Democracy and Civic Life

American democracy is facing both growing systemic challenges and unprecedented direct assaults, from laws aimed at suppressing or diluting votes to attacks on elected officials and democratic institutions. Across the country, a diverse array of nonprofits works to protect voting rights, resist authoritarianism, increase civic engagement and restore and uphold democracy. Donors at all levels have opportunities to support a wide swath of organizations working to promote and protect democracy. This brief offers advice about how donors can make a difference in this critical area. It highlights leading philanthropic strategies and offers guidance for donors new to the space to get started with their giving.  

Strategies for Impact

Nonprofits are engaged in a range of programs relating to democracy and civic life in the United States. All this work is important and could benefit from greater donor support. Below, we discuss areas where donors might focus their funding and spotlight organizations in each that represent the kind of nonprofits that donors might consider supporting.    

• Give to protect free and fair elections. Numerous organizations are working to protect and strengthen electoral systems in the face of challenges including policies designed to impede voting, partisan gerrymandering, voter intimidation and more. Funders can help by giving to nonprofits working to protect free and fair elections through law and policy, such as Brennan Center for Justice, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Campaign Legal Center. 

• Support an expansive and inclusive democracy. There are local and national nonprofits across the U.S. working to increase voting access, defend voting rights and increase civic life. Community Change focuses on building power from the grassroots among people of color, women, immigrants and low-income people. UnidosUS, the largest Latino civil rights organization in the country, supports voter registration and accessibility through its Voting and Political Empowerment Program. The Voter Participation Center focuses on increasing electoral engagement among historically marginalized communities. State-based groups, such as New Georgia Project and New North Carolina Project, focus on increasing voter turnout and building political power among underrepresented groups in key southern states.

• Back reform efforts. Funders can support institutional reforms to expand democracy and make it more fair and equitable, like efforts to create nonpartisan redistricting commissions, reforms to the primary system, or campaign finance reform. FairVote advocates ranked choice voting and proportional representation. Unite America focuses on nonpartisan redistricting, primary reform and ranked choice voting. The Fairness Project supports ballot measures on broadly popular issues that often face political gridlock, while also fighting back against efforts in some states to restrict the use of popular referenda.

Insights and Advice 

In considering which impact strategies to support, donors should consider their personal interests and outlook to find the best fit. They should also keep an eye out for emerging opportunities to give with maximum impact to promote democracy and civic life. Here, we offer a few insights and suggestions:

• Don’t go it alone. Intermediaries and philanthropy-serving organizations can do a huge amount of the leg work of identifying opportunities in the field, and getting involved with one of these groups is a great way for donors to save time and give more effectively. Notable groups include Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation, Democracy Funders Network, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE), New Pluralists and the Rights, Faith, and Democracy Collaborative at Proteus Fund. 

• Give flexible funding for the long haul. Multi-year, general operating support is a best practice in trust-based philanthropy because it gives nonprofits sustained funding they can count on to make long-term plans, as well as flexibility to use funds as needed to respond to crises as well as emergent opportunities. Long-term, unrestricted funding will enable nonprofits in this sector to do their best work to fight the urgent and ongoing threats to democracy in the United States and build a democratic society for generations to come.

• Keep in mind that democracy is about more than elections. Government by the people, the Center for High Impact Philanthropy reminds us, is about more than just voting. Democracy also requires a free press, rule of law, trust in institutions, and social cohesion. Funders concerned with defending and expanding democracy might also consider supporting nonprofit journalism, community dialogues and cultural work to counter polarization, expand civics education, and more. 

For Donors Getting Started

Donors who are new to this area of philanthropy should take the time to learn about the landscape. A good place to start is by reading IP’s State of American Philanthropy brief on Giving for Democracy and Civic Life. In addition, peruse recent articles that IP has published about this area. Some of the funding intermediaries and philanthropy-serving organizations mentioned above also offer reports and articles to inform donors about the giving terrain for democracy and civic life, such as the Democracy Funders Network’s brief “What Happens If It Happens Here? U.S. Philanthropy, Civil Society, and the Authoritarian Threat.” Another helpful resource is the Center for High Impact Philanthropy’s 2019 guide on giving to strengthen democracy. 

But the best way to get started giving for democracy and civic life is to make some initial gifts, get to know the work of the groups you’re supporting, and connect early with a funding intermediary that can help you learn more about this giving area and increase your giving in a thoughtful way. 

Have suggestions for improving this brief? Please email us at editor@insidephilanthropy.com.