• By Michelle Bobadilla
• Posted Saturday, October 10, 2020

Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Awards $50,000 Grant to Forsyth Co. BOE

Winston-Salem, NC (October 8, 2020) – The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (ZSR) has awarded $50,000 to the Forsyth County Board of Elections to support additional measures needed to administer a safe, fair and accurate Fall 2020 election process in Forsyth County during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across North Carolina, County Boards of Elections have identified the need for additional staff, poll workers and equipment during the Fall 2020 election season in order to handle the anticipated long voting lines and to process the surge in mail-in votes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes temporary office staff to administer increased mail-in voting, hazard pay to attract more and new poll workers, sanitation of all polling sites and equipment to help with mail-in voting administration. “We are prepared to help voters navigate the voting process during these difficult times by increasing safety measures and operational changes that will support and encourage voter confidence,” said Tim Tsujii, director of elections for the Forsyth County Board of Elections. “The Forsyth County Board of Elections is truly appreciative of this meaningful and thoughtful grant by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. This will help the voters of Forsyth County tremendously in ensuring they will be able to safely cast their ballot in the November 3, 2020 General Election. “As we continue to augment our participation in our hometown of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County and as part of our core values of ensuring a healthy democracy, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes that all Forsyth County voters should be able to safely participate in the election during the pandemic,” said Maurice “Mo” Green, executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. “It is our hope that through this funding, the Forsyth County Board of Elections has the resources necessary to make voting as safe, fair and accurate as possible.” The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation is legally prohibited from funding voter registration. ZSR is also prohibited from giving money to organizations that support or oppose individual candidates or who work to influence election outcomes.

### ABOUT THE Z. SMITH REYNOLDS FOUNDATION The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (ZSR) is committed to improving the quality of life for all North Carolinians. ZSR is a statewide, private, family foundation that has been a catalyst for positive change in North Carolina for more than 80 years. In June 2018, the Foundation announced All For NC: Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation’s Framework for Grantmaking and Learning. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC, the Foundation has invested $608 million into North Carolina. To learn more about ZSR and its Framework, visit www.zsr.org