Americans at the center has been underfunded and misunderstood. - Best of Tennessee was recognized for amplifying the voice of the Tennessee majority through higher primary voter participation. - The group uses precision turnout efforts to mobilize general election voters who skip primaries. - Research cited in the announcement says this underutilized majority is less hyper-partisan and less ideologically extreme than typical primary voters. - The organization says it is building a scalable playbook for reshaping the primary electorate. - Best of Tennessee, Inc. is a 501(c)(4) organization. - The group’s website is more information.

Between the lines: - The funding reflects a bet that turnout, not just persuasion, can change who influences political outcomes. - By focusing on primary voters, Best of Tennessee is targeting an election stage that often determines officeholders in heavily partisan environments. - The grant also signals that donors are looking for state-level models they can scale.

What’s next: - Best of Tennessee said it intends to use the investment to prove that its model can raise primary participation. - Leadership Now Project is likely to use the Catalyst Fund to back additional organizations working on similar goals. - The Tennessee group will continue building what it calls a replicable model for making primary electorates more reflective of the broader public.