Grants Database
Democracy Fund collaborates with our grantees, donors, and other partners to strengthen and expand the movement for an inclusive, multiracial democracy. We are proud to have supported more than 400 organizations doing this work.
- State Innovation Exchange
- $195,000.00
- General Operating Support
- Governance
- 2022
State Innovation Exchange (SiX) is a national resource and strategy center that collaborates with state legislators to improve people’s lives through transformative public policy. SiX works in close coordination with legislators, advocacy groups, think tanks, and activists to provide the tools and information legislators need to be successful.
Project:
General Operating SupportFoundation Center Topic:
Civic Participation, Government, Civic Participation/Public ParticipationGrant Length:
Nov 2022 to Oct 2024Strategy:
Representative Leadership- The National Trust for Local News
- $190,000.00
- Project
- President's Office
- 2021
The National Trust for Local News, a project of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, will create a network of sustainable, independent community news outlets in Georgia by purchasing at-risk community newspapers and developing ownership and governance structures that create sustainability efficiencies as well as ensure quality and editorial independence.
Project:
Local Community Paper ExplorationFoundation Center Topic:
Civic Participation/Civic Education and Leadership, Media/JournalismGrant Length:
Nov 2021 to Feb 2023Strategy:
General- The Governance Lab
- $190,000.00
- Project
- Governance
- 2021
GovLab, a fiscally-sponsored project of the Fund for the City of New York, will hire a Fellow to support the launch of Smarter Crowdsourcing, which combines rigorous problem definition with crowdsourcing to attract ideas from diverse experts and then develop policy recommendations.
Project:
GovLab Congressional CrowdLawFoundation Center Topic:
Civic Participation/Public Participation, Government/Legislative Branch Performance, Government/Open Government and TransparencyGrant Length:
Sep 2021 to Dec 2022Strategy:
Empowering Congress- Voice of San Diego
- $188,413.96
- Project
- Public Square
- 2015
The purpose of this grant is to support Voice of San Diego’s Membership Academy.
Project:
Membership Academy SupportFoundation Center Topic:
Media/JournalismGrant Length:
Dec 2015 to Dec 2017Strategy:
Ecosystem News- States at the Core
- $185,000.00
- Project
- Just and Inclusive Society
- 2024
States at the Center, a fiscally sponsored project of NEO Philanthropy, Inc., helps local organizations by providing adaptable, implementable resources and expertise to the states and communities working to increase Americans’ faith in democracy and strengthen democratic institutions.
Project:
States at the CoreFoundation Center Topic:
Civic Participation/Civic Education and Leadership, Civic Participation, Civic Participation/Public ParticipationGrant Length:
Jun 2024 to May 2025Strategy:
General- The Obsidian Collection Archives
- $185,000.00
- General Operating Support
- Public Square
- 2018
General support grant to Obsidian Collection.
Project:
General Operating SupportFoundation Center Topic:
Media/Media Access and PolicyGrant Length:
Jun 2018 to Dec 2019Strategy:
Engaged Journalism- University of Chicago
- $180,000.00
- Project
- President's Office
- 2018
This grant will support Bright Line Watch, an effort to monitor the health of our democracy by regularly surveying the expert opinion of political scientists. The project also convenes academics and other thinkers to bring attention to key trends in our democracy, particularly through a comparative global lens.
Project:
Bright Line WatchFoundation Center Topic:
OtherGrant Length:
Oct 2018 to Mar 2021Strategy:
General- Press On South Inc
- $180,000.00
- Project
- Public Square
- 2020
PressOn, a fiscally sponsored project of Allied Media Projects, is building a diverse set of resources, including trainings, fellowships and opportunities for network-building, to help journalists and storytellers produce reporting that’s driven by communities in the South.
Project:
PressOn / Center for Movement JournalismFoundation Center Topic:
Media/JournalismGrant Length:
Dec 2020 to Nov 2021Strategy:
Ecosystem News- The City University of New York School of Law Foundation, Inc.
- $180,000.00
- Project
- Just and Inclusive Society
- 2020
Creating Law Enforcement Accountability and Responsibility (CLEAR), a project at CUNY Law Foundation, address the legal needs of Muslim and all other communities and movements in the New York City area and beyond.
Project:
CLEAR CUNYFoundation Center Topic:
Government/Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Civic Participation/Naturalization and Immigrant Civic Integration, Other, Government/Open Government and TransparencyGrant Length:
Nov 2020 to Oct 2023Strategy:
General- Portland State University Foundation
- $175,000.00
- Project
- Elections and Voting
- 2024
The Local Election Officials (LEO Survey) is a project created in partnership between the Elections and Voting Information Center (EVIC) at Reed College and team and Portland State University’s Center for Public Service. This grant supports the design, administration, analysis, and dissemination of findings from the sixth survey.
