This week's Democracy Notes
Howdy!
I guess it’s time to upgrade that ol’ Zoom subscription!
Our event on state democracy policy is today at 3pm ET. I wish you could join us, but…we already hit our registration cap of 300!
Alas. More space next time. And if you’d like to get the recording, sign up here!
Out of curiosity…
I ask, in part, because we’re adding a ~new section~ to the newsletter this week: emergency resources.
There’s a lot going on. But…you can get by with a little help from your friends.
Democracy Notes 2/6
Emergency resources:
(Help! 🎵)
There’s a whole lotta reporters who want to tell your story:
Have info on what’s happening in the executive branch right now? - Mattathias Schwartz, The New York Times
Has your nonprofit been affected by cuts to federal grants? Do you think you will be soon? - David Fahrenthold, The New York Times
Are you a federal employee who’s seen Elon Musk-related shenanigans? - Dell Cameron, WIRED
Here’s a truly outstanding compilation of resources, including coaching services, job boards, tracking of the impact of layoffs, and lots more.
Check out the Democracy Security Project if you’re facing threats to you or your organization.
If you’re in the civil service (a federal government employee), Protect Democracy’s “Dear Civil Servant” newsletter series may be useful.
Some mental health and wellbeing resources:
For federal employees: Federal Occupational Health (FOH) EAP — short-term counseling and crisis intervention.
For the rest of us, orgs like United Way and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offer free or low-cost mental health support.
And Open Path Collective connects individuals to therapists offering services on a sliding scale.
If you have other resources I should include feel free to share via the Democracy Notes Slack or reply to this email.
What’s happening in philanthropy:
($$$)
The Trust for Civic Life’s next grant cycle is open! They’ll be allocating $8M to “Civic Hub” organizations in rural communities.
~20 Civic Hub grants are available, each for $300K-$500K.
The nomination deadline is Monday, March 3, at 5 PM ET.
Yesterday, the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF) announced $2.4M to support 18 orgs working to create a safer and more equitable digital future. Neat!
Grantees receive 1-year grants for between $50K and $125K.
New kid on the block! There’s a new institute at Stanford reimagining how philanthropy can serve democracy: the Institute on Private Wealth and the Public Good (PWPG).
What to read:
(The big news)
New heroes emerge:
Stacey Young, an 18-year DOJ veteran left and started a new group, Justice Connection, to support DOJ employees with guidance on legal issues, whistle-blowing, leaking to the news media, physical/digital security, and more.
“What Would Drizz Do?” The appointment of Brian Driscoll, the acting director of the F.B.I., was an accident (lol).
But now the former hostage rescue team operator is refusing the Trump Administration’s request to turn over names of all FBI agents who worked on the J6 cases.
The nation’s election policy report card came out this week: check out the Institute for Responsive Government’s interactive map here.
How can the local news field level up? With the help of journalism support organizations!
Press Forward and Democracy Fund commissioned this incredible report from Darryl Holliday and Anika Anand which is chock-full of lessons for field builders across the democracy space.
The Institute for Citizens & Scholars just launched Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness, funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York ($2M grant).
They’re supporting 100 teams of ~youths~ to launch impactful community projects.
Last week at Pluralism in Action in Atlanta, I got to hear Cary Simmons from the Trust for Public Land talk about their Common Ground Framework.
It’s an immensely rich resource for anyone working at the community level to bring people together to spark change.
For those who work on pluralism/bridgebuilding, check out this great resource library, courtesy of New Pluralists!
What to watch/listen to/attend:
(Events, podcasts, and more)
The first-ever Big Ten Democracy Summit will take place February 10-11 at the University of Maryland.
P.S. Go Blue!!!
I’ve found Ezra Klein’s essay/podcast on what Trump has been doing over the past two weeks incredibly insightful.
Where to work:
(Jobs, jobs, jobs!)
Packard Foundation Operations Coordinator, Just Societies — Los Altos, CA, $75K–$98K
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Deputy Executive Director — DC, $275K-$300K
RepresentUs Director of Development — DC, $99K-$147K
Democracy Security Project Managing Director — DC, $140K-$170K
SNF Agora Institute Visiting Fellow — remote, $25K
Unite America Request for Proposal for Outsourced Bookkeeping Services
Movement Law Lab Director of Communications — remote, $105K-$125K
Interfaith America Director of Evaluation — Chicago, $100K-$110K
Institute for Citizens & Scholars Program Officer: Faculty Institute — remote, $90K-$100K
Borealis Philanthropy:
Controller — remote, $92K-$138K
Disability Inclusion Fund Program Officer — remote, $74K-$112K
Brennan Center for Justice Program Associate, Elections and Government Program — New York, $56K-$70K
University of Notre Dame Program Manager, Democracy Initiative — South Bend, Indiana, up to $67K
Alliance for Justice Senior State Law and Legislative Counsel — remote, $125K-$131K
Center for Christianity and Public Life Director of Research — remote, no $ listed
PolicyLink Managing Director, Institutional Partnerships — remote, $180K-$215K
Freedom Together Foundation Program Officer - Democracy, Gender, & Racial Justice — New York, $145K-$165K
Public Rights Project:
2025/2026 Legal Fellow — remote, $75K
Civil Rights Hub Director — remote, $135K-$195K
Director of Institutional Giving — remote, $135K-$170K
Constructive Dialogue Institute Director of Organizational Change and Effectiveness — remote, $140K-$180K
Indigov Software Engineer — remote, $120K-$150K
Transitions, transitions:
(Where the movers are moving and the shakers are shaking)
Sarah Walker is Unite America’s new Senior Director of Campaigns! She previously founded the Minnesota Second Chance Coalition and the Minnesota Restore the Vote Coalition.
Rachel Townsend is The Highlander Center’s new Senior Director of Development!
Her work will support the legacy and mission of Highlander as a training ground for emerging and established movement leaders across the South, Appalachia, and beyond, shaping a more just and sustainable future.
Karissa Raskin is the new CEO of the Listen First Project! She was previously their Director of Coalition Engagement.
Pearce Godwin, formerly Listen First’s CEO, will be stepping into an advisory role and joining the Urban Rural Action team as Senior Director of Communications. Congrats!
Submit your job transitions here.
Can’t get enough of Democracy Notes? Join the Slack community!
Take care,
Gabe
This is incredible useful, thanks for posting!