Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation @ Aspen Institute’s Post

'Enough of this red and blue BS": We rounded up reaction to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump from nonprofits and foundations. Those working to close divides in America talk about what the attempted assassination means — and what needs to be done. “Don’t listen to anyone who is raising the rhetoric, calling for civil war, or declaring victory for one side or the other. That is the divisiveness that got us to this disgusting place. … Let’s come together and bring down the temperature in the country. Enough with the red and blue BS. We’re all American. We can disagree and debate without violence and hate," said Steven Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Senior editor Drew Lindsay reports for #TheCommons what leaders are saying. Read more at: https://bit.ly/3ScdwS3 The Chronicle of Philanthropy's new project, The Commons, is exploring how America’s nonprofits and foundations are working to build community and heal the nation’s divides. Through deeply-reported stories and guest opinion essays we're sharing the work organizations, big and small, are doing nationwide to bring communities together and create change. We named our new project The Commons to reflect our goal: to create a place where people come together to learn, share ideas, and gain new perspective. Visit philanthropy.com/commons for our latest content.

#NEOPartner Democracy Fund has launched the Election Day to Every Day campaign and NEO’s collaborative fund, State Infrastructure Fund, wholeheartedly endorses this effort and is a signatory. In fact, these principles have been in the DNA of SIF since its founding in 2010. Here’s why: Nonprofit organizations play a critical role in ensuring that our elections are free, fair, and representative. These leaders build up their capacity and stand on the frontlines to help protect our election system leading up to Election Day. But the work doesn’t stop on Election Day. It continues every day to build long-term, sustainable community power. Let's pledge to maintain funding and show them we have their backs every step of the way. Learn more and sign the pledge below:  https://lnkd.in/g5SbEGXW

Watch the complete video of our President and COO, Diallo Smith, alongside other panelists in the full discussion "How Justice Demands Are Changing Philanthropy Dynamics" at the recent Mackinac Policy Conference. https://lnkd.in/gabsk__4

Unite America's Strategic Approach to Election Reform 🔍 As a full-service philanthropic partner, Unite America is dedicated to advancing nonpartisan election reforms through state campaigns and supporting national organizations. Our approach is centered on high-impact investments and strategic guidance, ensuring that every dollar raised is utilized effectively to foster a robust movement for change. Learn how we drive electoral reform and support legislative champions across party lines: https://bit.ly/4bcsZsA #Leadership #Philanthropy #ElectionReform

🌿🗳️ Did you know October 1st was National Green City Day? As the CEO of JKA Associates LLC, I'm always looking for ways to connect our work with the broader community. Here's a thought: Building green cities requires active citizen participation - just like our democracy! Georgia residents, here's your chance to go green AND make your voice heard: Only 4 days left to register to vote! 🚨 Why it matters: - Green initiatives often start at the local level - Your vote can influence environmental policies - Civic engagement is the backbone of sustainable communities Let's crunch some numbers (because that's what we do best at JKA Associates 😉): 1 registered voter = 1 voice for change 100% participation = 100% democracy in action Don't let your voice go uncounted! Register to vote today and let's build a greener, more engaged Georgia together. 👉 Register here: vote.org #NationalGreenCityDay #VoterRegistration #CivicEngagement #AccountingForChange P.S. Need help balancing your books while you balance your civic duties? JKA Associates has got you covered! 💼🌱

Join us at SCG's 2024 Policy Conference: Long-Term Visions, Lasting Change! We will examine how California's philanthropic and civic sectors can pave the way for long-lasting change. Hear from subject matter experts and peer colleagues about tools and tactics, including advocacy for co-governance and fair implementation, power-wielding, and collective visioning. With the support of civic leaders and philanthropic institutions, we can build on the work of community-based organizations and grassroots organizers to develop and implement policies that sustain and strengthen communities. In partnership with nonprofits, advocates, and activists, we can shift from reactive responses to forward-looking solutions with a policy lens to address deep-rooted injustices. Together, let's shape a clearer vision for a better future, creating lasting transformations for current and future generations. Learn more: https://buff.ly/3TFHEGD #scgPPC24

