Democracy Fund Inc is a 501(c)(3) private foundation based in Washington, DC, established to support the strengthening and expansion of American democracy. Founded by eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar, the organization works toward building an inclusive, multiracial democracy that is open, just, resilient, and trustworthy. The foundation collaborates with grantees, donors, and partners to strengthen the pro-democracy movement, defend against anti-democratic attacks, and advance structural change.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$49.2M
+1.7% YoY
Grant Count
237
+3.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$207K
-1.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Democracy Fund's core mission is building an inclusive and multiracial democracy. The organization operates across three primary program areas:
Free and Fair Elections — Supporting groups that empower communities and strengthen election infrastructure to develop a free, fair, and accessible election system.
Vibrant and Diverse Public Square — Investing in organizations and leaders who work to ensure communities have access to accurate and accessible information online and offline, increasing civic participation and informed voting.
Representative and Accountable Governance — Reforming institutions so that voters see themselves and their opinions represented in government, with leaders who are accountable and responsive to all Americans.
Grantmaking
Democracy Fund makes grants ranging from $10,000 to $1,500,000, with a median grant amount of $165,000. The foundation awarded 237 grants in its most recent tax year.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Democracy Fund's grantmaking focuses primarily on the District of Columbia, New York, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $15,845,796 (2024)
Total Giving: $49,066,416 (2024)
Total Revenues: $63,960,855 (2024)
Total Expenses: $61,588,535 (2024)
Staff: 83 employees
Tax-Exempt Status: Since August 2024
EIN: 38-3926408
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Borealis Philanthropy ($1,020,000), American Journalism Project ($500,000), Center for Media Justice ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACCESS Dearborn, MI | Program support for the National Network for Arab American Communities. | $100,000 |
| AccountableUS Washington, DC | General support | $415,000 |
| AccountableUS Washington, DC | Program support to provide security training and technical assistance | $75,000 |
| Action Center on Race and the Economy Institute Chicago, IL | General support | $300,000 |
| Allied Media Projects Inc Detroit, MI | Program support for Detroit Community Tech Project | $450,000 |
| Alternative Newsweekly Foundation Washington, DC | Program support for Conecta Arizona | $150,000 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc Washington, DC | Program support for #HalfMyDAF | $50,000 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc Washington, DC | Program support to help democratic systems adapt to climate shocks | $150,000 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc Washington, DC | Program support for Organizing Resilience | $200,000 |
| American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education Chicago, IL | Program support for Task Force on American Democracy | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Pierre Omidyar — Founder
Pat Christen — Board Chair
Joe Goldman — President and Board Member
Sanjiv Rao — Vice President
Kelly Reed — Chief Operating Officer
Tom Glaisyer — Executive Advisor to the President
Deepa Isac — General Counsel
April McWilliams — Managing Director of People and Culture
Josh Stearns — Managing Director of Programs
Lauren Strayer — Executive Advisor to the President
Board Members: Deepak Bhargava, Vanita Gupta, Crystal Hayling
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patricia Christen | Chairman | 2.46 | — |
| Joseph Goldman | President & CEO | 28 | $520,858 |
| Deepa Isac | General Counsel & Secretary | 36 | $311,569 |
| Robin Thompson | Treasurer & Senior Director of Finance | 36 | $240,688 |
| Danielle Allen | Director | 0.25 | $20,000 |
| Crystal Hayling | Director | 0.25 | — |
| Deepak Bhargava | Director | 0.25 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Democracy Fund is undergoing organizational and program strategy evolution, with changes aimed at completion by January 2026. The foundation is shifting its programs and team structure to move with greater urgency, ensuring a larger proportion of resources reach the pro-democracy field in response to mounting attacks on democratic systems and vulnerable communities including immigrants, journalists, LGBTQIA+ people, and public servants.
The organization conducts regular surveys of democracy funders to understand perspectives on the health and resilience of democracy and funder concerns about democratic challenges. From September 2024 through September 2025, Democracy Fund surveyed 337 unique private foundations, individual donors, donor networks, collaboratives, funding intermediaries, and philanthropic advisors.
Democracy Fund Invests $23 Million to Ensure Our Elections Are Free, Fair,Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Democracy Fund Inc fund?
Democracy Fund's core mission is building an inclusive and multiracial democracy. The organization operates across three primary program areas: **Free and Fair Elections** — Supporting groups that empower communities and strengthen election infrastructure to develop a free, fair, and accessible election system. **Vibrant and Diverse Public Square** — Investing in organizations and leaders who work to ensure communities have access to accurate and accessible information online and offline, incre…
How do I apply for a grant from Democracy Fund Inc?
Democracy Fund makes grants ranging from $10,000 to $1,500,000, with a median grant amount of $165,000. The foundation awarded 237 grants in its most recent tax year. Recent grant announcements include: • $23 million invested to ensure elections are free, fair, and representative • $22 million award to strengthen democracy in the United States • $4 million in multi-year grants to support newsrooms that center people of color • $12 million in grants (in partnership with First Look Media) to supp…
Where does Democracy Fund Inc make grants?
Democracy Fund's grantmaking focuses primarily on the District of Columbia, New York, and California.
What size grants does Democracy Fund Inc award?
In 2024, Democracy Fund Inc awarded 237 grants totaling $49.2M — an average of about $207K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Democracy Fund Inc's EIN?
Democracy Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3926408. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Democracy Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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