Fair Democracy is a politically focused funder that prioritizes electoral advocacy and voter mobilization infrastructure, with a clear emphasis on competitive U.S. states. The foundation makes large, strategic grants to national accountability/advocacy organizations and to state-focused civic and political groups working in swing states to boost turnout and shape electoral outcomes. Its giving mixes national political operations with targeted state-level investment (PA, WI, MI, NV, VA, GA, AZ, MD, TX).
Fair Democracy’s largest recent grants point to a funder built around electoral advocacy infrastructure rather than small project grants. In 2024 and 2025, the foundation backed national and state-level organizations that work on voter mobilization, political engagement, and accountability, including a $3,000,000 grant to American Bridge 21st Century Fndn and two large awards to Forward Majority Action: $2,717,277 in 2024 and $2,740,000 in 2025. Those grants sit alongside major support for state-specific vehicles in battleground and competitive states, showing a pattern of funding organizations that can operate at scale during election cycles. The foundation’s recent portfolio also includes groups tied to turnout and civic participation in places such as Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona, Maryland, Texas, and Wisconsin. Several awards go to action funds and advocacy groups, which signals an emphasis on political infrastructure and organized civic engagement. Its giving is national in scope, but the grantee list shows repeated investment in state-based operations that can influence field work, messaging, and voter outreach. Fair Democracy is led by David Cohen.
Fair Democracy supports voter mobilization and turnout work through state-based organizations. Examples include $1,950,000 to New Day Nevada Inc for advocacy and $450,000 to The Wisconsin Initiative for advocacy, both aimed at competitive-state political organizing. The foundation also funds accountability and opposition-research work. In that area, it gave $2,000,000 to Votevets Action Fund for advocacy and $100,000 to American Independent Media for education, indicating support for messaging and public-information efforts. A third thread is civic engagement infrastructure in specific states. Grants such as $550,000 to Better Pennsylvania Inc for advocacy and $250,000 to Maryland Rise for advocacy show a focus on state-level networks that can support electoral participation and progressive organizing. Smaller awards to Arizona Wins and Texas Future Cooperative extend that pattern into additional battleground states.
Fair Democracy’s grants are large by typical foundation standards: the p25 is $112,500, the median is $330,000, and the p75 is $1,500,000. The recent list shows repeated support for some recipients across multiple years, including Forward Majority Action, North Star Prosperity, and Freedom Virginia Inc, which points to multi-year relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation appears to operate as a grantmaking funder focused on advocacy and political infrastructure, not a fund that makes PRIs or grants to individuals. Its recent awards are almost entirely program-oriented political and civic grants, with several organizations receiving follow-on support in consecutive years.
$7.4M
$1.3M
$9.3M
$8.6M
Most grants fall between $113K and $1.5M, with a median of $330K.
25th Percentile
$113K
Median
$330K
75th Percentile
$1.5M
About 27% of grants go to recipients in AZ.
DAVID COHEN
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants with a mix of multi-million gifts to a few national partners and sizable donations to state-level advocacy/action groups; favors repeat funding of strategic partners and targeted investments in battleground states rather than broad, small grants.
Notable grantees: Forward Majority Action, American Bridge 21st Century Foundation, North Star Prosperity, VoteVets Action Fund, New Day Nevada Inc
Fair Democracy gives nationally, with all recent grants in the United States. Washington, DC appears often among recipients, including American Bridge 21st Century Fndn, Guarding Against Pandemics, The Voter Participation Center, and Center for Voter Information. Outside DC, grants land in a cluster of battleground and competitive-state locations: Reno, Nevada; Saint Paul, Minnesota; Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; Verona, Wisconsin; Sault Sainte Marie and Detroit, Michigan; Norfolk, Virginia; Greenbelt, Maryland; Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; and Phoenix, Arizona. The top state by grant count is Arizona, while 27% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of DC.
