October 24, 2022 Philanthropy Needs New Strategies to Save American Democracy October 24, 2022/ Mike Berkowitz and Rachel Kleinfeld, Guest Contributors With U.S. democracy in crisis, guest contributors Mike Berkowitz and Rachel Kleinfeld argue that philanthropy cannot stick to its usual playbook. They outline five ways funders can update their approach.Read More
October 17, 2022 How Philanthropy Can Combat a “Ferocious” Wave of Book Bans October 17, 2022/ Simone Ellin As book bans in schools become a key front in the culture wars, organizations like PEN America are betting that Americans’ faith in free speech will prove stronger. Do funders have their backs?Read More
May 31, 2022 This Funding Initiative Has a Singular Goal: To Encourage Major Donors to Boost Their Giving May 31, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen The Crisis Charitable Commitment was created to hold funders to a higher standard. As in, give more. It recently debuted a slate of shovel-ready giving opportunities, including an advocacy push for higher taxes on the ultra-rich.Read More
May 05, 2022 How Eight Grantmakers Fund Civic Engagement and Democracy on College Campuses May 05, 2022/ Mike Scutari Giving for civic engagement on campus is a small but increasingly important component of the higher ed funding ecosystem. Here’s a list of eight key grantmakers and how they approach that work.Read More
May 04, 2022 This Nonprofit Is Cultivating In-State Donors to Sustain Progressive Power in Arizona May 04, 2022/ Martha Ramirez Instituto works through a 501(c)(3), a 501(c)(4) and a PAC to cultivate in-state funding. Here’s what it’s doing to support progressive power-building, and how it’s reckoning with the fact that demographics doesn’t always equal destiny.Read More
March 23, 2022 Way to Win Wants to Keep the Blue Wave Going This Year. Can It? March 23, 2022/ Martha Ramirez Staunchly progressive, Way to Win is an umbrella organization for both philanthropic and political funding. Its Sun Belt-focused strategy faces some headwinds as it seeks to galvanize voters ahead of the midterms.Read More
January 06, 2022 In 2022, Philanthropy Must Engage Decisively with Political Violence January 06, 2022/ Rachel Brown, Sadia Hameed and Heather Hurlburt, Guest Contributors Today’s civic environment is a tinderbox for political violence that demands philanthropy’s attention. Guest authors Rachel Brown, Sadia Hameed and Heather Hurlburt diagnose the problem and offer next steps.Read More
July 12, 2021 During a Historic and Unprecedented Year, Donors Vote for Democracy with Their Dollars July 12, 2021/ Beth Rowan Democracy giving typically waxes and wanes with the presidential election cycle. But after a historic year, several fundraisers are hopeful that a new paradigm of higher, less restrictive giving may set in.Read More
November 13, 2020 Election 2020: Democracy Funders React to a Historic Contest November 13, 2020/ Philip Rojc Tensions are still acute in the election’s wake and the future of American democracy remains uncertain. For funders who leaned into democracy work this year, this is a time for some celebration, and a sobering look at the path ahead.Read More
November 10, 2020 Nine Wealthy Donors Who Were Major Players in the Most Expensive Election on Record November 10, 2020/ Philip Rojc Donors spent a stunning $14 billion to influence the 2020 election, with a substantial part of that coming from the rich. Here are nine ultra-wealthy philanthropists on the right and the left whose giving helped shape the results this year.Read More
October 15, 2020 Crunch Time: Democracy Funders Confront a Perilous Election—and Its Aftermath October 15, 2020/ Philip Rojc Mere weeks remain until Election Day. As some argue that American democracy itself is on the line, here’s how philanthropic funders have been rising to the challenge, and some of the ways they may be falling short.Read More
September 01, 2020 With November Fast Approaching, Donors Organize a Giving Pledge for Democracy Funding September 01, 2020/ Philip Rojc With U.S. democracy in peril, a donor collaborative to safeguard the upcoming election has caught on, to the tune of $40 million and counting. One for Democracy asks donors to move 1% of their assets to democracy groups—and fast.Read More
July 22, 2020 How a Legacy Funder is Taking on Democracy, Race and Capitalism in a Transformative Moment July 22, 2020/ Philip Rojc At a “hinge moment in history,” Rockefeller Brothers Fund is increasing spending, with an intersectional focus on democracy, racial justice, and rethinking capitalism. RBF’s Stephen Heintz fills us in on the plan.Read More