As foundations and donors try to figure out the smartest responses to the coronavirus pandemic and its aftershocks, there’s another crisis that demands their immediate attention: the growing threats to American democracy.
This isn’t an issue just for the small number of grant makers that already focus on strengthening democracy. The challenges threaten the mission of every foundation, and there’s no time to lose.
The warning signs have been clear for a while, but they have become more alarming recently, as President Trump has threatened to withhold funding for voting by mail, suggested that voter fraud is rampant, and indicated he would retaliate against social-media platforms for holding him accountable. Anti-black racism, growth of the prison-industrial complex, police violence against African Americans, and a criminal-justice system stacked against people of color also undermine our democracy, corroding it from within, undermining trust in our institutions, and making it a sham for too many.
I’ve become sensitized to antidemocratic actions in my work on behalf of immigrants and refugees. I’ve seen all too often how marginalized and vulnerable groups like them are victimized and scapegoated. That’s no surprise: Antidemocratic efforts go hand in hand with efforts to vilify “others” and sow division and polarization. We have been witnessing actions like these repeatedly over the last three years, beginning with the effort to institute a Muslim ban in January 2017 and culminating recently with an immigration “moratorium” and de facto suspension of asylum.
Emergencies are often invented to strip away due process and government accountability, to create a pretext for overreach and harshness, to change what is considered “normal,” and to grab power with impunity. In the face of a true public-health emergency of historic proportions, it will be even more difficult for the public to distinguish between an appropriate response and an autocratic power play, and more challenging for advocates and defenders of democracy to prevent the power play from succeeding. And the government’s response to mass protests against anti-black violence could devolve into heavy-handed suppression and further polarization.
That’s why philanthropy can’t sit on the sidelines when it comes to democracy issues.
As grant makers of all stripes donate hundreds of millions of dollars in rapid-response aid and cash assistance to speed up the coronavirus health and economic recovery, they must also confront the persistent attacks and threats to our pluralistic democracy. Without a functioning democracy, those emergency grants won’t matter, and the long-term prospects for our philanthropic missions are grave. That’s why all grants, even for direct provision of basic needs such as food, shelter, and protective health equipment, must be tied to a larger effort to mobilize and activate the public to defend our democracy and strengthen the institutions and norms that are vital to its survival.
That means we must ensure that the massive disaster aid that is being given now is not merely charity, but rather part of a strategic, long-term philanthropic defense of our democratic system and values. As we help Americans survive the pandemic and its economic ravages, we must avoid perpetuating existing inequalities and dysfunction or, worse, allow a slide into autocracy.
I make this plea because I worry that philanthropy takes for granted the persistence and robustness of our democratic institutions and norms and does not dedicate enough resources securing the very foundation upon which so much and so many rely. The role of philanthropy, after all, is to fill gaps and improve upon our current systems, sometimes radically. Should our democracy fail (spectacularly or incrementally) and an illiberal or autocratic system replace it, what will philanthropy’s move be at that point? It will be too late.
Here’s what donors can — and must — do now.
Put democracy first, by working to:
- Acknowledge that democracy makes your philanthropy possible. Elevate grants that promote institutions that are the pillars of American democracy and give priority to grants that prompt Americans to get involved in civic life. For example, if you are making Covid rapid-response grants, ensure they do double duty. A grant to a food bank, for instance, could also include money to make sure recipients fill out census forms, register to vote, or learn how to advocate for policies that make it more likely that people can afford to buy enough groceries for their families.
- Ensure that your grants do no harm. For example, don’t make grants that further divide us as Americans rather than promote greater social cohesion and support for our democratic ideals and pluralism. Polarization and hyperpartisanship foster the rise of autocrats. It’s important not to unwittingly feed that corrosive cycle with grants that amplify existing divides between political parties or between cities and rural areas, for example.
- Take off the rose-colored glasses. Engage in scenario planning to determine how your foundation would respond to an authoritarian turn in America. It’s a real threat, one that should be considered seriously.
Open the purse wide. Given the erosion of our democratic norms today and the reliance of philanthropy on the survival of a robust democracy, it makes no sense for foundations to stick to giving away the minimum 5 percent of assets annually required by federal law.
The fact that this has not yet happened suggests that philanthropy has not fully accepted the enormity of the risks that our society faces. This must change, and philanthropic leaders must consider questions about the survival, relevance, and impact of foundations if America becomes an authoritarian society.
Speak up. This is the moment for foundation leaders to speak up and step out, to upend the business-as-usual approach, and sound the alarm. Everyone involved in philanthropy, including the most junior employees as well as philanthropic leaders, living donors, and foundation trustees, can all take steps to shape the public debate, making it known that democracy is a priority and that the targeting of minorities or “others” will not be tolerated.
Take action. This is a key moment to create collective momentum. People in philanthropy should ask themselves:
- What actions are you taking as an individual in your community or nationally to encourage others to get involved in civic life?
- How will you bring the urgency of safeguarding our democracy into your grants strategy?
- Institutionally, how will you support democracy work as part of a collective effort?
- If you don’t already support efforts to promote democracy, how will you channel funds to a pooled fund established by other grant makers?
Commit now, boldly and decisively. These times require extraordinary action. I ask foundations to:
- Exceed annual payout rules, aiming for at least 10 percent of assets.
- Commit to democracy first by putting at least 5 percent of your total grants budget into efforts to shore up our democracy.
- Speak out to urge others in philanthropy to act. Do all you can to put an end to philanthropy’s complacency and lack of flexibility.
Most important, act like your survival and your purpose are at stake — because they are.