It funds advocacy, political, and education-oriented civic groups. Recent recipients include action funds, voter participation organizations, and state-level advocacy groups working on turnout, electoral engagement, and accountability in places like Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona, Maryland, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Yes. The recent list includes several multi-year relationships: Forward Majority Action received $2,717,277 in 2024 and $2,740,000 in 2025, North Star Prosperity received $1,500,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and Freedom Virginia Inc received $20,000 in 2024 and $250,000 in 2025.
Typical grants are substantial: the p25 is $112,500, the median is $330,000, and the p75 is $1,500,000. The recent grant list also includes several awards above $1 million.
Its giving is national and all recent grants are to U.S. recipients. The grantee list shows repeated awards in Washington, DC and state-based organizations in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, Texas, and Illinois.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and it does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORWARD MAJORITY ACTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,740,000 | 2025 | POLITICAL |
| VOTEVETS ACTION FUND | PORTLAND, OR | $2,000,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY |
| NORTH STAR PROSPERITY | SAINT PAUL, MN | $1,500,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY |
| THE WISCONSIN INITIATIVE | VERONA, WI | $450,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY |
| FREEDOM VIRGINIA INC | NORFOLK, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY |
| MARYLAND RISE | GREENBELT, MD | $250,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY |
| COMMITTEE TO PROTECT HEALTHCARE | DETROIT, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY |
| TEXAS FUTURE COOPERATIVE | AUSTIN, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY |
| AMERICAN BRIDGE 21ST CENTURY FNDN | WASHINGTON, DC | $3,000,000 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
| FORWARD MAJORITY ACTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,717,277 | 2024 | POLITICAL |
| NEW DAY NEVADA INC | RENO, NV | $1,950,000 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
| NORTH STAR PROSPERITY | SAINT PAUL, MN | $1,500,000 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
| GUARDING AGAINST PANDEMICS | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000,000 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
| BETTER PENNSYLVANIA INC | MECHANICSBURG, PA | $550,000 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
| PROSPERITY MICHIGAN ACTION FUND | SAULT SAINTE MARIE, MI | $400,000 | 2024 | POLITICAL |
| MICHIGAN CIVIC ACTION FUND | MADISON HEIGHTS, MI | $260,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| GEORGIA VALUES INC | ATLANTA, GA | $150,000 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
| AMERICAN INDEPENDENT MEDIA | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| FREEDOM VIRGINIA INC | NORFOLK, VA | $20,000 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
| THE VOTER PARTICIPATION CENTER | WASHINGTON, DC | $14,240 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| ARIZONA WINS | PHOENIX, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
| CENTER FOR VOTER INFORMATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,205 | 2024 | ADVOCACY |
FORWARD MAJORITY ACTION
$2,740,000POLITICAL
VOTEVETS ACTION FUND
$2,000,000ADVOCACY
NORTH STAR PROSPERITY
$1,500,000ADVOCACY
THE WISCONSIN INITIATIVE
$450,000ADVOCACY
FREEDOM VIRGINIA INC
$250,000ADVOCACY
MARYLAND RISE
$250,000ADVOCACY
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT HEALTHCARE
ADVOCACY
TEXAS FUTURE COOPERATIVE
$25,000ADVOCACY
AMERICAN BRIDGE 21ST CENTURY FNDN
$3,000,000ADVOCACY
FORWARD MAJORITY ACTION
$2,717,277POLITICAL
NEW DAY NEVADA INC
$1,950,000ADVOCACY
NORTH STAR PROSPERITY
$1,500,000ADVOCACY
GUARDING AGAINST PANDEMICS
$1,000,000ADVOCACY
BETTER PENNSYLVANIA INC
$550,000ADVOCACY
PROSPERITY MICHIGAN ACTION FUND
$400,000POLITICAL
MICHIGAN CIVIC ACTION FUND
$260,000EDUCATION
GEORGIA VALUES INC
$150,000ADVOCACY
AMERICAN INDEPENDENT MEDIA
$100,000EDUCATION
FREEDOM VIRGINIA INC
$20,000ADVOCACY
THE VOTER PARTICIPATION CENTER
$14,240EDUCATION
ARIZONA WINS
$10,000ADVOCACY
CENTER FOR VOTER INFORMATION
$5,205ADVOCACY