Over the past few weeks, I’ve found myself returning to a simple sentiment from author Octavia Butler: “The only lasting truth is change.”
While she wrote those words in 1993, they feel especially resonant now as our country wrestles with relentless volatility.
Earlier this year in Minneapolis, we witnessed how a community’s sense of safety can change in an instant, as an unprecedented approach to immigration enforcement swept through neighborhoods. Aggressive and inhumane tactics intimidated residents and violated fundamental rights. For those victimized by or witness to militarized responses, this was not a distant policy debate — it was fear at their doorstep. Though the news cycles have started to move on, people in Minneapolis will be grappling with the fallout for years to come.
For many people across the United States, this government-sanctioned violence revealed how closely linked people’s lives are to the state of our democracy. Others have felt this connection and weathered this kind of violence for a long time. The events in Minneapolis, along with those in Portland, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and beyond, are emblematic of a broader pattern that has been building for years. We have no reason to believe it will simply stop on its own or shift with the next election.
Moments like these demand more than reflection; they demand active evolution.
For Democracy Fund, a foundation built in service of an open, just, resilient, and trustworthy democracy, that means we must change. And we are doing so.
In 2025, we decided to proactively adapt and focus our strategies even when the path ahead wasn’t — and still isn’t — fully clear. I’d like to share with you the changes we’ve made, and the direction we’re headed.
But first, I want to emphasize that as our approach continues to evolve, we are not retreating from our core values. We are choosing to double down on what matters most. Democracy Fund’s commitments to an inclusive multiracial democracy, racial justice, and responsive philanthropic practices will always remain central to our work.
Taking Our Responsibility to Heart
We believe that those in positions of power — especially within philanthropy — have a moral responsibility to do all we can, with all we have, to reverse democratic backsliding and create a democracy that works for everyone, especially those it has historically left behind.
To better position our organization to fulfill this responsibility, Democracy Fund is now operating with a better aligned, more responsive, and increasingly interdependent strategy. Our new program areas are designed to be more nimble, streamlined, and forward-thinking, as previewed last fall.
We are deeply humbled by the incredible work of grantee partners on so many fronts to date. And while Democracy Fund’s previous programmatic approach made measurable progress thanks to our grantee partners, we simply couldn’t ignore that the pro-democracy field’s needs have shifted significantly. It is our responsibility to listen and adapt to meet those needs.
This updated strategy is designed to counter immediate threats to our democracy while simultaneously building for a future that centers people and their ability to shape their communities — a future with a reimagined democracy that ensures freedom, dignity, justice, and well-being for all Americans.
On a daily basis, we are seeing everyday Americans stepping up to support their neighbors and call for institutions and systems that protect rather than harm. People are practicing democracy in action. It is Democracy Fund’s goal to support this momentum by maximizing our grantmaking, field-building, and philanthropic organizing for long-lasting impact.
Democracy Fund’s New Programmatic Approach
Our new strategy is built around three programmatic areas:
- Movements & Participation: Our country’s future depends on growing the base of people who care deeply about their communities and who feel that a better democracy unlocks opportunities to thrive, not just survive. To that end, Democracy Fund is doubling down on the power of everyday people to exercise their voice, power, and agency to influence the systems that affect their daily lives. A key component of this program will be investing in community organizing and the supportive infrastructure it needs to be successful.
- Guardians and Guardrails: We are clear-eyed about the harms facing us right now. It will take urgent action — such as litigation and anti-authoritarian organizing — to slow abuses of power and federal overreach. This program will work to push back against authoritarian ideas, actors, and actions that are causing harm to the most vulnerable and/or targeted communities in the United States. Our efforts will emphasize protecting the leaders, nonprofits, and philanthropic organizations necessary for this work, especially at the state and local levels.
- Reimagine & Rebuild: The democracy we have has never worked for all people — we must boldly imagine the multiracial democracy we need and start to build it. This work will include investments in how we connect and collaborate in culture and community, how we share and receive news and information, and how our government serves and represents its people.
What to Expect Moving Forward
In the year ahead, Democracy Fund will share how these programmatic shifts affect our grantees and partners, as well as any updates on how we deploy our resources, time, and expertise.
Realizing the American democracy of our dreams means ensuring all people have what they need to thrive, feel a sense of belonging and community, and can navigate their lives with dignity and agency.
We must recognize that our work is tied to the issues that affect people’s day-to-day lives: healthcare, kitchen table economics, public education, family care, housing, and more. As the great Audre Lorde put it, “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” The pro-democracy coalition, and we at Democracy Fund, would do well to heed these words. We are attempting to do so by aligning our work and adapting our approach to meet the demands of this era.
As always, thank you to our staff for their commitment, our partners for their collaboration, and most importantly our grantee community for their work. Our door is open for conversations about collaboration opportunities, feedback on our approach, and how to increase philanthropy’s impact. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for our country — not a time to pause or pull back. We are ready to work and act collectively to unlock the resources and partnerships that will make a difference.
Taking decisive action, together, is how we push forward. Onward.
In the coming months, Democracy Fund’s website will be fully updated to reflect our new organizational strategy. Check back soon for more information.