Giving Compass' Take:

• Aaron Dorfman argues that if ever there was a time for donors to invest in grassroots civic engagement and foster democracy, it’s this year.

• What are the ways that you think about political dynamics in your philanthropy? 

• Here's the Giving Compass: Civic Engagement Guide for Donors. 


I've been hearing something quite disturbing lately from leaders of grassroots organizations. They tell me that some of their donors are declining to renew or increase their gifts because they are directing all or most of their money to political candidates this year.

But that’s a false choice. For donors who care about fostering democracy, it is essential to support candidates and grassroots civic engagement.

Many donors are giving directly to candidates, which is important. However, supporting great candidates won’t matter if funders don’t also support voter protection and engagement. We won’t truly have a robust election if potential voters are disengaged and voters who want to cast ballots are denied their right to do so.

Overregulation that suppresses votes and limits democracy

Voter protection is crucial to ensuring fair elections at any level. In these hyper-partisan times, it’s easy to forget that at the root of our shared culture as Americans is the belief that our institutions should be governed democratically, that no matter your background, occupation or stances, we all have an equal vote at the ballot box.

Read the full article about how donors can help foster democracy by Aaron Dorfman at Forbes.