{"id":16756,"date":"2025-08-21T05:41:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T12:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/\/?page_id=16756"},"modified":"2025-09-12T05:40:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T12:40:31","slug":"civic-democracy-grants","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/find-a-grant\/civic-democracy-grants","title":{"rendered":"Civic Engagement &amp; Democracy Grants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-container gb-block-container\"><div class=\"gb-container-inside\"><div class=\"gb-container-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\" style=\"min-height:151px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-16807\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/funding-guide-banner-blue-dots-1.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\"\/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8769e64500109ed2042c10b4cb89329f\" style=\"color:#484848;font-size:42px\">Civic &amp; Democracy Grants for Nonprofits<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"intro-box has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebeeeb\">Learn about grants to strengthen democracy and civic life by browsing our curated list of top democracy funders below. Members can also research funding opportunities using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grantfinder-search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>search tool <\/strong><\/a>for GrantFinder. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/membership\"><strong>Become a member.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-columns gb-layout-columns-1 one-column gb-background-auto gb-background-no-repeat\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bg-radiant-dots-shortest.png);background-position:50% 0%\"><div class=\"gb-layout-column-wrap gb-block-layout-column-gap-0 gb-is-responsive-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\" style=\"padding-top:20px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-columns gb-layout-columns-2 gb-2-col-wideright\" style=\"padding-top:60px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:6px;background-position:80% 0%\"><div class=\"gb-layout-column-wrap gb-block-layout-column-gap-2 gb-is-responsive-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column ip-gf-key-funders-box gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Key Funders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list key-funders-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-c\/crankstart-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Crankstart Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/find-a-grant\/grants-f\/jpb-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Freedom Together Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-f\/ford-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ford Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/h-grants\/william-and-flora-hewlett-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/k-grants\/wk-kellogg-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">W.K. Kellogg Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/n-grants\/new-venture-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Venture Fund<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/n-grants\/neo-philanthropy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Neo Philanthropy<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/p-grants\/proteus-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Proteus Fund<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/s-grants\/silicon-valley-community-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Silicon Valley Community Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/s-grants\/skoll-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Skoll Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/s-grants\/spitzer-charitable-trust\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-t\/tides-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tides Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-w\/wallace-global-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wallace Global Fund<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-w\/walmart-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Walmart Foundation<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Funding trends for democracy and civic engagement grants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In January 2025, only 34% of Americans said they were satisfied with the way U.S. democracy was working, per a <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/655220\/satisfaction-democracy-edges-record-low.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gallup survey<\/a>. A Pew Research <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2024\/07\/10\/72-of-americans-say-the-us-used-to-be-a-good-example-of-democracy-but-isnt-anymore\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">study<\/a>, conducted in April 2024, found that \u201cjust 19% of Americans say democracy in the United States is a good example for other countries to follow.\u201d Since the start of the second Trump administration in 2025, the situation has swiftly deteriorated, with the expansion of executive power, dismantling of the federal government, attacks on the press, and diffuse threats to civil society. Political science experts assert that the United States is quickly moving away from democracy and toward a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/04\/22\/nx-s1-5340753\/trump-democracy-authoritarianism-competive-survey-political-scientist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">form of authoritarianism<\/a>. Pro-democracy philanthropy has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/home\/foundations-face-political-reality\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">not yet met the moment<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Democracy and civic engagement has always been a niche area of philanthropy, and a hard one to precisely define. Inside Philanthropy defines democracy funding as encompassing grants for civic education and service learning initiatives; voter registration and mobilization efforts; election-linked policy work; movement-building, advocacy and protection; journalism and media access; and efforts to combat disinformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Philanthropy for democracy and civic engagement historically was concentrated in election years, but since 2016, the field has grown more multifaceted, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/home\/2024-5-13-the-gill-foundation-an-lgbtq-powerhouse-dives-into-pro-democracy-funding\">funders traditionally focused on other issue areas have gotten involved<\/a>, and funding has been more steady between election cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By any definition, this area of philanthropy has been growing. <a href=\"https:\/\/democracyfund.org\/idea\/field-in-focus-the-state-of-pro-democracy-institutional-philanthropy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Democracy Fund<\/a> estimates institutional philanthropy for democracy experienced \u201csomewhere between 42 and 61 percent growth from 2017\u20132018 to 2021\u20132022.