Democracy Program

The Democracy program is driven by the belief that a vibrant democracy requires consistent and meaningful political and civic participation by the vast majority of the population, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities that have long been excluded from power. To this end, we must protect and expand access to the right to vote, build strong inclusive civic engagement infrastructure and practices, strengthen democratic institutions, and reform democratic processes and systems to make them fairer, more accessible, and more accountable to a broader constituency, including BIPOC communities. A core tenet of our grantmaking will be to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities in their efforts to reclaim and build political power.

State-level work is a key lever for building that power, and the Foundation will provide support to locally-based BIPOC and multi-racial groups that are rooted in their communities, are trusted sources of information, encourage year-round civic engagement in local, municipal, state, and federal elections, and build the power of BIPOC communities to achieve a reflective and responsive multi-racial democracy at the state level. Building state-level power and statewide civic engagement infrastructure will allow BIPOC communities to achieve more racially just democratic, economic, climate, cultural, and reproductive policies, create a pipeline for BIPOC leadership, and make state and federal institutions more accountable. 

Priorities for 2025 and 2026

Geographic

The Foundation will support grantees working in the following states: 

• New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania

• Expanded support for work in Ohio and Michigan

The Foundation will also fund a limited number of national and multi-state organizations, funder collaboratives, and/or intermediaries that work within or outside of priority states. To qualify for support, they must provide essential capacity-building for state-based work or unique and effective policy, narrative, advocacy, or financial support to local grassroots organizations regarding one or more of our program priorities.

In these states, the Foundation will prioritize support to organizations working on

• BIPOC community-led structural reform of democratic institutions around voting rights/access (including voter protection), census, redistricting, and fair courts

• Integrated voter engagement within BIPOC communities, particularly efforts that include a racial justice, reproductive justice, and/or climate justice framework, and target a broad range of elections, including judicial, municipal/local, state, and federal  

• Rural and small-town organizing, with priority for BIPOC and multi-racial organizing

• Strengthening regional and statewide civic engagement and organizing infrastructure that expressly supports BIPOC leadership

• Arts and culture-shift strategies for voter engagement

PROGRAM STAFF

• Gisela Alvarez