Most of us want a healthier democracy — communities that thrive, institutions that hold, and more people able to participate in shaping the future. But knowing where to give isn't easy. The democracy landscape is broad and interconnected, and understanding which organizations to support — and how their work fits together — takes time and expertise. This led us to a simple idea:
What if supporting democracy could work more like an investment portfolio?
Instead of asking donors to research hundreds of organizations one by one, Democracy Portfolios brings together organizations that are working across complementary strategies toward a shared goal. You choose what you want to support; we do the research and build the portfolio for you.
One gift. One tax receipt. Support a portfolio of organizations working across complementary strategies around a place, issue, or community you care about.
Build a portfolio around your geography, strategy, or community priorities — we make it easier to support smaller or harder-to-reach organizations, extend the reach of your giving, and maintain greater discretion when needed.
Adrienne Evans, Kat Calvin, and Meg Busse bring deep expertise and experience across philanthropy, democracy, civic participation, nonprofit leadership, and community organizing. They've known each other for nearly ten years, and came together around a shared belief that supporting democracy should be simpler, more strategic, and more accessible — and that thoughtful curation can help more people invest in the full ecosystem our democracy needs to thrive.
Adrienne Evans is a nationally recognized democracy organizer and strategist with more than fifteen years of experience building durable civic power in rural and working-class communities. Through her leadership of United Vision for Idaho and the United Vision Project, she has pioneered innovative approaches to organizing across difference, demonstrating how local relationships and broad coalitions create lasting democratic resilience.
Kat Calvin is a nationally recognized leader in civic participation and voting access. As founder of Spread The Vote and Project ID, she helped thousands of Americans secure the identification they need to vote and access essential services. Her deep expertise in voting rights, civic engagement, and removing barriers to participation grounds our portfolios in the realities of how democracy works—and what people need to take part.
Meg is a philanthropic strategist and community builder who spent nearly a decade helping lead The Roddenberry Foundation. There, she stewarded more than $50 million in philanthropic investments, shaped large-scale funding initiatives, and cultivated communities of social innovators around the world. Across her work, she designs tools and environments that help people navigate complexity, see possibility, and take meaningful action.
Democracy, like a healthy portfolio, is strongest when it's diversified. Healthy democracies aren't built by individual organizations acting alone. They're built by ecosystems of organizations working across different strategies, geographies, and communities.
Some defend voting rights. Others organize locally. And others support civic participation, independent journalism, legal advocacy, mutual aid, or long-term movement building.
Each plays a different role.
Together, they create resilience.
Democracy Portfolios make it easier for individuals and institutions to support these complementary strategies together, strengthening the ecosystem rather than relying on any single organization.
We start with the outcome a portfolio is designed to advance, then identify the different strategies and roles needed to support it. Using research from partners including the National Civic League, public information, and our own review, we select organizations whose work is complementary rather than duplicative.
Portfolios may include established anchor organizations, locally led groups, emerging efforts, and different forms of civic infrastructure. We review portfolios over time as organizations and conditions change.