MacArthur Foundation Commits $100 Million to Defend American Democracy
March 19, 2026 · 2 min read
Claire Cummings
The MacArthur Foundation announced on March 12 a $100 million commitment to protect American democracy — one of the largest single philanthropic investments in democratic infrastructure this decade. Initial grants totaling more than $34 million have already been distributed to seven organizations ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
$34 Million Distributed in First-Round Grants
The largest awards went to two legal organizations leading voter protection efforts. The Campaign Legal Center received $10 million for litigation defending voting rights, and Democracy Forward Foundation received $10 million for legal strategies protecting democratic processes.
Additional grants went to PolicyLink ($5 million for governance redesign), Issue One ($4 million for cross-ideological democracy advocacy), Defending Democracy Together Institute ($3.25 million for pro-democracy education), The Heartland Fund's Rural Democracy Initiative ($1 million), and the State Infrastructure Fund ($1 million for civic participation and voting access).
"Democracy thrives when people are informed, engaged, and feel like their voices matter," said MacArthur Foundation president John Palfrey.
A Wave of Democracy Funding Across Philanthropy
MacArthur is not acting alone. The Ford Foundation, under new president Heather Gerken, has prioritized election infrastructure protection, pledging to "protect the ability of election administrators to carry out free and fair elections." The Movement Voter Fund committed $12 million to voter education and organizing in swing states including Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Georgia.
The coordinated philanthropic mobilization reflects growing concern about threats to election administration, voting access, and civic freedoms at the state and federal level.
An Open Funding Call Is Coming Later This Year
MacArthur indicated it will announce an open funding call later in 2026 for additional democracy protection projects. Organizations working in civic engagement, election security, voting rights, and rule of law should begin preparing applications now.
Nonprofits exploring democracy-related grants can track emerging opportunities at grantedai.com, where foundation funding is cataloged alongside federal programs.
In-depth analysis of MacArthur's democracy portfolio and positioning for the open call is available on the Granted blog.