When democracy is under attack, what can people do? “Stand up, fight back!” goes the street chant. But is that enough?Yes, resisting attacks is important. But defending the status quo alone is a losing strategy when most people don’t like the current system of government. Most people in the United … Read more about Three Emerging Strategies for Renewing Democracy

In moments of national crisis, Americans deserve leadership that protects our freedoms and the rule of law, not leadership that exploits fear to silence civil society. Yet in the charged atmosphere following the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk, the White House is vowing to use the vast powers … Read more about Nonprofit Rights Are Under Attack. Here’s a 7-Part Playbook to Fight Back.

What a difference a couple of decades can make — thanks to an ongoing shift in how funders look at democracy work. Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, known by the acronym PACE, launched in 2005 as a small nonprofit with a mission to promote philanthropic investment in civic engagement and … Read more about A Rapidly Growing Network for Democracy Funders

Authoritarians are remarkably effective at deploying weaponized narratives to undermine democracy. They use stories to shift norms, legitimize autocratic actions, erode trust, and spread misinformation — often under the guise of defending democracy. They imbue their false narratives with clear, … Read more about To Protect Democracy, Tell a Better Story About Why It Matters

…Yet a defense of civil society in the United States is complicated by two paradoxes. The first is that while civil society is often celebrated as one of the central planks of American exceptionalism, it’s also taken for granted. The term itself doesn’t help matters. If vaguely familiar — associated … Read more about Civil Society Is Under Attack. What Is It, Anyway?