For more than fifty years, the Southern Poverty Law Center has endeavored to protect those most vulnerable to hate, safeguard communities, and advance the principle that every person in this country deserves dignity and equal treatment.
We are living through a broader moment that demands we name what we are seeing. The organizations and institutions that protect our democracy are under sustained and coordinated pressure. There is a documented pattern of the federal government threatening nonprofit organizations, law firms, and even public servants who disagree with the current administration, a pattern that courts have rebuked repeatedly.
And as with law firms and universities, financial institutions and other intermediaries critical to charitable work now appear to be acting out of intimidation. When donor-advised fund sponsors preemptively decline to process contributions to civil rights organizations, the effect is no different from any other form of targeted pressure. It chills free speech and erodes our democracy.
As funders committed to democracy, justice, and the long-term health of civil society, we boldly stand with the Southern Poverty Law Center and with the broader civil rights community. We will continue to resource organizations defending rights and freedoms. And we will continue to call out the difference between legitimate accountability and the use of government power to silence critics.
Our democracy depends on a vibrant civil society and the freedom to organize, advocate, litigate, and express alternative points of view. We will not back down from the defense of our most vital freedoms.
This moment calls for a united voice. We hope you will join us.
SIGNERS
Aaron Dorfman, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
Adasina Social Capital
Adelaide Park Gomer, President – Park Foundation
Akonadi Foundation
AL Advising
Alissa Keny-Guyer
Andrew Goodman Foundation
Anonymous
Anonymous
Arch Community Fund
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust
Betsy Fairbanks
Brighton Jones
Butler Family Fund
Carol Cruickshank
Catherine Raphael
Clara Miller
Common Counsel Foundation
Communitas Financial Planning PBC
Community Foundation of Mendocino County
Conant Family Foundation
David Baron
David Bronner
Democracy Fund
Don Chen, Surdna Foundation
Dorothy Quincy Thomas
Dr. John W. Cavanaugh, Ph.D.
Edie Harding
Emily Teitsworth
Foundation for Middle East Peace
Franklin Weinberg Fund
Fred Blackwell
Freedom Together Foundation
Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, President and CEO
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
Grantmakers in the Arts
Greg Taylor
Humanity United
Humanize Wealth
Hyams Foundation
Isabelle Murphy
Jackie Nirenberg
John H. Jackson
Jon Fine
Jubitz Family Foundation
Kataly Foundation
Kenneth Rainin Foundation
Laughing Gull Foundation
Laurie Schecter
Leslie Ramyk
Lucas Garrett
Marc Bendick Jr and Mary Lou Egan Charitable Trust
McGregor Fund
Michelle Puckett
Miguel A. Santana
Movement Strategy Center
Nat Chioke Williams
Northwest Area Foundation
Onion Foundation
Open Society Foundations
Philanthropy Northwest
Philip W. Eubanks
Phyllis B. Rubin
Pia Infante
Pink House Foundation
Priscilla Kersten
Propel
Racial Justice Investing Coalition
Radical Imagination Family Foundation
Raikes Foundation
Ray Colmenar
Richard and Lynn Voelbel
Rickke Mananzala
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Roger + Margot Milliken
Ruth Goldman
Scherman Foundation
SSoqo, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Stonewall Community Foundation
Susan Orkin
Susan Thomas
Tara Health Foundation
The Albert Pick, Jr. Fund
The Arca Foundation
The California Endowment
The Grove Foundation
Theresa Ellis, Liminality Partners
Tides
Timothy Silard
Tina Barber
Tom Mendelsohn & Julia Gittleman
United Philanthropy Forum
V. Frothingham
Voices for Progress
Wallace Global Fund
Washington Women’s Foundation
Way to Rise
Way to Win
Weissberg Foundation
Women’s Foundation of Minnesota