Democracy, Healing Divides, and Civic Life

With heightened polarization and divisiveness, growing mistrust of public institutions, protests against racial injustice, and uncertainty over the electoral infrastructure, recent events have revealed the remarkable fragility of our institutions and the norms supporting them. At the very least, these events are a reminder that the survival of our democracy can no longer be taken for granted. Instead, democracy must be actively nurtured, strengthened, and constantly reinforced. Moreover, our democracy depends not only upon fair elections, but also on an ecosystem of shared norms and habits that enable long term confidence in the system. What are the key priorities for funders when the nation urgently needs to rebuild social trust and confidence in democracy itself?