In the past year, during a pandemic and national uprising for racial justice, our grantees rose to the challenge of authoritarianism, attacks on journalism, rampant…
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.
Last summer, solidarity became a national buzzword. Thousands of people declared and demanded solidarity against racism in the wake of police murdering George Floyd and…
As the United States continues to reckon with the crack in its foundation, the legacy of slavery, our institutions are making small steps to finally…
Part of “Stewards of Democracy,” a series on findings from the 2020 Democracy Fund/Reed College Survey of Local Election Officials In the wake of a…
Last year, we published “Dear Funders: What Does it Mean to Care About Equity in Journalism?” where we outlined three priorities for foundations seeking to…
We call on the University of North Carolina Board of Trustees to reverse its decision to deny Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure. We have funded Hannah-Jones’s work…
Part of “Stewards of Democracy,” a series on findings from the 2020 Democracy Fund/Reed College Survey of Local Election Officials With growing recognition of the…
We tried something different. As a foundation, we are only as effective as our understanding of and alignment to what is occurring in the fields…
Part of “Stewards of Democracy,” a series on findings from the 2020 Democracy Fund/Reed College Survey of Local Election Officials The 2020 election year was…
Blog
How Local Election Officials Trained for the Job, Ensured Cybersecurity, and Adapted to the Pandemic
Part of “Stewards of Democracy,” a series on findings from the 2020 Democracy Fund/Reed College Survey of Local Election Officials Effective election administration requires keeping…
Part of “Stewards of Democracy,” a series on findings from the 2020 Democracy Fund/Reed College Survey of Local Election Officials Through their role in administering…
The volatility of current events makes one thing clear: Our democracy is vulnerable to disruptions many haven’t even imagined. While we cannot predict the future,…
Statement
Statement on Derek Chauvin Verdict
Today, we joined millions of people across the country in breathing a collective sigh of relief at the outcome of the Derek Chauvin trial. Together,…
Part of "Stewards of Democracy," a series on findings from the 2020 Democracy Fund/Reed College Survey of Local Election Officials A modern, trusted, and equitable…
Introduction to "Stewards of Democracy," a series on findings from the 2020 Democracy Fund/Reed College Survey of Local Election Officials Political observers expected the 2020…
This week’s tragedy could have been avoided. For months, AAPI women in journalism have been sounding the alarm on the dramatic rise in racist and xenophobic attacks. Unfortunately,…
Social media companies have harmed our economy, government, social fabric, and public square. The January 6, 2021 insurrection at the United States Capitol, which was…
The new report "Healthy Local News & Information Ecosystems: A Diagnostic Framework,” presents a framework to help local news funders assess whether a community’s information…
Independent journalism is an essential instrument of accountability and critical to the health of our republic. Without it, the public’s ability to check the power…
The health of our American democracy requires strategic investment in community-led solutions that combat political violence and mitigate its cost to society. The Costs of…
Take a Deeper Dive
Local News Lab, electionline, and Voter Study Group are Democracy Fund initiatives that provide original, curated information on sustainable local journalism, election administration, and the changing views of the American electorate.
Examining and delivering insights on the evolving views of American voters.
Voter Study Group
Creating new kinds of collaboration between journalists, newsrooms, and communities.
Local News Lab
America’s only source for politics-free news about our nation’s elections.
electionline