New Thinking On Funding Democracy Democracynext

During this time of geopolitical instability, we're working to strengthen citizen agency and democratic resilience Jon Alexander meets Claudia Chwalisz and Katy Rubin, two globally acknowledged pioneers, to explore modes of democracy that seek to involve and work with people, not deliver for them. During this time of geopolitical instability, we're working to strengthen citizen agency and democratic resilience New research from DemocracyNext reveals how the spaces where we gather to deliberate - from lighting to layout - directly shape the quality of our democratic decisions. We're writing to share significant news. The US National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has written to grantees, including DemNext, informing us that NED is unable to access previously approved funds, and that they have “no clarity about the future”.

We're deeply saddened and concerned by this development and its wider implications for NED’s dedicated team and the many organisations they support. But we are determined to find a way forward. While not a majority of our overall funding, the impact this has on DemNext is nonetheless profound. NED’s annual support of $280,000 has enabled us to seed and scale ongoing citizens' assemblies globally. This is at a time when democracies are faltering and authoritarianism is on the march. NED primarily financed our Cities Programme in the Global South, which aims to bring citizens’ assemblies into decision making around the world.

Such assemblies have enormous transformative potential. Separately from our global work with NED, DemNext recently helped organise one in Deschutes County, Oregon, which was profiled in The New Yorker: 💡 New Thinking on Funding Democracy Great new piece from New America on one of the most important, and often overlooked, questions in the deliberative democracy space: how do we sustainably fund citizens' assemblies? 👇 https://lnkd.in/e-_KFegY The article explores emerging models across the U.S. and Canada - from philanthropic funding to public grants - and highlights practical examples, including the Deschutes County Assembly on Youth Homelessness, which we were proud to support. It’s encouraging to see this conversation gaining momentum.

If we want deliberative processes to scale and be inclusive, how we fund them is just as critical as how we design them. #CivicEngagement #CitizensAssemblies #DeliberativeDemocracy #PublicParticipation #Deschutes #DemocracyInnovation #DelibWave Unlock the hidden power of federal and state grant programs to fuel local growth and transform communities. This guide breaks down how businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities can leverage funding opportunities to maximize economic impact, create jobs, and build sustainable futures. 🚀💡 https://lnkd.in/eq3c-V-5 #EconomicDevelopment #Grants #FundingOpportunities #BuildForwardNow" #EconomicDevelopment #FederalGrants #StateGrants #CommunityGrowth #BusinessFunding #LocalImpact #GrantPrograms #EconomicImpact #BuildForwardNow Nonprofits Must Plan for Uncertainty: Government Shutdown Preparedness As the federal government shuts down, the ripple effects reach far beyond Washington.

Nonprofits—already stretched thin—often face delayed reimbursements, paused grants, reduced giving, and increased demand for community support. Higher education institutions will be impacted even more by research funding, student aid programs like federal work-study, and visa complications for international students. Also, faith-based organizations are called to provide even more prayer, compassionate aid, and this work must continue regardless of political circumstances. At Holloway Media Group , we’re here to advise leaders to act now: • Scenario Planning: Build financial contingency plans for 30, 60, and 90 days of delayed funding. • Diversify Revenue: Strengthen partnerships with private donors and foundations to reduce reliance on government streams. • Communicate Clearly: Keep staff, volunteers, donors, and stakeholders informed with consistent updates.

The future of your mission depends not only on how you lead through crises but also on how you prepare for them. And remember: the upcoming midterm elections will shape future funding and policy decisions. Voting matters—regardless of party. Fair Elections Center Our CEO, Don Howard, recently spoke with Independent Sector about our work to help ensure #California is a place where all low-income workers can advance economically—and what the social sector must do during these... Check it out: https://bit.ly/4o6RPRq

President and CEO at The James Irvine Foundation The Democracy Futures Project is an effort to expand the capacity of philanthropies to think long-term about American democracy by supporting funders with tools, resources, and skills to be more “future-ready.” The greatest risk to democracy is not authoritarianism alone; it is the unexamined assumption that the only futures available to us are small tweaks of the present. The Democracy Futures Project was created to expand the capacity of democracy funders to think long-term, anticipate change, and invest proactively in the future of American democracy. The future is not something that simply “happens to us.” We have agency to shape it, both in positive ways that can make the future brighter for all, and in ways that might help... To do so requires us to be forward-looking, clear-eyed, pragmatic, and intellectually honest.

