How the Smart Family Fund Helped VotingWorks Redefine Election Technology
The U.S. election system requires voting technologies that are secure, transparent, and trusted by voters. Yet, the proprietary nature of most voting machines undermines public confidence. VotingWorks, a nonprofit building open-source election systems, had the solution—but they needed critical resources to achieve scale and attract institutional support. Here’s how the Smart Family Fund helped VotingWorks cross the chasm.
What Angel Philanthropy Means for Us
Angel Philanthropy is about strategic early investment—backing visionary organizations at a pivotal moment when they’re poised to scale but lack the funding to do so. We focus on high-leverage opportunities where our support can catalyze transformative growth, positioning organizations to secure significant, sustainable funding.
Where VotingWorks Was When We Found Them
VotingWorks had successfully developed their first open-source voting machine, proving that a transparent and affordable system could work. Deployed in small elections, their technology earned praise from voters and officials alike. However, the absence of a precinct scanner—a critical component for in-person voting—limited their adoption. VotingWorks needed resources to solve this challenge and validate their full product suite.
How We Helped Them Cross the Chasm
In 2020, Smart Family Fund (SFF) made a targeted investment to accelerate VotingWorks’ development of a precinct scanner. This wasn’t about funding day-to-day operations—it was a strategic intervention to unlock their next phase of growth. Our funding enabled VotingWorks to:
Expand Their Team: Hiring key talent focused on product development.
Develop the Scanner Prototype: Discovering and integrating a crucial off-the-shelf component while addressing the need for custom parts.
Pilot in Mississippi: Deploying their technology across 65 precincts in five counties, proving the viability of their scanner in real-world elections.
VotingWorks Crosses the Chasm
With SFF’s support, VotingWorks not only solved their product gap but also built credibility in the market. This success attracted additional donors, allowing them to redesign their precinct scanner and prepare for federal certification—a first for open-source election technology. Now certified, VotingWorks is expanding into New Hampshire and other states, setting a new standard for transparency and security in voting.
Looking Ahead
In the coming years our role will be complete. VotingWorks is now positioned to scale and to grow revenues to sustain the organization over the long-term. Unlike other grant recipients, their machines and related services compete with for profit entities and are on track to generate enough income to sustain operations within two to three years. We’re proud to have played a pivotal role in advancing open-source election systems and are excited to see their progress towards sustainability.