This week's Democracy Notes
We back, y’all!
Howdy! For those of you I haven’t met, my name is Gabe Lerner. Welcome back to Democracy Notes!
What’s all this about? In short, we help funders, practitioners, and folks looking for jobs in the US democracy space stay up to speed on the field.
And! We aim to be a thoughtful steward of your attention, your most valuable resource. (We keep things pithy, punchy, and fun.)
We’re a couple weeks into 2025…
Quick programming note: this edition has a TON of jobs and job transitions (at the bottom), but is lighter on philanthropy news. Check out our last edition of 2024 for more funder updates.
Democracy Notes 1/16
What’s happening in philanthropy:
($$$)
With characteristic eloquence, Rachel Kleinfeld delivers a strong (and needed) message via Inside Philanthropy to the funder community.
Her piece asks: “What posture should foundation presidents and funders committed to an inclusive liberal democracy in America take?”
The answer? Keeping your head down won’t work. Prepare for the worst (insurance, lawyers, etc.) to enable pursuit of your mission.
One key passage:
But following such prudential measures should in no way stop foundations from focusing on their goals. Instead, risk mitigation should embolden them to fulfill their missions with courage, clarity and determination. Fear is catnip to bullies. But a willingness to speak truth and stand for one’s values is contagious. The solidarity of people with the courage of their values and stiffened spines is the best possible defense.
Before the holidays, Democracy Fund President Joe Goldman shared five reflections on his 10 years at the helm of DF.
The Pivot Fund awarded over $1.2M in grants to grassroots news organizations serving communities of color.
Finally, if you’ll indulge me, I was reading “21 Things That Informed Our Work in 2024” from the Einhorn Collaborative staff and was deeply moved by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs’ Grammy performance of Fast Car.
Shoutout Einhorn Administrative Lead Christine Bosco for the rec!
What to read:
(The big news)
Somebody struck a nerve! Sam Pressler wins the ~first viral post of 2025~ award.
He outlines three “lies we tell ourselves”:
Lie 1: We can have solidarity without proximity.
Lie 2: We can have civic renewal without economic renewal.
Lie 3: We can have democracy without participation.
His full piece in Connective Tissue here.
Rebrand alert! C-SPAN is doubling down on democracy framing. Their new tagline is “Democracy Unfiltered.” More deets in POLITICO Playbook here.
“It’s Our Job to Be Popular,” says Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell in conversation with the Boston Review.
Lots of good stuff in here on fusion voting, selling democracy to voters, and more.
Have a high schooler? Do they want $2,500? Send them to the 2025 Gerald R. Ford Presidential Student Writing Challenge!
Spotlight PA does great coverage of elections in the Keystone State. They’re also officially a union shop!
More in this great post from their founding editor Chris Baxter.
Remarkably rich action guide from the Rhode Island Foundation and the National Civic League on improving civic health in that state.
"It was like Congress without the showboating." We love to hear it!
Awesome piece in The New Yorker on the Deschutes (Oregon) Civic Assembly on Youth Homelessness.
What to watch/listen to/attend:
(Events, podcasts, and more)
Keep Our Republic is hosting focus groups in the most purple counties of GA and PA. They’ll be sharing what they hear (including video clips) in a briefing on 1/24.
Public Agenda funded a whole bunch of research on the 2024 election (while it was happening!). Check out their 1/29 1pm ET event to hear what they learned.
It’ll feature Ashley Quarcoo, Executive Director of the Election Trust Initiative (funder collab on election administration) among others.
Do you work in higher ed on civic engagement or national service? Campus Compact’s Compact25 conference is coming up in Atlanta! (3/31-4/2).
Men! Men. Men :(
Why (and where) are young men being radicalized? What can we do about it? Great podcast discussion with Dr. Pasha Dashtgard here.
Also…this isn’t just a US thing! Check out this great new report on gaming, extremism, and radicalization through a gendered lens.
7 countries! 2000+ gamers polled!
Where to work:
(Jobs, jobs, jobs!)
Reimagining the Civic Commons Storytelling Manager (1 year contract position) — remote, $90K-$110K
Future Caucus Director, Membership — DC (hybrid), $88K-$102K
Democracy House Assistant Director, Programs — remote, $70K-$90K
Keseb Director of Operations — remote (strong DC preference), $115K-$125K
We the Veterans and Military Families Associate Director Patriotic Participation Programs — remote, $70K-$90K
ASU Congressman Ed Pastor Center for Politics & Public Service Executive Director — Phoenix, AZ, $120K
Alliance for Justice President — remote, $240K-$275K
Common Cause:
Program Manager, New York — $80K-$95K
Development Director, North Carolina — $95K-$110K
Kettering Foundation Program Associate for Democracy and the Arts (neat!!!) — Dayton, OH, $70K-$85K
Rebuild Local News Director of Policy — remote, $110K-$135K
Dēmos Chief of Programs and Strategy — remote, $220K-$240K
Accountable.US Vice President, Program — DC, $175K-$200K
Imaginable Futures (Omidyar initiative) Program Coordinator, US Program Team — remote, $66K-$83K
MacArthur Foundation Program Officer, Journalism & Media — Chicago, $121K
PEN America CEO — New York $375K-$400K
New_ Public Product Manager, Public Spaces Incubator — remote, $130K-$150K
National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation Communications Coordinator — remote, 8-10 hours per week, $17/hour
Issue One Manager of Special Projects — DC (hybrid), $80K-$90K
States United Democracy Center:
Project Associate (Operations) — remote, $68K+
Senior Counsel — remote, $170K+
Senior Writer/Content Specialist — remote, $150K-$160K
The Mellon Foundation Manager, Insights & Analytics, Learning and Evaluation Team — New York, $185K-$200K
Liberation Ventures (all remote):
Director of State & Local Initiatives — $110K-$130K
Director of Communications — $110K-$140K
Director of Donor Organizing — $120K-$150K
Manager of Data, Strategy & Impact — $95K-$115K
Brookings Institute Director of Communications, Governance Studies — DC (hybrid), $125K-$135K
Center for Law and Social Policy President and Executive Director — DC, $250K-$275K
The Pipeline Fund Data and Reporting Analyst — remote, $70K-$80K
Campaign Legal Center Executive Assistant — DC, $83K-$113K
Election Reformers Network:
Director of Development – remote, $115K–$150K (annualized equivalent)
Operations Manager — remote, $65K–$95K (annualized equivalent)
American Journalism Project Senior Vice President, Growth Investments — $185K-$204K
Movement Labs Managing Director — remote, $165K-$200K
Great Lakes Funders Director — remote, $125K-$145K
American University Program Coordinator, Project on Civic Dialogue — DC, $29/hour
Signal Ohio Chief Operating Officer — Ohio, no $ info :(
Report for America Corps Member — US, no $ info
Transitions, transitions:
(Where the movers are moving and the shakers are shaking)
Anna Brugmann is now State Senior Manager at NPR! She’s (still) working on state policy initiatives, following her role as Policy Director at Rebuild Local News.
Cassidy Schwartz is now Associate Vice President in CLYDE’s Democracy Practice! She was previously Director, Public Affairs.
Jamie Neikrie is now Legislative Director at Issue One, leading their advocacy across their election protection, tech accountability, and money in politics efforts.
He was previously Legislative Manager, Democracy and Technology Reform.
David Meyers is now Director of Communications & Marketing at OpenSecrets. He was previously executive editor of The Fulcrum. Congrats!
Submit your job transitions here.
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Take care,
Gabe