What We Do
Democracy Fund supports the champions of our democracy, including movement leaders, activists, advocates, journalists, and public officials. We collaborate with our grantees, donors, and other partners to strengthen and expand the movement for an inclusive, multiracial democracy.
Areas of Focus
Democracy Fund strengthens and defends democracy through four core programs.
Elections and Voting
Since its founding, the American voting system has intentionally made it difficult for systemically oppressed communities to equally participate. The Elections and Voting program works with community organizations and leaders to build a free and fair election system that centers racial justice to ensure that all voters can participate.
Governance
American democracy is under threat, and we must protect it, or the harm will be irreparable and generational. The Governance program aims to stop the spread of authoritarianism and government abuses by strengthening infrastructure at the local, state, and federal levels.
Just and Inclusive Society
Political and climate crises are forcing people to relocate, with communities of color disproportionately affected. The Just and Inclusive Society program works to ensure migrant and refugee communities in the United States have the resources to build and lead a powerful, diverse movement that protects their rights and addresses global threats.
Public Square
Reliable information is getting harder to find, leading to less informed voters and greater threats to democracy. To increase civic participation, the Public Square program invests in those who work to ensure communities have access to the information they need, online and offline.
Grantmaking
Democracy Fund supports a wide array of inspiring pro-democracy grantees. We identify grantees through ongoing research and network building, and regularly re-evaluate our grantmaking strategy based on what we learn from these partners. We do not accept unsolicited proposals.
Are you a Democracy Fund grantee? Log in to our Portal for valuable tools and information or find instructions for creating an account.
Resources for Funders
We can’t do this work alone. Democracy Fund is committed to partnering with a broad group of peer funders to develop strategy, create alignment, and dedicate pooled resources to support the field. We make our team of experts available to assist other foundations and philanthropists in learning about the issues facing our democracy and in developing their funding strategies.
Find out how to take actionJoint Funds
Along with some of the nation’s largest grantmakers and philanthropists, Democracy Fund participates in a series of joint funds that leverage additional financial support, reduce the burden on grantees, and move resources to the field quickly and efficiently. When there’s a gap in the field, we partner with others to launch new funds.
Support our joint fundsOur Latest Ideas See all Ideas
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BlogHow Democracy Fund is Shifting to Meet the Moment
We remain committed to our core mission and values, but we are adapting our approach to a world around us that continues to shift on a daily basis. -
External ContentBurnout Rates Across Nonprofits Are Rising — but Flexible Reporting Could Help
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 reduce the grant reporting burden from an average of 15 hours to 5 hours. -
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 Hill explains for Candid.
Who We Are
Democracy Fund is a foundation working to build an inclusive, multiracial democracy that is open, just, resilient, and trustworthy. Since 2014, we have committed over $500 million in grants to strengthen our democracy, alongside our partner organization, Democracy Fund Voice. We collaborate with grantees, donors, and other partners to change America’s flawed system by strengthening and expanding the pro-democracy movement, defending against anti-democratic attacks, and advancing structural change.