This week's Democracy Notes

(Seasons) greetings!

It was a blast seeing (or meeting!) many of you at conferences in DC this past week. We LOVE hearing “you’re the only newsletter I open every week!”

For those who are new around these parts:

• Each week, Jake Gómez writes our LinkedIn newsletter Democracy Notes Encore. (2,000 peeps are already subscribed!)

• We’ve got a great Slack community (that 500 of you have joined).

• We rely on paid subscriptions to make all this happen — help us out!

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Next week (12/17) is our first-ever event! It’s on “The Role of Fun & Joy in Civic Life.” You can (and obviously should) register here.

Democracy Notes 12/12

What’s happening in philanthropy:

($$$)

• Rebrand alert!! The JPB Foundation is now the Freedom Together Foundation.

  • As always, Deepak Bhargava’s “President’s Letter” is a masterclass and worth reading in full.

  • Beyond explaining the change and restating the foundation’s values, Bhargava announced:

    • Their board has authorized spending up to double the required minimum payout (~5%) for private foundations for the next two years.

    • A new program supporting LGBTQ+ communities starting this month, in addition to other short-term rapid response investments (and longer-term work).

• Carnegie Corporation of New York is investing in libraries — we love to see it!

  • Their new Libraries as Pillars of Education and Democracy initiative is offering $5M in grants to public libraries nationwide.

  • 10-15 libraries will receive up to $500K to support English language learning and youth programs.

• A quick update on Democracy Fund’s Election Day to Every Day campaign (covered in the 10/11 issue of Democracy Notes).

  • As of today, 74 funders have signed the pledge to get money moving!

• Omidyar Network CEO Mike Kubzansky was interviewed at length for WIRED’s The Big Interview event.

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What to read:

(The big news)

• Biiig piece in The Atlantic on “The Nearly $100M Election Reform Flop” (their words, not mine).

• Weren’t able to attend NANR in San Diego last week? Check out Lilia Dashevsky’s takeaways.

  • Boo, acronyms! NANR = the National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers.

• Intriguing blog post that I’ve seen shared around about what the “#resistance” under Trump 1 got wrong and what should be done differently in Trump 2.

• Check out Bruce Mehlman’s Six-Chart Sunday post on “Clause-trophobia,” or, as he defines it: (n) the fear that aggressive Presidential use of rarely-exploited legislative provisions will ride roughshod over democratic norms.

  • It’s a great explainer of the adjournment clause, impoundment of funds, the Insurrection Act, and more.

• Democracy Fund and Impact Architects researched how strong local journalism impacts democracy.

  • (Hint: it can increase voting, build a sense of community, and more.)

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What to watch/listen to/attend:

(Events, podcasts, and more)

• Rockefeller Brothers Fund CEO Stephen Heintz joined the Giving Done Right podcast to discuss what a Trump victory means for the nonprofits and donors focused on US democracy.

• The ever-wise Rachel Kleinfeld on why pluralism matters at the 2024 Obama Foundation Democracy Forum. (With some unexpected takes!)

• Do you work on civic media/local news? Attend the annual Local Journalism Researchers Workshop in Chapel Hill, NC, on March 24-25.

  • Application to attend/present is due 1/17.

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Where to work:

(Jobs, jobs, jobs!)

• The Center for Election Innovation & Research:

  • Development Specialist — DC (remote considered), $65K-$85K

  • Communications Specialist — DC (remote considered), $65K-$95K

• Brennan Center Counsel, Judiciary Program — New York, $110K-$145K

• Better Boundaries (Utahns for Responsive Government) Executive Director — remote/Salt Lake area, $100K-$115K

• The Rockefeller Foundation Director, Special Projects and Partnerships — New York, $160K-$224K

• Democracy Prep Public Schools Chief Schools Officer — New York/San Antonio/Las Vegas (hybrid), $240K-$275K

• New Public Head of Product, Local Lab — remote, $160K-$180K

• Interactivity Foundation Director/VP of Programming — remote, $85K-$105K

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Innovation Scholar — DC, $65K

• iCivics Chief Finance and Operations Officer — Cambridge, $225K+

• Common Cause Regional Communications Strategist — remote, $80K-$95K

• Nebraska Journalism Trust Sponsorship Manager — Omaha, $65K-$80K

• Civic Influencers Senior Institutional Gifts Officer — remote, $70K-$75K

• Documented (New York):

  • Spanish Community Correspondent — $25/hr

  • Immigration Enforcement Reporter — $80K-$90K

• Aspen Institute Director, External Engagement — DC, $155K-$175K

• Georgetown Initiative on Technology and Society Fritz Postdoctoral Research Fellow — DC, $70K-$90K

• News Revenue Hub Director of Finance — remote, $100K-$130K

• States United Democracy Center Digital Director — remote, $160K+

• Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism (CUNY) Executive Director of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism — New York, $150K-$170K

• Power of Place Director of Strategic Investments — part-time, Boston area, no $ info

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Transitions, transitions:

(Where the movers are moving and the shakers are shaking)

• Jerren Chang is now the President and CEO of Partners In Democracy (which the org he co-founded, GenUnity, has now joined! Huge congrats!

Submit your job transitions here!

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Take care,

Gabe