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,…
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.
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…
After a heroic effort to maintain the integrity of our election system over the past year, Wednesday’s inauguration marks a key turning point, one that…
As representatives of nonpartisan philanthropic institutions, serving rural, urban, and suburban communities across the nation, we condemn the violence that broke out at the U.S.…
2020 was a marathon for journalists preparing for an election that seemed very likely to go off the rails. But in communities around the country,…
When you look back at how local news fared in 2020, you might be surprised by how hopeful I am for the future. Things have…
News is a public good. What does it mean to treat journalism as a public good? Without an informed citizenry able to access the news…
Blog
Fighting for an internet that is safe for all: how structural problems require structural solutions
In 2017, a college student named Taylor Dumpson achieved what many young scholars dream of: she was elected student body president. As the first African-American…
As law students across the country return to the classroom, many are also putting their education to work through legal clinics where they can help…
According to the Pew Research Center, one in five Americans rely primarily on social media for their political news and information. This means a small…
Without sufficient transparency and accountability, online platforms have become hotbeds for disinformation that manipulates, maligns, and disenfranchises voters, especially people of color and women. The…
Blog
Beyond the statement: How journalism funders can act in solidarity with marginalized communities
Organizations, businesses, and groups across the United States sent this statement to millions of people via social media feeds and e-mail lists in early June…
One of the many ways funders can support equitable journalism is by investing in fair, just, and accurate reporting on and representation of Muslim Americans.…
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Google play an essential role in our democracy. They provide a way for communities to organize and speak…
Results from the 2019 NewsMatch cycle, published for the first time today, show that it was the most successful to date, with an initial pool…
Systems Map
Digital Democracy Initiative Core Story
Our democracy is a complex political system made of an intricate web of institutions, interest groups, individual leaders, and citizens that are all connected in…
The coronavirus pandemic has shaken much more than the ground beneath us: it has rocked every aspect of our society. This norm-shattering situation has shown…
This post was co-authored by Christine Schmidt. Over the past month, 30 states have made journalism an essential service in their disaster declarations, putting local…
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.
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