Interested in Supporting Renewal of Democracy?
Readers of our book, and the Civic Bargain on Substack, frequently ask what they can personally do to help renew American democracy. As a public service, I list below names and contacts of various non-partisan organizations that seem worthy of support (via donations, volunteering, etc.).
Please note, this is only an informally curated list, not a set of certified endorsements. Also, no organization has solicited to be listed here. Please do your own due diligence before donating or engaging with any of them. If you would like to suggest a resource or organization for addition to the list, please contact me here.
For a full alphabetical listing of all currently included organizations, please click here.
Civic Culture Building & Transformation
Braver Angels is a New York-based 501 nonprofit dedicated to political depolarization to strengthen our democratic republic. The organization runs workshops, debates, and other events where “red” and “blue” participants attempt to better understand one another’s positions and discover their shared values.
A youth movement for young citizens fighting partisanship. The organization is committed to viewpoint diversity, constructive dialogue, and solution-oriented politics. It teaches moderation, hosting discussions and improving resume skills. There are both college and high school chapters for civically-minded students.
An organization founded in 2017 by Lester Levine. They help elect leaders who put “people over Party” and “people over ideology.” Campaigns include ones for US Senate, US House, Governor and state legislature races. Their method is peer-to-peer campaigning among “sometimes” voters. They focus on problems that appeal to the majority. Mr. Levine can be contacted directly by email: lester.levine@gmail.com.
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
A non-profit organization that defends and promotes free speech for all Americans in courtrooms, on campuses, and in the culture. They are committed to sincere nonpartisanship, courageous advocacy, and an enduring belief in free speech as a force for good. Many opportunities for student and faculty involvement.
Harwood Institute for Public Innovation
The institute equips people, organizations, communities and networks with the tools to bridge divides, build capacity, and tackle shared challenges, enabling communities to become a collective force for change and strengthen our civic culture. They provide a workshop on how to do this.
Works on both short and longer term initiatives to address the underlying drivers of fracturing and polarization, and build more united, resilient and inclusive democratic societies. Their work is research that includes surveys, interviews, focus groups, community conversations and expert interviews.
Nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advancing civic engagement to create equitable, thriving communities and a strong democracy. These aims are achieved by inspiring, supporting and recognizing inclusive approaches to community decision-making. They apply civic engagement principles through key programs: community assistance, awards, events, research, and publications.
Founded by internationally-recognized democracy expert Danielle Allen, this Massachusetts-based powerhouse organization is working to drive democracy renovation nationally by working at the state level, state-by-state. PID volunteers play a critical role to educate and mobilize our communities and drive progress. There are monthly info sessions for interested volunteers.
A 501 organization founded after the 2018 midterm election. Operating out of suburban swing districts in the United States, RWB engages women at a grassroots level and drives media narratives to better reflect issues faced by the “everyday woman”. Good organization for civically-minded women interested in democratic participation.
Policy Advocacy
A Washington, D.C.–based think tank that promotes bipartisanship. Endeavors to combine ideas from both the Republican and Democratic parties to address challenges in the U.S. such as those around energy and the national debt.
A nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. They work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all. Their issues include defending the right to vote, limiting big money’s influence on elections, holding public officials accountable, and more.
A nonpartisan reform coalition trying to restore the freedom of officials and encourage citizens to use common sense in our democratic society. They propose ideas to simplify bureaucratic structures. Guiding principle: restore everyone’s freedom to take responsibility and let others exercise their freedom to hold them accountable. Get involved by subscribing to their newsletter or donating.
National Institute for Civil Discourse
Supports research on civility to create a body of knowledge on the history of political and social discourse in America and ways to improve it. Their staff and community of scholars support academics throughout the country in their research and teaching.
Previously known as The Centrist Project, it is an American grassroots organization founded by Charlie Wheelan with the goal of reforming the political system and bridging the partisan divide. Supports both electoral political reforms as well as independent-minded candidates.
Research Institutes
Center for the Study of Democratic Politics at Princeton
A research program within the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. The Center supports research and educational programming on democratic political institutions and behavior. A major aim of the Center is to encourage rigorous social scientific analysis that informs our understanding of the public policy process, elections, and policy decisions.
