Democracy & Policy

About

Achieving racial equity and sustaining a viable democracy go hand in hand. NCG defines democracy as the processes, systems, and structures for historically marginalized and underrepresented community members to participate in a political system that fulfills the promise of an equitable multiracial society. As a region, Northern California can model a viable democracy, ensuring that people of color and other communities fully engage in the democratic process.

NCG's Approach

NCG is building on three approaches to make this condition a reality.

1. Deepen Analysis: NCG believes investing in democracy is an investment in the success of thriving and resourced communities. While there are foundations leading the way in funding this way, the majority of foundations have yet to change their grantmaking. To support this, NCG is sharing learnings, resources, and wisdom from movement groups so we can deepen the consciousness of democracy investments.
2. Sharpen Practice: NCG believes that philanthropy must shift how and what it funds to support the lifecycle of democracy. By doing this philanthropy can give movement groups the freedom needed to lead the way. To support this, NCG is identifying and promoting tools for foundations interested in funding this way. Our newest Community of Practice, the c(4) Learning Community brings teams of foundations together to understand the art and craft of c(4) and aligned c(3) investments to build power for movement groups. 
3. Mobilize Progressive Investments: NCG believes progressive local and statewide policy investments in California are key to transforming power structures. By investing in movement groups working to strengthen democracy, philanthropy can build on the wisdom of local communities and invest in confidence. To support this NCG amplifies intersectional policies and voices that are creating a functional democracy. 

How to Engage

NCG creates and supports programming, communications, and organizing efforts that support the life cycle of a functional democracy, from equitable access to fair elections to governance to policy implementation, holding decision-makers accountable with emphasis on investing in movement builders to strengthen these systems. We recognize policy is a powerful tool to advance equitable change and believe philanthropy has a vital role to invest in power-building organizations.  

As ever, this work cannot progress alone. NCG relies on a number of informal and formal partnerships to play its part effectively, including a formal partnership with One4Democracy that intentionally works to increase direct investment in the democracy ecosystem with an eye to increasing both individual and institutional giving to movement groups in the region. 

Democracy Hub

There are countless reasons to be alarmed, and that’s precisely why now more than ever, we need to exercise our imagination toward the possibility of a different society rooted in our values around racial equity and economic and social justice. It’s why we should act now, urgently and locally. All of us working in philanthropy have the privilege and responsibility to mobilize resources towards the movement leaders protecting the decades of progress and building an inclusive multiracial democracy for the future. 

The shifting political landscape and intensifying rhetoric makes it harder and harder not to imagine the worst. We have already seen the Supreme Court overturn decades of precedent, paving the way for more legislative attacks on LGBTQ people, reproductive rights, and the unhoused, the dismantling of key government agencies, and increased government corruption. Nationally, immigrants continue to be used as political scapegoats and face the threats of mass deportations, and the death and destruction happening in Gaza, funded by our tax dollars, seems to have no end in sight. In California, and our region, we face a continuing housing and homelessness crisis, as well as threats to local democracy from corporate actors.  

We must heed the call to action by: 

1. Learning about and fund the movement ecosystem of organizations engaged in an active and prolific struggle for social change. Grassroots community-based organizations, civic and advocacy groups, labor unions, faith communities, and other institutions representing and growing the leadership of low-income BIPOC, workers, youth, and families are instrumental in achieving and defending social progress on a myriad of issues.  
2. Exploring the intersections of democracy and your institution's grantmaking priorities. Whether you’re concerned about housing and homelessness, healthcare, education, economic stability, food security, immigrant rights, LGBTQ issues, youth development, climate disaster and resilience, or arts and culture, there is no issue that does not intersect with democracy and power. Whatever the issue is, it’s important to ask who is making decisions, who is excluded, and who is impacted by those decisions? Who has which resources and how are resources being allocated? In exploring these questions, it eventually becomes clear that direct organizing, engagement and collective action by those most impacted by inequities in these systems is required to transform them. 
3. Practicing deep relationship-building with your grantees and partners. Philanthropy is situated uniquely within this landscape, certainly as stakeholders, but also as actors and ideally, as partners and allies to strategists, organizers and leaders of movements for social, racial and economic justice who are forging a strategic path forward amidst many adversities. The first step in our allyship as funders is listening to what our community partners (your grantees) are facing, learning about their strategies to overcome obstacles and build power, and mobilizing adequate resources for them to be able to carry out their plan to win.   

Partner Resources

Democracy Frontlines Fund 

Democracy Fund

PIVOT Fund 

Policy Link Reimagining Democracy Podcast 

News

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