This week's Democracy Notes
Hey y’all!
Rest = good!! I’m glad (many of) y’all are taking some time off this summer.
Another vacation question…
What’s been happening around higher ed and democracy since the Trump Administration/Harvard ~back and forth~ left the headlines?
Register for our event with Lumina Foundation to find out!! (It’s at 1pm ET on July 8th.)
We’ll hear from:
Julie White, Chancellor and CEO, Pierce College District,
Alex Edgar, Co-Founder, Youth250, and
Jonathan Friedman, Sy Syms Managing Director of U.S. Free Expression Programs, PEN America.
Okay, one last question…
We’re exploring setting up an advisory board for Democracy Notes.
Are you on an advisory board that you think is really, really well run?
Does your org have one of those rare, truly engaged advisory boards?
If so, could you send me a note? I’d LOVE to hear about your experience! My email is Gabe@Democracy-Notes.org.
Democracy Notes 7/2
What’s happening in philanthropy:
($$$)
Huge congrats to CivicLex!! Today they announced $900K in funding from the Knight Foundation to start a new multi-city civic health collaborative.
Led by CivicLex, the collaborative will support civic health organizations in three other Knight Foundation communities:
Wichita, Kansas - The Kansas Leadership Center
Tallahassee, Florida - The Village Square
Columbia, South Carolina - Richland Library
Each partner organization will receive funding and has committed to
raising local matching funds.
Civic Right Fund announced 23 grants totaling $1.15M!
Grants include 9 grants focused on civic culture ($440K in total) and 14 grants focused on elections ($710K in total).
They’re also accepting grant proposals on a rolling basis from now through the end of the year, mainly for election-related support!
Philanthropy transitions and board announcements!
Congratulations to Jonathan Gruber who is winding down his time at Einhorn Collaborative after 12 years!!
Ian Solomon was named the eighth president and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund!
Solomon assumes his new role in September, succeeding Stephen Heintz.
He is currently the dean of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia.
Media Impact Funders welcomed three members of their board of directors:
Angelica Das, Director of the Reimagine & Rebuild Program at Democracy Fund,
Vidya Krishnamurthy, Vice President and Chief of Communications and Strategic External Engagement at the Hewlett Foundation, and
Marcia Parker, Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships at The New York Times.
Local news folks!! Three Press Forward local chapters have opened applications for newsroom funding.
Press Forward Chicago: Focused on collaborations, shared resources and/or infrastructure benefitting local media.
Press Forward New Jersey: Supporting community-rooted local news and information providers serving South Jersey.
Press Forward South Florida: Centered on strengthening newsroom sustainability and supporting collaboration among local news organizations.
What to read:
(The big news)
Judges on a bus!! Cool!
Back in 2020 and 2021, judges in Poland rented minivans and traveled across the country explaining why they were standing up for the rule of law.
Next week, a group of retired judges, lawyers, and civic leaders will board a bus in Pittsburgh and go on a week-long journey across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.
The Justice in Motion Tour is an initiative of Democracy Rising Collaborative and Keep Our Republic.
Yes, America won a war for its independence. But, as Ben Naimark-Rowse writes…
“American revolutionaries led not one, but three nonviolent resistance campaigns in the decade before the Revolutionary War. These campaigns were coordinated. They were primarily nonviolent.”
(Paywall) In Checks & Balances, Gregg Nunziata and Stephen Richer write “Conservatives Must Apply Rule of Law Principles to Elections.”
Checks & Balances is the Substack newsletter of the Society for the Rule of Law Institute, a community of conservative lawyers to support the rule of law.
Legacy szn. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and UC Berkeley announced the launch of the Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy.
It’s a new nonpartisan institute dedicated to strengthening American democracy.
What to watch/listen to/attend:
(Events, podcasts, and more)
Trip to Australia?? 8/17 - 8/18 — join Adelaide University’s School of Law for their Democracy Innovation Festival, which will include the launch of Democracy 2036!
Mostly in-person, but some sessions for young people and teachers will be online.
Where to work:
(Jobs, jobs, jobs!)
Governors Action Alliance (GovAct) Special Assistant to the CEO — remote (SF preferred), $65K-$80K
Living Room Conversations Executive Director — remote, $40K-$70K
Keseb Director of Operations — remote (DC based), $115K-$125K
Bridging Divides Initiative Michigan State Lead/Senior Research Specialist — Michigan, $80K-$90K
Issue One Director of Major Gifts and Leadership Giving — DC, $120K-$130K
Volunteer position! Polinger Family Foundation Grants Committee Member — remote, $2,500 in discretionary funds to a 501c3 of your choice
^ These orgs really want to reach great candidates in the Democracy Notes community! If you’d like to promote a role with us, our options are here!
Third Plateau Development Manager, Democracy — remote, $100K-$120K
Campaign Legal Center (DC):
Senior Manager, Communications — $111K-$150K
Paralegal — $65K-$88K
Public Interest Fellowship (Fall 2027) — $92K (July 5th deadline!)
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Staff Attorney — Philadelphia or DC, $70K-$95K
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington Senior Litigation Counsel — DC, $170K-$190K
Institute for Responsive Government Advocacy Campaigns Coordinator — remote, $80K-$90K
American Promise Director of Executive Operations — remote, $80K-$85K
American Oversight Paralegal — DC, $28-$32/hr
Freedom House Director of Development — DC, $150K
Democracy Docket:
Legal Reporter — DC or Jersey City, $80K-$92K
Senior Legal Editor — DC or Jersey City, $130K-$150K
Legal Research Director — DC or Jersey City, $135K-$155K
Marketing Manager — Jersey City, $95K-$120K
American Journalism Project Product & AI Studio Senior Technical Product Manager — remote, $136K-$150K
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Director of Pro Bono Programs — Chicago, $85K-$100K
League of Women Voters of Houston:
Civic Education & Outreach Associate — Houston, $50K
Development Manager — Houston, $60K
CivilWorks Founding Executive Director — remote, $110K-$125K
Center for Civic Education at University of Northern Iowa Assistant Director — Cedar Falls, IA, $51K
Pulitzer Center (remote):
University Programs Manager — $64K-$70K
Chief Development Officer — $190K-$250K
Youth Engagement Fund Deputy Director — remote, $145K-$170K
ProPublica Interactive Story Designer — remote, $110K-$130K
Facing History & Ourselves Managing Director, Donor Experiences and Engagement — remote, $177K-$195K
Center for Empowered Politics (Education Fund) & Seed the Vote Narrative & Communications Associate Director / Digital Organizing and Communications Strategist — remote, $90K-$105K
Lots of roles at CIVICUS!
Team Democracy:
North Carolina Partnerships & Field Organizer (contract) — remote (NC), $25-$45/hr (15-20 hrs/wk)
Communications & Civic Engagement Intern — remote, $225 weekly stipend (15hrs/wk)
Transitions, transitions:
(Where the movers are moving and the shakers are shaking)
Congrats to the incoming class of fellows at the National Center for Speech and Civic Engagement!
Elaine Díaz Rodríguez is now Director of Partnerships at The Center for Community Media at CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism!
Steve Bocknek has joined A More Perfect Union as Vice President, Leadership & Organizing!
Sarah Nasta has joined the Institute for Responsive Government as Senior Advisor of Election Administration & Federal Affairs!
Christina Beeler has joined the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee as Senior Counsel on the Midwest Voting Rights team!
Matthew Victor is now Executive Director of Digital Civic Infrastructure at Partners in Democracy!
James Williams is now Senior Director of National Campaigns at the ACLU!
Submit your job transitions (or promotions!) here.
See you soon,
Gabe