Collaborative Funding Efforts
Collaborating with other funders and donors through joint funds is a crucial part of how we create systemic change. The issues we work on are too big for any of us to solve on our own. By working together, we can leverage our collective resources and tackle the most important issues impacting the health of our democracy.
We can't do this work alone.
Like many of the issues philanthropy cares about, the health of our democracy cannot be protected and strengthened by one grantee or even one funder. Joint funds are financial vehicles that allow philanthropists to maximize each dollar’s impact by collaborating with other funders, aligning strategies, and exchanging expertise and information. Moreover, coordinated giving through joint funds eases and accelerates the grant process for organizations who already contend with limited staff capacity and time. For these reasons, joint funds are an important piece of our grantmaking strategy.
Whether you, as a funder, intend to participate in a joint fund or not, our staff of democracy experts and practitioners is available to advise your grantmaking strategy.
Efforts we're a part of
Democracy Fund participates in a number of highly-impactful joint funds.
Trusted Elections Fund
Created in 2019, the Trusted Elections Fund mobilizes philanthropic resources to support preparations for and responses to high-risk threats to the integrity of our election by directing rapid-response funds to organizations best positioned to mitigate and respond to risks.
This new fund will be making its first round of grants in summer 2020.
For more information contact Project Director Jenny FlanaganNewsMatch
NewsMatch is a national matching funds campaign that drives dollars and sustainability coaching to support local reporting, cultivate the long-term sustainability of nonprofit news, and deepen relationships between newsrooms and communities.
Since 2016, NewsMatch has helped bring more than $100 million into the nonprofit journalism sector to support local news and investigative reporting around the country. Participating newsrooms have included Voice of San Diego, Chalkbeat, and the Center for Public Integrity.
Learn more about this effortThe Racial Equity in Journalism Fund
Created in 2019, the Racial Equity in Journalism Fund launched with $3.6 million to support and build the capacity of newsrooms by and for people of color, who are best positioned to deliver critical news and information to their communities.
In April 2020, the fund awarded $2.3 million in its first round of grants to 16 news organizations including Flint Beat, La Noticia, and Sahan Journal.
Learn more about this effortThe Legal Clinic Fund
The Legal Clinic Fund is a resource for legal clinics across the United States that advance and protect First Amendment rights, media freedom, and transparency in their communities and nationally. The fund prioritizes those legal clinics working in service of local communities and newsrooms.
Since 2019, the Legal Clinic Fund has awarded over $2 million to university legal clinics around the country including The University of Buffalo Civil Liberties & Transparency Clinic and Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic.
Learn more about this effortThe NetGain Partnership
The NetGain Partnership is a global collaboration to address the evolving challenges and opportunities of the digital age. It brings together civil society groups and supports new relationships between researchers and advocates, specifically in the area of misinformation and online hate.
Collectively, NetGain partners invest more than $80 million each year towards expert convenings, learning events, research and grantmaking. Grantees include the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law, and the Center for Responsive Politics.
Learn more about this effortFaith In/And Democracy
Faith In/And Democracy is a pilot funding and learning initiative led by Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) to explore the ways faith and faith communities can support democracy and civic life.
Since 2019, this fund has provided about $300,000 in grant support to organizations including Faith in Indiana, the Wisconsin Council of Churches, and Neighborly Faith, Inc.
Learn more about this effortTech Justice Fund
Created in 2021, the Tech Justice Fund envisions an open, secure, and equitable internet space where free expression, economic opportunity, knowledge exchange, and civic engagement can thrive.
With racial justice at its foundation, this joint fund mobilizes philanthropic resources to support a multiracial coalition addressing the well-documented ways Big Tech and social media platforms have harmed BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities.
For more information contact Paul Waters, Associate Director, Public Square programWe hope you'll join us
Democracy Fund is committed to collaborating with our funders and partners in the field — it’s how we expand impact and create systemic change. For information about partnering with us, contact us below or reach out to any member of our team.
Philanthropic Partnerships Team
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Joe Goldman
President and Board Member -
Charlie Lobeck
Senior Partnerships Associate -
Gabriela Philo
Development Manager, Elections and Institutions -
Jahmila Roberts
Development Manager, Movements and Media -
Lauren Strayer
Managing Director of Communications and Network
