This week's Democracy Notes

We just crossed 12,000 subscribers!! (We’re at 12,170, to be exact.)

When I started writing Democracy Notes in January 2024, I never imagined there’d be this many people interested in my curation. It’s been a very neat journey!

I’m able to write this newsletter because many of you have become paid subscribers (including two of you in the last week!).

I’ve got two asks for you in that vein: a poll question and (as you might expect) an ask to become a paid subscriber!

($$$)

• LOTS more detail here on the Borealis Philanthropy “Just Futures Initiative” grant opportunity mentioned in last week’s edition.

  • “Most grants are expected to fall within the $50,000–$75,000 range, with a smaller number of larger collaborative or ecosystem grants up to $200,000”

    • Grants will be 12-months and general operating support.

  • Three priority funding lanes:

    • Movement Defense + Protection of Civil and Human Rights

    • Community-Defined Safety + Innovative Alternatives to Criminalization

    • Local Democracy Protection + Belonging Infrastructure

• Orgs in Washington state! Inatai Foundation just opened applications for a $2M “Safety & Resilience Fund.”

  • Awards will be $25K-$75K per organization. 

  • Deadline is 8/18.

• The American Journalism Project (AJP) announced $3.25M in investments in three nonprofit local news organizations:

  • $1M — The Maine Monitor

  • $1.25M — NC Local

  • $1M — The Richmonder

• These investments follow last week’s $1.4M investment by the AJP, Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, More Perfect, and the Public Media Bridge Fund in Texas Public Radio after its combination with the San Antonio Report.

• The Cleveland-based George Gund Foundation announced two grants in their “Democracy Building” program area:

  • $250K over 2 years — Fair Elections Center

  • $250K over 2 years — Ohio Mayors Alliance Foundation

(The big news)

• What do “political operatives” from both parties think about the parties themselves and electoral reform?

  • Nifty new report from Bipartisan Policy Center!

• Pete Buttigieg…biiig democracy reform guy.

  • In his interview with The Bulwark’s Tim Miller this week, he talked about:

    • Expanding SCOTUS and the House of Representatives,

    • DC statehood,

    • A constitutional amendment on money in politics,

    • “The Montana Plan” to curb money in politics, and

    • Accountability! (Partial quote below.)

“This is not about going after fellow Americans who disagreed with us politically. This is about making sure that corruption doesn’t go unchecked….It’s not about Republicans and Democrats.”

• Harvard’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance is out with their 2026 summer reading lists! Check out reading lists from:

  • The Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation

  • The Project on Indigenous Governance and Development

  • Archon Fung at the Program on Democracy and the Informed Public

  • Tova Wang, the Reimagining Democracy 2026 Summer Reading List

• We looooove field building! And state capacity needs a field!

  • Really excellent piece from Recoding America CEO Anne Healy over at Daniel Stid’s The Art of Association.

• ~Youths~ ! Write about youth civic engagement for CIRCLE’s “2026 Youth Expertise Series.”

  • Submissions due 8/10! (Must be 16-26 years young.)

(Events, podcasts, and more)

• Something verrrry neat: a project I’ve been deeply involved with as an advisor is going live in just two weeks!!

  • It’s The Higher Education Democracy Exchange (HEDEX).

    • HEDEX was developed and is led by Campus Compact and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), in partnership with More Perfect and UVA’s Karsh Institute.

  • I hope you’ll join the launch event on Wednesday, July 29 at 1:30 PM ET!

• And…check out the recording of last week’s Democracy Notes event (sponsored by Lumina Foundation), “What’s happening in higher ed?”

• 7/23 1-2pm ET — HIT Strategies is hosting a webinar on young voters: “Not Who You Think They Are.”

  • Register here!

• 10/2-10/4 — Join Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life for the 2026 Frontiers of Democracy conference in Medford, MA!

  • The theme is “The United States at 250: Meeting the Moment for Democracy, in the US and Around the World.”

  • Propose a session by July 19! Registration opens soon.

(Jobs, jobs, jobs!)

• TechCongress (DC):

  • Managing Director — $210K-$225K

  • Vice President of Expansion — $165K-$195K

• Third Plateau Development Manager, Democracy — remote, $100K-$120K

• The Austin Common Staff Reporter — Austin, TX, $60K

• Campus Compact HEDEX Engagement Manager — remote, $65K-$75K

^ 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!

• Trust for Civic Life Communications Officer — remote, $125K+

• iCivics Chief Communications and Marketing Officer — remote, $180K-$200K

• Proteus Fund Vice President for Programs — remote, $177K-$210K

• PEN America:

  • Manager, Authors’ Evenings and Special Events — NYC, $75K-$85K

  • Program Manager, Freedom to Learn — DC or NYC, $75K-$85K

• University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy Program Associate, Civic Leadership Academy — Chicago, $55K-$60K

• Public Media Bridge Fund Head of Sustainability & Strategic Partnerships — remote, $125K-$175K

• Brennan Center for Justice Program Associate, Elections and Government Program — NYC or DC, $56K-$70K

• Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas:

  • Digital Communications Consultant — remote, $3K/month (4 month contract, 20 hrs/wk)

  • Research Consultant — remote, $8K/month

• Campaign Legal Center Senior Manager, Communications — DC, $111K-$150K

• States United Democracy Center Director of Partnerships — remote, $170K+

• Civic Nebraska Director of Development — Lincoln, NE, $85K+

• Chicago Lawyers’​ Committee for Civil Rights Development Manager — Chicago, $65K-$70K

  • Priority deadline was 7/15!

• Issue One Election Protection Intern — DC (or remote in select states), $18.40/hr (12-25hr/wk)

  • Priority deadline is 7/17!

• Rebuild Local News:

  • Coalition & Partnerships Coordinator — remote, $70K-$80K

  • Maine State Coordinator — remote (Maine preferred), $70K-$80K

• The Penn Center on Media, Technology and Democracy (Penn MEDIATED):

  • Research Analyst — remote or Philadelphia, $25/hr (20 hrs/wk)

  • Communications Associate (Undergraduate Student) — Philadelphia, $18/hour (5-10 hrs/wk)

• Charlotte Journalism Collaborative Charlotte Documenters Program Manager — Charlotte, NC, $60K

• Obama Presidential Center Senior Associate, Civics & Democracy Youth Education — Chicago, $79K-$99K

• ACLU of Pennsylvania Director of Advocacy and Policy — Philadelphia, $175K

• Human Rights Foundation Design Director — NYC, $120K-$135K

• University of Notre Dame Assistant Professor in Quantitative Political Science — Notre Dame, IN, no $ info :(

(Where the movers are moving and the shakers are shaking)

• Transitions over at People Powered!

  • Founder and Co-Executive Director Josh Lerner has stepped down to work on a book project on the future of democracy!

  • Greta Ríos will continue as the organization’s sole Executive Director!

• Melissa Williams has joined Democracy Defenders Action as Director of Election Safeguarding Initiatives!

• Sean Jones has joined Salzburg Global as Managing Director, US Office!

• Artie Hartsell is now Senior Research Specialist and North Carolina State Lead at the Bridging Divides Initiative!

• Teresa Mioli has joined the Pulitzer Center as Program Manager for U.S. Outreach!

• Taylor J. Swift has joined Recoding America Fund as Director of Federal Government Affairs!

Submit your job transitions (or promotions!) here.

See you soon,

Gabe