From September 2024 through September 2025, Democracy Fund conducted three short surveys to understand the perspectives of funders of democracy work. Overall, we surveyed 337 unique private foundations, individual donors, donor networks and collaboratives, funding intermediaries, and donor/philanthropic advisors.
We measured funder attitudes on:
- The health and resilience of democracy
- Levels of concern about challenges to organizations and key actors
- Preparedness of philanthropy and the field to adapt and respond to potential challenges
- Efforts to support frontline organizations
- Organizations’ plans going forward
- Funding for election-related work
Our latest wave of survey data reveals that among democracy funders:
- Dissatisfaction with U.S. democracy is rising, though democracy funders also report determination and a modest uptick in optimism about field and organizational preparedness.
- Democracy funders name countering authoritarian threats; supporting free and fair elections and broad participation; and strengthening effective, accountable governing institutions as the top three areas that need more attention.
- Most democracy funders expect to increase or maintain democracy-related giving in 2026 relative to 2025.
- Strategic reassessment is widespread: nearly one-third of democracy funders plan to revisit their long-term democracy strategies within the next year — yet none of the respondents expect to pause giving during that process.
- Election-related funding in 2026 will be concentrated in grassroots organizing, civic engagement, and voting rights.
- Democracy funders overwhelmingly agree that money has historically arrived too late in the election cycle and providing early or on time funding is something that philanthropy needs to do better this election cycle.
- About three-quarters of democracy funders expect to commit the majority of their election-related funding before April 2026.