Is America as divided as it seems? Drew Lindsay reports for #TheCommons on researcher’s efforts to answer that question and how they often find that we have more in common than expected. Read the full story at: https://bit.ly/3xHl6gd The Commons is a new project from The Chronicle of Philanthropy exploring how America’s nonprofits and foundations are working to heal the nation’s divides and build community. With guest essays from leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropy sector, we are looking at how the country is splintered along political lines but also by income, race, geography, culture, and more — division that can threaten progress and even the nation’s stability. This week, April 15-21, is National Week of Conversation. Organized by the Listen First Project and CitizenConnect.US, the event is designed to foster communication to build bridges across differences and help people #DisagreeBetter. All week the Chronicle will be sharing content from The Commons.

“A network of ultrawealthy Christian donors is spending nearly $12 million to mobilize Republican-leaning voters and purge more than a million people from the rolls in key swing states, aiming to tilt the 2024 election in favor of former President Donald Trump. These plans are the work of a group named Ziklag, a charity whose donors have included some of the wealthiest conservative Christian families in the nation, including the billionaire Uihlein family, who made a fortune in office supplies, the Greens, who run Hobby Lobby, and the Wallers, who own the Jockey apparel corporation. Recipients of Ziklag’s largesse include Alliance Defending Freedom, which is the Christian legal group that led the overturning of Roe v. Wade, plus the national pro-Trump group Turning Point USA and a constellation of right-of-center advocacy groups. Ziklag’s 2024 agenda reads like the work of a political organization. It plans to pour money into mobilizing voters in Arizona who are “sympathetic to Republicans” in order to secure “10,640 additional unique votes” — almost the exact margin of President Biden’s win there in 2020. They also intend to use controversial AI software to enable mass challenges to the eligibility of hundreds of thousands of voters in competitive states.” Scary! #VoteBlue

Our broken relationship with each other, this country, ourselves … What is happening in this country is an outgrowth of all of that. Yet a different relationship is available, if we allow ourselves to imagine it, where we can be good for one another. We are waiting for someone else to tell us to come together, waiting on politicians to be an example, something to save us. What if how the politicians are is actually a representation, a mirror if you will, of how we are with ourselves, our communities, our fellow citizens, our fellow man and woman? I believe it is. We don’t see the world as it is, we see it as we are. -              Anais Nin _____ Unite for Democracy is a nonprofit, nonpartisan mass involvement initiative dedicated to uniting people to create a shared future with a system of governance that serves us all. If this resonates, please join us. Links to our website and Facebook group are in the comments. 

🗳️Boosting Philanthropic Support for Democracy! Earlier this year, nearly 200 donors and philanthropic organizations joined the Democracy Fund's All by April campaign, moving over $140 million in grants to ensure free, fair, and representative elections ahead of time. 🚀 Building on this momentum, Democracy Fund recently launched the "Election Day to Every Day" campaign. This initiative pushes for early and sustained election resource commitments for 2025, aiming to eliminate the traditional funding fluctuations of election cycles. Key Commitments: 📅 Start Planning Now:  Confirm your 2025 democracy budget now. Don’t wait to develop a plan next year. 🌉 Bridge Funding: Offer bridge funding to grantees who are building long-term sustainable community power, move up payments to Q1, or let grantees know if you’ll be renewing support in the new year. 🤝 Multi-Year Support: Provide multi-year support, whenever possible, so that organizations can continue building toward a long-term vision of a more inclusive multiracial democracy. 🛡️ Safety & Security: Support the safety and security infrastructure that grantees need in the face of violent threats and the authoritarian playbook. 🔗 Learn more about the campaign and sign on here: https://lnkd.in/g5SbEGXW Together, let’s strengthen our democracy with continuous and proactive support! #Philanthropy #Democracy #ElectionDayEveryDay