Project:
LEO SurveyFoundation Center Topic:
Other, Campaigns, Elections, and Voting/Election AdministrationGrant Length:
Apr 2024 to Sep 2025Strategy:
Resilient Elections- The Brookings Institution
- $175,000.00
- Project
- Governance
- 2022
Brookings Senior Fellows will conduct a series of researcher and former practitioner convenings to consider new and innovative ideas for changing the Senate including, but not limited to, its composition and its rules and practices.
Project:
Future of the Senate ProjectFoundation Center Topic:
Government/Legislative Branch PerformanceGrant Length:
Sep 2022 to Aug 2025Strategy:
General- The Horizon Forum
- $175,000.00
- Project
- Just and Inclusive Society
- 2020
The Horizon Forum, a fiscally sponsored project of Proteus Fund, will identify best practices, explore case studies, and develop solutions to address the problem of racist, dangerous, and xenophobic activity funded through the philanthropic sector.
Project:
The Horizon ForumFoundation Center Topic:
OtherGrant Length:
Dec 2020 to Nov 2022Strategy:
General- The Equity Alliance
- $175,000.00
- General Operating Support
- Elections and Voting
- 2022
The Equity Alliance is the leading Black-led grassroots organization in Tennessee promoting intentional, unapologetic, innovative, and culturally relevant year-round civic engagement among Black communities, while providing their communities with the tools and knowledge they need to be self-determining and create sustainable change.
Project:
General Operating SupportFoundation Center Topic:
Civic Participation/Civic Education and Leadership, Civic Participation, Civic Participation/Issue-based Participation, Civic Participation/Public Participation, Campaigns, Elections, and Voting/Voting AccessGrant Length:
Oct 2022 to Sep 2023Strategy:
Pro-Voter Reform- Former Members of Congress Inc.
- $175,000.00
- General Operating Support
- Governance
- 2016
The purpose of this grant is to support the Former Members of Congress Association and their work to improve the function of the U.S. Congress.
Project:
General Operating SupportFoundation Center Topic:
Government/Legislative Branch PerformanceGrant Length:
Dec 2016 to Nov 2017Strategy:
Empowering Congress- Over Zero
- $175,000.00
- Project
- Just and Inclusive Society
- 2018
Over Zero, a fiscally sponsored project of the Hopewell Fund, works to reduce and prevent violence, and to build societal resilience on issues of violence prevention, polarization, and more. Over Zero will initiate and complete research on societal resilience factors within the U.S.
Project:
Support for Over ZeroFoundation Center Topic:
OtherGrant Length:
Dec 2018 to Nov 2019Strategy:
General- Oficina Legal Del Pueblo Unido Inc., dba Texas Civil Rights Project
- $175,000.00
- Project
- Elections and Voting
- 2017
This grant will provide support to Texas Civil Rights Project’s (TCRP) High School Voter Registration Project. This grant will provide TCRP with support to continue its work with the Secretary of State, high schools, voter registrars, and other relevant stakeholders to improve compliance in this area. TCRP will build important relationships between these entities while encouraging compliance with the law.
Project:
High School Voter Registration ProjectFoundation Center Topic:
Campaigns, Elections, and Voting/Voter Education, Registration, and Turnout, Campaigns, Elections, and Voting/Election AdministrationGrant Length:
Dec 2017 to Nov 2018Strategy:
Pro-Voter Reform- Millennial Action Project
- $175,000.00
- General Operating Support
- Governance
- 2019
General support for Millennial Action Project
Project:
General Operating SupportFoundation Center Topic:
Government/Legislative Branch PerformanceGrant Length:
Jan 2019 to Dec 2019Strategy:
Constructive Politics- Take The Lead Inc
- $175,000.00
- Project
- Public Square
- 2019
To support Take the Lead’s “50 Women Can Change the World in Journalism” program, providing training, cohort building, and networking opportunities for women leading in the media industry.
Project:
50 Women Can Change the WorldFoundation Center Topic:
Media/Journalism Education and TrainingGrant Length:
Nov 2019 to Feb 2022Strategy:
Engaged Journalism- Advancement Project
- $175,000.00
- General Operating Support
- Elections and Voting
- 2020
Advancement Project is a next generation, multi-racial, policy, communications, and legal action group committed to civil rights and racial justice . They use innovative tools and strategies to strengthen social movements, achieve policy change and support local movements to ensure impacted communities are at the forefront of change.
Project:
General Operating SupportFoundation Center Topic:
Campaigns, Elections, and Voting, Campaigns, Elections, and Voting/Voter Education, Registration, and TurnoutGrant Length:
Sep 2020 to Dec 2021Strategy:
General- The OpenGov Foundation
- $175,000.00
- Project
- Governance
- 2015
This grant is designed to help support planning by the OpenGov Foundation as they aim to create a Congressional Digital Service. The Congressional Digital Service would provide resources and infrastructure to help build out the digital needs of Congress. A successful plan would likely include a fundraising plan, hiring of a director, and a strategic plan for the next 3-5 years.