What It Is
SoCal Grantmakers gladly signed on to a letter of support solidifying our commitment to pro-democracy funding in the philanthropic sector. In early 2024, the All by April campaign moved more than $140 million in new grants to support free, fair, and representative elections. Continuing this trend, Election Day to Every Day, a philanthropic campaign dedicated to bridging critical gaps for democracy, put forth a letter for funders to commit to funding democracy in the long-term. To ensure pro-democracy movements can be sustained from year to year, this letter details calls to action for funders to 1) start planning immediately in 2025 for democracy in the organizational budget, 2) providing bridge funding into next year or moving up payments to Q1, 3) committing to multi-year support, and 4) supporting the safety and security of infrastructure that grantees need in the face of any violent or legal threat to their work.
Why It Matters
Building a multiracial democracy is a policy priority for SoCal Grantmakers. In order to have a fair and representative government at all levels, we must emphasize the importance of policy implementation, co-governance, and opportunities for civic engagement, as well as the importance of ongoing, multiyear, and general operating grants. We believe that it is crucial for philanthropy to stay active in their funding and advocacy strategies not only during election, Census, and redistricting cycles, but in the years in between. We educate our members on the wide spectrum of possibilities for philanthropic participation in civic engagement and the downstream effects of support for democracy work on specific issue areas, and we work to mobilize philanthropy to adopt an expanding definition of civic engagement that encompasses more than “Get Out the Vote” or topics that feel political in nature.
While the commitment to supporting nonpartisan 2024 election-related work is a top priority for many in the donor community, we must invest in our futures by funding democracy consistently. Without reliable funding, many pro-democracy organizations are limited in their ability to build and harness power for the communities they work with in the off-years. Multi-year nonpartisan funding is essential to to the security of democracy work and the people that are on the ground implementing these these strategies. We are committed to uplifting the important work that community based organizations perform as trusted messengers of the community. For this work to grow, it is imperative that funders continue to invest in the civic muscle of communities for the long-term.
Call to Action
Sign on to this letter and commit to the long-term investment of nonpartisan democracy, civic engagement, and power building in the philanthropic sector. For more resources and information about our democracy work check out our Democracy Hub here.