No matter their missions, nonprofits across every sector are experiencing heightened pressure. Democracy Fund's Kalpana Simhan and Dan Gurmankin explain how we’re charting new territory to…
Ideas
Explore insights, lessons, and resources from our work
Democracy Fund staff — alongside grantees, researchers, and other field experts — regularly develops resources and shares lessons on strengthening democracy. Here you will find guides, reports, and insights from our team and network.
External Content
How BIPOC-Led Philanthropy Is Rising to the Challenge
BIPOC-led philanthropy is leading the way to transform giving, invest where it matters, and respond to the ever-changing landscape of pro-democracy funding, Democracy Fund's Lauren…
Blog
Authoritarian Playbook in Play: What Funders Need to Know About Domestic Deployment of the Military
The recent deployment of the United States Marines and National Guard to Los Angeles is a new stage in the democratic backsliding of our country.…
We are devastated by the tragic loss of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and we hope for the swift recovery of…
The social sector needs new models for understanding what impact might be possible when systems fall apart. Read the full article at Stanford Social Innovation…
Blog
How All by April Improved 2024 Election Funding — and How Nonprofits Say Philanthropy Can Go Further
In early 2024, Democracy Fund launched the successful All by April campaign, urging funders to make nonpartisan election-related grants by the end of April. We…
Announcement
Authoritarian Attacks on Philanthropy are Coming. Here’s How We Can Stand Strong for Our Grantee Partners.
These are scary times — by design. Authoritarians are using a deliberate strategy meant to instill fear, suppress dissent, and fracture civil society. We know…
Will philanthropy rise to the occasion? It’s a question many are asking just a few months into this new era in which Americans are seeing…
Our people are at the core of living our mission every day — and we are excited to announce a new member of our board…
Local news has a growing need for robust infrastructure. As authoritarian movements threaten journalists and pro-democratic news organizations, better infrastructure can strengthen existing newsrooms, provide…
Inside Philanthropy’s choice to recognize the success of last year’s All by April campaign by naming me “Foundation Leader of the Year” was a surprising…
I want to end the year on a note of gratitude and pride for the many ways our community came together to defend and advance…
As a leader of a foundation committed to a more inclusive multiracial democracy, I want to acknowledge the pain, fear, and exhaustion that so many…
We are just one week away from Election Day in the U.S., and in this week, good information matters more than ever — from coverage…
We are seven days away from the 2024 election. You can feel the combination of excitement, anxiety, and fatigue in the air. In any given…
The 2024 election cycle, marked by disinformation and the spread of authoritarian rhetoric, has exposed the deep polarization in American society. While the divisions in…
Studies have long demonstrated that strong local journalism can encourage higher voter turnout, counter polarizing narratives, expose corruption, and lead to people feeling a strong…
Our grantees are in for the long haul. So are we.
Readers of this blog have undoubtedly heard of Project 2025 by now. The 900-page document has been widely criticized for its ambitious and extreme plans…
Americans have witnessed our democracy lurch from crisis to crisis in recent years. The stakes have become higher in each election, and our country remains…