An Anti-Authoritarian Playbook for Donors With Joe Goldman

President of the Democracy Fund Joe Goldman offers both urgency and clarity for donors concerned about the U.S.’ democratic backslide into authoritarianism in this conversation. As the second Trump administration consolidates power, he offers a practical three-part framework for strategic, democracy-focused giving: strengthening guardrails, powering breakthrough strategies, and working toward reconstruction. In a conversation that grapples with difficult questions about donor fear and the paralyzing sense of overwhelm that many feel when considering the breadth of threats to democracy right now, Goldman shares specific examples of organizations doing critical work, and an array of ways that donors can get involved. His message is clear: "Courage breeds more courage. Solidarity breeds more solidarity." Additional Resources Democracy Fund Democracy Fund Voice Free DC Press Forward More Equitable Democracy Protect Democracy Democracy Forward Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law Government Accountability Project GovAct States United Community Change New America Demos Unite in Advance “Hope in the Dark” by Rebecca Solnit “Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil” by Hannah Arendt