The default posture of the democracy field has been reactive to short-term threats, and the dominant focus has been on elections and electoral reforms. This is important and necessary work, but it needs to be coupled with aspirational, long-term, proactive planning. The pro-democracy field needs to take imagination as seriously as it takes infrastructure. We need protected spaces for deeper reflection; methodologies that help us distinguish between what is merely familiar and what is genuinely necessary; and strategies that invite the public to articulate what kind of democracy... I want to end the year on a note of gratitude and pride for the many ways our community came together to defend and advance a democracy that is open, just, resilient, and trustworthy... While I am clear-eyed about the threats facing us and the hard work ahead, I remain determined to stand up for our democracy in these challenging times.

This year, Democracy Fund celebrated its tenth anniversary as an independent grantmaking foundation. Along with our partner organization, Democracy Fund Voice, we have made more than $425 million in grants to promote free elections, a just society, an equitable public square, and accountable government institutions. I would be remiss to end the year without expressing my deep gratitude to all the grantees, partners, and staff that have helped to build this remarkable institution and community of fierce democracy advocates. This decade has profoundly shaped our democracy, our organization, and my growth as a leader. My understanding of philanthropy’s role in empowering change has evolved along the way. In the face of rising threats to our democracy, I am sharing five lessons I’ve learned, hoping they’ll be valuable to others in the field.

Many in the philanthropic field are worried about the rising critiques against progressive philanthropy and the emerging threats against the causes and communities many of us hold dear — from immigration, to the LGBTQ+... Democracy Fund and Democracy Fund Voice stand strong in our commitment to an inclusive, multiracial democracy. We will not back down. Our work is part of a long tradition of fighting for a democracy that truly represents and serves all Americans — a democracy that we have never yet achieved. Works to shift political and legislative power to everyday people through empowered Citizens’ Assemblies, by building new institutions for the next democratic paradigm. We are an international network of organizations, associations, and individuals that develop, implement, and promote ways to improve democracy, from the local to the global level.

© 2024 DEMOCRACY R&D / SITEMAP / PRIVACY POLICY DemocracyNext is a research & action institute focused on broadening power and enhancing decision making with sortition, deliberation, and rotation. We believe in a more just, joyful, and collaborative future, where everyone has meaningful power to shape their societies. Our three-stage guide to accompany you through designing, running, and acting on the results of a citizens’ assembly - dig in, and share widely! Sammy McKinney and Claudia Chwalisz explore: What does scaling democratic deliberation mean, why is it valuable, and what is the role of AI in enabling it? I’m writing to share that this week will be my last as the Founding Head of Research and Learning at DemocracyNext, because I’ve decided that after five years in this field, I want to...

What a wonderful adventure it has been to bring this organisation to life with my brilliant colleagues, advisors, board members and the broader community! I’m proud of the exciting work DemocracyNext is doing and grateful for the opportunity I had to contribute to it - from leading the development of our Assembly Guide, based on previous research at... I will continue advising DemocracyNext as a Senior Advisor on specific projects, including, enthusiastically, Lithuania’s first Citizens’ Assembly in my hometown of Vilnius. What’s next for me? I plan to spend some time in wild Lithuanian forests, and then I intend to explore emerging research interests at the intersection of deliberative democracy, democratic theory, collective emotions, and collective trauma. During my years as an advocate, researcher, and designer of Citizens’ Assemblies, I’ve had countless conversations with policy makers, academics, activists, and citizens across different parts of the world about assemblies - what they...

These are not always easy conversations, because they often require a significant shift in the mindset of the interlocutor, one that requires time to settle.

People Also Search

• News | DemocracyNext
• US funding freeze hits DemNext - an appeal
• New Thinking on Funding Democracy | DemocracyNext
• The Movement to Fund Democracy is Learning Important Lessons
• Becoming Futures-Ready: Leveraging Strategic Foresight in Democracy ...
• The Democracy Futures Project - pacefunders.org
• 5 Things I've Learned In 10 Years of Leading Democracy Fund and ...
• DemocracyNext - Democracy
• DemocracyNext | Homepage
• Comings and goings at DemocracyNext! - demnext.substack.com