BOSTON—February 5, 2025—How can philanthropy effectively contribute to a multiracial, pluralistic democracy? This is the question The Bridgespan Group explores in a new publication “Philanthropy for a Multiracial Democracy: How Investing in Pluralism Can Open the Aperture for Democracy Funders.”

Bridgespan partner and co-author of the article Lyell Sakaue says, “American democracy has always been an ambitious and complicated experiment. In the wake of a contentious US election season, questions about how philanthropy can strengthen US democracy may feel particularly salient now though also always present.”

Bridgespan’s author team engaged with donors, field leaders, and advisors; reviewed existing literature; and drew on the firm’s work to provide insight into these questions. While acknowledging the challenges our society faces, such as problems within our media, education, economic, electoral, lobbying, judicial, and philanthropic funding systems, Bridgespan’s focus in the article is on the bright spots they see where the work is already happening and what donors can learn from them.

“There may not be a simple recipe or formula that guarantees the path to a truly multiracial, pluralistic democracy—one where individuals of different races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, genders, and religions are respected and empowered in the civic space—but we believe it is possible to build such a democracy that works for everyone,” says co-author Farai Chideya, Bridgespan fellow and noted journalist and author.

According to Cora Daniels, a senior editor at Bridgespan, “It is crucial to recognize that the desire for a democracy that works for everyone is not a partisan pursuit; rather, avoiding a party or partisan framing allows multiracial, pluralist efforts to thrive.” The article offers examples of work on the ground—some of them involve common cause around issues; others shape narratives to be more inclusive; some utilize elections to shift power and support pluralism; and some focus on empowering leaders and communities.

The work also cites three significant lessons for donors:

• Go long: Building a multiracial, pluralistic democracy is the work of decades, if not generations. The challenges are deep, and organizations engaged in this work need funder partners who can think long-term and remain committed, even if the work is not completed in a single election cycle.
• Go local: The leaders we spoke with increasingly recognize the importance of building democracy from the community level up, fostering trust in systems and collaboration among different groups around shared interests.
• Do not go it alone: Collaborate with leaders on the front lines and fellow donors. There are existing networks and collaboratives seeking support and offering opportunities to learn and coinvest.

Liz Jain, a principal at Bridgespan and another co-author summarizes saying, “As a respected leader in our field Angela Glover Blackwell, founder of PolicyLink, has stated, building a thriving multiracial democracy will be ‘the next great US innovation.’ This serves as a stark reminder that a democracy that works for everyone has not yet existed, while also providing the audacious north star that philanthropy aims for. We invite donors to embrace this opportunity.”

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About Bridgespan

The Bridgespan Group (www.bridgespan.org) is a global nonprofit that collaborates with social change organizations, philanthropists, and impact investors to make the world more equitable and just. Bridgespan’s services include strategy consulting and advising, sourcing and diligence, and leadership team support. We take what we learn from this work and build on it with original research, identifying best practices and innovative ideas to share with the social sector. We work from locations in Boston, Delhi, Johannesburg, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, and Washington, DC.