\u201d Yet even with this substantial growth, grants for democracy efforts still amounted to less than 1% of institutional American philanthropy in 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<!-- Non-displaying inline paywall marker. Editors: please keep this code block. Position this block before the first full-width paragraph or just above the foundations list heading. -->\n<div id=\"ipInlineOffer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-container foundation-list paywall gb-block-container\"><div class=\"gb-container-inside\"><div class=\"gb-container-content\">\n<p>\u201cI would say, writ large, that democracy is very underfunded,\u201d Geri Mannion, managing director of the Carnegie Corporation\u2019s Strengthening U.S. Democracy program, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/home\/2024\/7\/15\/the-election-isnt-the-end-point-a-deep-dive-into-the-carnegie-corporations-democracy-giving\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told IP<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, amid rapid democratic backsliding, there is great need for resources to bolster efforts to protect and strengthen U.S. democracy, but it remains to be seen what pro-democracy funders can or will do.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <strong>Where are democracy and civic engagement grants going?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditional areas of focus for democracy grants include civic engagement, voter education, voting rights, and the administration of elections. These remain top funding priorities. At the same time, additional issue areas have been an increasing focus of democracy grants in recent years, including racial justice, journalism, and combating misinformation and disinformation. A <a href=\"https:\/\/democracyfund.org\/idea\/field-in-focus-the-state-of-pro-democracy-institutional-philanthropy\/\">survey<\/a> by Democracy Fund found a noticeable recent shift from issues like campaign finance reform, a funder focus in the not-so-distant past, to funding for social justice and combating disinformation as essential to a functioning democracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While not all funding related to democracy is inherently political, funding in this space tends to be ideologically driven. Philanthropic dollars from conservative funders trend toward think tanks and advocacy organizations like the Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute, which promote concepts and policies linked to \u201celection integrity,\u201d like voter identification requirements. Conversely, progressive funders are more likely to work toward expanding election access, which includes efforts to increase voter registration, fight voter suppression, and increase representation and engagement in democratic institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gaps in democracy and civic engagement funding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A 2024-25 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/find-a-grant\/grants-d\/democracy-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Democracy Fund<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/democracyfund.org\/idea\/how-philanthropy-is-responding-to-a-changed-world\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">survey<\/a> of philanthropic actors in this space found that the majority do not think philanthropy currently has the strategies needed to strengthen or improve U.S. democracy. They are also concerned about legal challenges facing pro-democracy organizations. While the Trump administration is moving fast to dismantle democracy, there is not yet a clear consensus among democracy funders about how to respond, IP\u2019s Sarah Henry <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/home\/democracy-fund-survey-reveals-deep-concern-among-philanthropists\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As things change very rapidly for U.S. democracy, funders who want to protect it are doing some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/home\/democracy-fund-survey-reveals-deep-concern-among-philanthropists\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">soul searching<\/a> about what to do now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group modified-date-row is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f56a869c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p><em>Published on <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"font-style:italic;font-weight:400;\" class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-08-21T05:41:00-07:00\">August 21, 2025<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px;width:0px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"color:#ddd\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-spacer gb-block-spacer gb-divider-solid gb-divider-size-1\"><hr style=\"height:30px\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-columns gb-layout-columns-1 one-column gb-background-auto gb-background-no-repeat\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bg-radiant-dots-shortest.png);background-position:50% 0%\"><div class=\"gb-layout-column-wrap gb-block-layout-column-gap-0 gb-is-responsive-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\" style=\"padding-top:20px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-columns gb-layout-columns-2 gb-2-col-wideleft\" style=\"padding-top:60px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:6px;background-position:80% 0%\"><div class=\"gb-layout-column-wrap gb-block-layout-column-gap-4 gb-is-responsive-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-25180599d95e511ffa03116cedf5db8d\" style=\"color:#d79533\"><strong><strong>Additional Resources<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/grants-d\/democracy-alliance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Democracy Alliance<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pacefunders.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Philanthropy For Active Civic Engagement (PACE<\/a>)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/funderscommittee.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Funders Committee for Civic Participation<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-column gb-block-layout-column\"><div class=\"gb-block-layout-column-inner\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn about grants to strengthen democracy and civic life by browsing our curated list of top democracy funders below. Members can also research funding opportunities using the search tool for GrantFinder. Become a member.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":470,"featured_media":0,"parent":13716,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":true,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":true,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-16756","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/470"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16756"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16756\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":224376,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16756\/revisions\/224376"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidephilanthropy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}