The Democracy Initiative Education Fund (DIEF) is the nonprofit arm of the Democracy Initiative, a major left-progressive advocacy group coalition. DIEF has received grants and contributions from major left-of-center foundations including the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Proteus Fund, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Overbrook Foundation.

Background

The Democracy Initiative Education Fund (DIEF) is the nonprofit affiliated with the Democracy Initiative, a left-of-center coalition of 75 organizations that aims to implement left-of-center policies regarding the 2020 Census and opposes voter identification laws. Some of these organizations include including the Brennan Center for Justice, American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Sierra Club, NAACP, Greenpeace USA, and 350.org. ¹

Funding

Democracy Initiative Education Fund receives contributions from major left-of-center organizations and foundations, including substantial grants from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, ² the Proteus Fund, ³ and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. ^{4 5}

DIEF received just over $700,000 in contributions and grants in 2015 and had just under $68,000 in total expenses in the same year. ⁶

The fund also received just under $350,000 in total revenue in 2016, $336,000 of which came from grants and contributions;⁷ $1,026,000 in total revenue in 2017, $1,024,000 of which came in the form of grants and contributions;⁸ and $1,070,000 in total revenue in 2018, $1,058,000 of which came from grants and contributions. ⁹

DIEF reported $813,000 in total expenses for 2016,⁷ $646,000 in total expenses for 2017,⁸ and $722,000 in total expenses for 2018. ⁹

The Proteus Fund, a center-left “pass-through” funder and donor-advised fund (DAF) provider, contributed $25,000 to Democracy Initiative Education Fund in 2015 for “democracy,”¹⁰ and $476,898 in 2016 for general support. ³

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (also known as the MacArthur Foundation), one of the largest left-of-center foundations in the United States, contributed $200,000 to DIEF in 2017 for and another $200,000 in 2018 for general support. ^{4 5}

The Ford Foundation, another major grantmaker for left-of-center and center-left organizations, contributed $300,000 to the Democracy Initiative Education Fund in 2018 and pledged to contribute another $600,000 to the fund at a later date. ¹¹

The Overbrook Foundation, which funds  left-of-center groups that support left-of-center social policy and environmentalism, contributed $50,000 to DIEF in 2017 and 2018. ^{12 13}

The Arkay Foundation, a grantmaking group that gives money to environmentalist and other left-of-center organizations, contributed $50,000 to DIEF in 2017 to “ increase engagement of environmental organizations.” ¹⁴ The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a major left-of-center grantmaking foundation, contributed $25,000 to DIEF in 2020 for “democratic practice.” ² DIEF is also listed as a grantee in the 2017 annual report of the Community Foundation of Boulder County. ¹⁵

People

DIEF shares a board of directors with the Democracy Initiative, consisting high-ranking members of a number of left-of-center organizations.

Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause sits as president, treasurer, and co-chair of the Democracy Initiative board of directors. Tefere Gebre, the executive vice president of the AFL-CIO, sits as an additional co-chair. Other board members include Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO; Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth; Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA; K. Sabeel Rahman, president of Demos; Virginia Kase, CEO of the League of Women Voters; and Ray Curry, secretary-treasurer of United Auto Workers. ¹⁶

1. “Our Partners,” Democracy Initiative, accessed November 2, 2020, http://www.democracyinitiative.org/our-partners.
2. “Democracy Initiative Education Fund,” Rockefeller Brothers Fund, October 5, 2020, https://www.rbf.org/grantees/democracy-initiative-education-fund.
3. Sisi Wei Mike Tigas, “Proteus Fund Inc, Form 990, Schedule I – Nonprofit Explorer,” ProPublica, May 9, 2013, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43243004/201733199349302913/IRS990ScheduleI
4. “MacArthur Foundation 990 Form 2017,” macfound.org, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.macfound.org/media/files/John_D._and_Catherine_T._MacArthur_Foundation_2017_Form_990-PF.PDF.
5. “MacArthur Foundation 990 Form 2018,” macfound.org, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.macfound.org/media/files/MF_-_2018_990-PF_Complete_Version.pdf.
6. “2015 Form 990 for Democracy Initiative Education Fund,” 2015 Form 990 for Democracy Initiative Education Fund | Cause IQ, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/view_990/473828546/cb2f5604719c384410053b0de5b0031f.
7. “2016 Form 990 for Democracy Initiative Education Fund,” 2016 Form 990 for Democracy Initiative Education Fund | Cause IQ, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/view_990/473828546/9d2b3502952c3b2bce631c8e9fc43490.
8. “2017 Form 990 for Democracy Initiative Education Fund,” 2017 Form 990 for Democracy Initiative Education Fund | Cause IQ, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/view_990/473828546/cfbd6786495a2c6c8fc2b69f95fa1336.
9. “2018 Form 990 for Democracy Initiative Education Fund,” 2018 Form 990 for Democracy Initiative Education Fund | Cause IQ, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/view_990/473828546/bdd9bc09db0cd21eedc2305c3a464dd1.
10. Sisi Wei Mike Tigas, “Proteus Fund Inc, Form 990, Schedule I – Nonprofit Explorer,” ProPublica, May 9, 2013, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43243004/201633209349311253/IRS990ScheduleI.
11. “Ford Foundation 990 Form 2018,” fordfoundation.org, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.fordfoundation.org/media/4894/ford-990-pf_pi-modified-2.pdf.
12. “Money in Politics – 2017,” The Overbrook Foundation, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.overbrook.org/money-in-politics-2017.
13. “Money in Politics – 2018,” The Overbrook Foundation, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.overbrook.org/money-in-politics.
14. “Reducing Human Impact on the Environment,” The Arkay Foundation, accessed November 2, 2020, http://www.arkayfoundation.org/reducing_2017.html.
15. “2017 Annual Report,” commfound.org, accessed November 2, 2020, https://www.commfound.org/sites/default/files/about/archives/annual17.pdf.
16. “About Democracy Initiative,” Democracy Initiative, August 19, 2020, http://www.democracyinitiative.org/about-democracy-initiative.