CIRCLE at Tisch College, Tufts University
A non-partisan, independent research organization focused on youth civic engagement in the United States. They combat the systemic barriers that keep some young people underrepresented in civic life. Main activity: conducting extensive research on youth participation and using that research to improve opportunities for all young people to meaningfully participate.
Civitas Institute at UT – Austin
A community of scholars exploring the ideas and institutions that create flourishing societies. Their programs facilitate inquiry into the foundational principles: individual rights and civic virtue, constitutionalism and the rule of law, and free enterprise and markets. Independent thought, civil discourse, reasoned deliberation and intellectual curiosity are central to the Civitas ethos.
Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics
The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics is a research center at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. The center’s mission is to “advance teaching and research on ethical issues in public life.” Two of its major initiatives currently include The Democratic Knowledge Project, and Educating for American Democracy.
Civic Education Providers & Promoters
The Center for Civic Education aims to develop informed, responsible participation in civic life. Their research-based, award-winning programs have reached more than 30 million students worldwide, with a decades-long track record of effectiveness in classrooms and other settings
Lexington-based, civics-oriented organization that serves local community. Helps residents of all ages understand how their community works through educational programs, workshops, and resources. Increases residents’ engagement with local government by attending public meetings and covering local civic issues.
A consortium of nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations committed to strengthening civic life in the U.S. by increasing the quality of civics education in our nation’s schools and by improving accessibility to high-quality, no-cost learning materials. Teachers can find the best resources of these organizations, searchable by subject, grade, resource type, standards, and teaching strategy.
Colonial Williamsburg | The World’s Largest Living History Museum
Experience the largest outdoor educational living museum in the country, through immersive and authentic 18th-century programming for guests. Apart from visiting and learning about the revolution and our democratic origins, there are opportunities to support their work through donation.
An international nonprofit educational network with the mission to cultivate citizen competency across the United States and Europe. Their education and civic engagement initiatives work to inspire, equip, and connect parents, educators, civic leaders, and elected officials. Includes focuses on K-12, higher education, and civic engagement.
Educating for American Democracy
Initiative dedicated to excellence in history and civics for all learners. EAD represents a more than yearlong, highly collaborative process involving more than 300 people across executive and steering committees, task forces, working groups, an advisory council, and listening sessions. It has a large network of participants: teachers, scholars, students, and leaders in private and public sectors. They pride themselves on dealing with difficult, divisive issues through discourse to establish a substantial educational vision.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
George Washington’s estate, managed by the Ladies of Mount Vernon Association, is maintained to educate visitors and people from around the world about George Washington’s life and legacy, so that his example of character and leadership will continue to inform and inspire future generations. They also have a collection of educational resources.
iCivics, Inc. is a 501 non-profit organization in the United States that provides educational online games and lesson plans to promote civics education and encourage students to become active citizens. iCivics was founded in 2009 by retired Supreme Court of the United States Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
A Philadelphia-based educational nonprofit committed to solving the national crisis of uninformed citizenship by teaching America’s founding principles and history. The organization runs a a number of education initiatives aimed at bringing America’s founding history, documents, and ideas back into “our nation’s” classroom. That classroom includes K-12 and college.
A private, nonprofit organization that serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate. Provides the best educational programs and online resources to inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution.
National Institute of American History & Democracy
Uses an interdisciplinary approach to teach students interested in democracy about American history, material culture, and public history. They gain hands-on experience that prepares them for careers in education, museums, and other areas of public history.
This project aims to provide students with a series of courses relevant to the ideas and practices of democratic citizenship. They work to carry out Stanford’s mission, as laid out in the University’s Founding Grant, to prepare students for virtuous and effective citizenship by “teaching the blessings of liberty, regulated by law, and inculcating love and reverence for the great principles of government as derived from the inalienable rights of man to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.”
Civic Media Organizations
A nonprofit news site focused on sustainability, civics, and creative change in New Jersey. Mission is to advance solutions-based news about citizens building healthy communities.
A network of podcasts focused on helping listeners understand what’s broken in our democracy, and how people are working together to fix it. The network also provides listeners with a one-stop shop for podcasts about democracy, civic engagement, and civil discourse.
Government Organizations
The center has a collection of helpful resources and free study materials for a variety of people: immigrants interested in becoming U.S. citizens; educators who teach U.S. history and civics; organizations that support immigrants in the citizenship process and help integrate them into American civic society.