Building Democracy Beyond Election Cycles: Lessons from the George Gund Foundation

The George Gund Foundation, a Cleveland-based philanthropy, used its June 2026 grants announcement to articulate an explicit commitment to nonpartisan democracy-building grantmaking, awarding funding to organizations such as the Fair Elections Center and the Ohio Mayors Alliance Foundation under a dedicated Democracy Building program area. The foundation frames this work around centering historically marginalized voices, providing multi-year operating support rather than one-time grants, and encouraging collaboration among grantees committed to democratic participation. This approach offers a practical model for how funders can support the infrastructure behind civic engagement and dialogue work, rather than only its programming. Organizations seeking funding for democracy-strengthening work can apply year-round for grants up to $100,000, with the next deadline for larger requests set for July 15, 2026. The foundation's framing connects directly to NCDD's mission by treating democracy not as a fixed condition but as an ongoing collective practice requiring sustained investment.

---

---

The George Gund Foundation, a longstanding Cleveland philanthropy, used its June 2026 grants announcement to lay out a clear philosophy behind its support for democracy work. Rather than treating democratic participation as something that simply exists and occasionally needs defending, the foundation describes democracy as an ongoing act that each generation must renew, and it frames its grantmaking as a modest but deliberate contribution to that work. Two grants from this round, one to the Fair Elections Center and one to the Ohio Mayors Alliance Foundation, fall under the foundation's dedicated Democracy Building program area, reflecting a sustained institutional commitment rather than a one-time response to current events.

What distinguishes the foundation's approach is less the size of any single grant and more the structure behind its giving. The foundation emphasizes multi-year operating support over short-term project funding, a practice that allows democracy and civic-engagement organizations to build lasting capacity rather than constantly re-securing funding for discrete initiatives. It also states a specific intent to center the voices and leadership of communities that have historically been excluded from democratic processes, and to encourage collaboration among grantees working toward shared democratic goals rather than funding organizations in isolation. For practitioners in the dialogue and deliberation field, this offers a useful reminder that the conditions for civic engagement work, stable funding, sustained partnerships, and long time horizons, matter as much as the programming itself.
​
The foundation's approach is a relevant reference point for NCDD's network, particularly for practitioners and organizations who depend on philanthropic support to sustain their work over time. It also serves as a live opportunity: the foundation accepts grant applications on a rolling basis for requests up to $100,000, with its next deadline for larger requests falling on July 15, 2026. Organizations working on democracy-building or civic engagement initiatives in the Cleveland area, or aligned with the foundation's stated priorities, can find more detail on eligibility and the application process, and review the full context of this announcement, at https://gundfoundation.org/the-george-gund-foundation-awards-11-million-at-its-june-2026-meeting/.