Democracy & Elections
Most Recent
Against Democracy Threats, the State Infrastructure Fund Channels Optimism — and Donor Dollars
The donor collaborative fund has a strong track record of state-based civic engagement giving under its belt as it takes on an election in which pro-democracy progress is on the line.
Pivotal Ventures Is Working to Build Women’s Political Power. Here’s How
Since her break with the Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates has been forcefully advocating for women’s political empowerment, a goal that’s playing out in her LLC’s evolving funding.
How the Irvine Foundation Navigates the Intersection of Economic Mobility and Civic Engagement
In 2022, the California grantmaker launched Just Prosperity, an initiative to advance policies that reflect the priorities of low-income workers, with an eye toward boosting their sway in civic life. How’s that been playing out?
Media Literacy Can Help Defang Disinformation. These Funders Are Backing It.
Helping people become wiser consumers and producers of media isn’t the focus of a whole lot of grantmaking, despite its obvious importance right now. But some funders do support those efforts.
In a Hyper-Polarized Time, This New Funding Collaborative Wants to Bring People Together
Backed by a diverse group of funders, the Trust for Civic Life is one of philanthropy’s latest bids to directly address toxic polarization and build up civic infrastructure. Its initial grants support work in rural areas.
J.D. Vance Has Set His Sights on Philanthropy Before. What Should the Sector Expect?
Donald Trump’s VP pick has a history of lambasting big philanthropy as part of the “elites” he’s positioned himself against. Will his ascent supercharge the GOP’s growing, highly partisan calls for philanthropic reform?
Philanthropy Can Help Foster Pluralism, But It Can Only Do So Much
As civil society looks to address toxic polarization following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, philanthropy-backed bridge-building efforts have a tough hill to climb.
Latinos Will Play a Critical Role in the Upcoming Election. Here’s What Funders Are Supporting
Among the fastest-growing racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. electorate, Latinos are poised to be a major deciding factor in November’s races. Philanthropic funders are backing lots of efforts to engage them — here’s an overview.
“The Election Isn’t the End Point.” A Deep Dive into the Carnegie Corporation’s Democracy Giving
Geri Mannion has led the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s U.S. democracy program since 1998. In an expansive recent conversation, she walked us through its multifaceted civic engagement grantmaking.
Philanthropy Must Safeguard Our Right to Protest, a Key Pathway to Progress
As the rights to free expression and assembly come under attack, guest author Rajasvini Bhansali argues philanthropic funders have an urgent role to play in protecting front-line organizers.
An Urgent Moment for The Movement Cooperative, a Progressive Election Infrastructure Hub
With backing from institutional grantmakers and its own members, TMC provides shared access to collectively purchased database and software resources. Now, it faces the mammoth challenge of the 2024 contests.
Why All Funders Should Be Democracy Funders
In this guest piece, foundation leaders Cathy Cha and Ralph Lewin share how their organizations came to democracy work and offer some pointers for other funders unsure where to start.
One Organization’s Quest to Forge a Civic Path Out of the Culture Wars, and Rally Funders
The Harwood Institute is working to help communities find common ground and avoid the political and cultural clashes that are dividing the country. It’s also seeking to bring more philanthropic funders to that work.
Disinformation Poses a Serious Threat to Democracy. Here Are Some of the Funders Pushing Back
Philanthropy’s been engaged in the fight against disinformation for a while, but those efforts are even more crucial in an election year that will once again test the nation’s institutions. Here are a few key grantmakers to note.
Faith-Based Funding Can Help Protect Democracy
Religious organizations are central hubs for civic opportunity across the U.S. In this guest piece, Kristen Cambell, Aaron Dorfman and Josh Rolnick make a case for why democracy funders should take that into consideration.
Melinda French Gates Charts a Course for a “New Chapter.” Here Are Some Takeaways
As she departs from the Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates is quickly ramping things up with a multifaceted, $1 billion commitment focused on women’s rights. What does this all tell us about how her giving might evolve?
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Gears Up for the Fall Election — and Beyond
The Hewlett Foundation’s U.S. Democracy Program Director Ali Noorani talks elections, trust, misinformation, and how to build centrist and bipartisan constituencies.
Funders Must Step Up to Engage Pro-Equality Voters This Year
With LGBTQ+ rights under attack, mobilizing pro-equality voters will be crucial this year. Guest authors Fran Hutchins and Dani Martínez highlight ways funders can engage, including through a new donor organizing network.
The Gill Foundation, an LGBTQ Powerhouse, Dives Into Pro-Democracy Funding
One of the country’s largest LGBTQ funders is moving $4.3 million to democracy nonprofits in the lead-up to the 2024 election. It’s the latest example of a key cause-focused philanthropy embracing broader civic engagement work.
Democracy Donors Rally to Fund Election-Related Work Well Before November
The All by April campaign launched by the Democracy Fund led to $127 million in commitments, giving nonprofit groups across the country an opportunity to gear up for election-related work this summer and fall.
What Can We Learn from How Two Regional Funders Are Confronting Challenges to Democracy?
California’s James B. McClatchy Foundation and North Carolina’s Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation both support civic engagement and democracy. Needs vary from place to place, but the urgency is a constant.
Don’t Abandon Civic Engagement in Small Towns and Rural Places
Civic engagement is one of the many areas where philanthropy tends to shortchange rural places. Guest author Sarah Jaynes offers five reasons why funders should revisit their assumptions.
To Mobilize Voters, the Latino Community Foundation Reaches Beyond California for the First Time
Known for its Golden State focus, the foundation is now expanding its voter engagement funding into Arizona and Nevada. We checked in with CEO Julián Castro about the power of engaging Latino voters this election cycle.
Unlocking Impact: Maximizing Philanthropy Ahead of the Election by Bridging c3 and c4 Support
In this guest opinion, Beth Huang of Tides outlines why philanthropic funders should deploy both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) funding — and work at the nexus between them — as the election approaches.
The Future of Our Democracy Relies on Donors
In this guest opinion, Alexis Anderson-Reed and Karundi Williams call on donors to move money as early as possible this year, in the face of a significant retraction in democracy funding since the 2020 cycle.
The Latest in a Life of Firsts: Carnegie President Louise Richardson Talks About Her Role
After a year leading the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Dame Louise Richardson joined us to discuss her transition from Oxford University to Carnegie, her goals for the grantmaker, polarization in the U.S. and more.
Post-Disaster Legal Aid Funding Fills a Growing Need — And Could Help Shore Up Democracy
Increasing demand for legal aid in the wake of disasters casts light on a system that’s failing large numbers of Americans. Funders looking to restore trust in government institutions and democracy may want to take note.
How the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund is Working to Mobilize Voters and Build Power
Asian American and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing group of eligible voters in the nation. This funder collaborative is looking to mobilize AAPI voters in order to build a multiracial democracy that works for all.
Toward a More Equitable South: Meet a Funder Where Rural Grassroots Leaders Call the Shots
Launched in 1994, Atlanta’s Southern Partners Fund is led by community members hailing from regional grassroots organizations. We dig into its unique governance model, how it used a MacKenzie Scott grant and more.
