Where philanthropy meets democracy.
Philanthropy has unreached potential as a critical partner in strengthening our democracy. From mission-driven activities that build democratic citizenship, to more deliberate contributions to civic engagement, community-building and public policy work, to direct investments in democratic reform — philanthropy can more strongly step into its opportunity to shape a healthier, more inclusive democracy.
Philanthropy Northwest is listening to members, organizing learning and networking opportunities, and creating tools that support philanthropy in being effective democracy partners with communities.
- Daniel Kemmis, Philanthropy and The Renewal of Democracy
Democracy Lens
To help funders understand the assets and opportunities within our communities, we created the Democracy Lens. It provides Bright Spot case studies that examine successful democracy-strengthening initiatives and the role of philanthropy in each state. In addition, it includes regional data about indicators of the health of our democracy, and also looks at philanthropic funding — direct and indirect — that supports democracy building.
Democracy Northwest Funders Table
We are building a community of funders to work together to strengthen reflective democracy in the Northwest. Our focus is on encouraging civic engagement in public discourse, supporting political power-building in local communities and increasing political representation by leaders who reflect their communities. To do this, we are listening to communities about how funders can best support community civic participation, sharing what we are learning and promoting collaboration among funders to foster more reflective democracy. To learn more about the Democracy Northwest Funders Table, contact our policy team.
Related Resources
- Philanthropy and the Renewal of Democracy - Philanthropy Northwest senior advisor Daniel Kemmis examines the post-Citizens United landscape and how philanthropy can strengthen democracy.