Who We Are + What We Do
Focus for Democracy Action (F4D) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit dedicated to empowering donors to make the most impactful contributions possible to strengthen democracy.
Our primary purpose is to strengthen democracy by evaluating and supporting non-partisan programs, while a smaller portion of our funding and recommendations is directed toward programs that effectively support pro-democracy candidates.
We rigorously evaluate programs, recommending both non-partisan strategies and strategies aimed at winning key elections to protect democratic values and fundamental rights.
We provide pro bono advice to donors and recommend programs with the highest impact per dollar spent by:
Vetting programs and reviewing scientific evidence of impact to recommend the most cost-effective, evidence-based programs
Identifying exceptional giving opportunities for key competitive races
Presenting our recommendations at Focus for Democracy events in a clear and digestible way
Network of Donors
Through high-quality, independent research and Focus for Democracy events, we have built a network of 20,000+ donors across the US who have contributed $200+ million dollars since the 2020 election cycle to the programs we recommend.
Vet Evidence-Based Election Programs
Our team of evaluators and analysts lead Focus for Democracy with decades of experience assessing evidence-based programs and tactics for the highest-profile elections in the US. We apply rigorous, metric-based scientific research to recommend 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) non-profit organizations and political action committees (PACs) with the highest impact per dollar spent.
Provide Strategic Advising
In addition to evaluating each program’s impact, our criteria consider the following to optimize the effectiveness of donations: Do program results pay off both in the upcoming election cycle and also in future elections? Would the program otherwise be underfunded without our network’s help? Is our funding strategically-timed?
Direct Donations
We provide strategic analysis and evaluation services to donors and foundations pro bono (free of charge), maximizing their impact to strengthen democracy.
Focus for Democracy funds recommendations in the following ways:
At Focus for Democracy Events, we present recommendations via Zoom on specific programs to fund and provide Focus for Democracy network members with links to donate directly to organizations. To attend an upcoming event, sign up here.
Following our criteria, we regrant funds to the highest priority, most cost-effective programs in need of our support.
In addition to the programs we recommend to the broader Focus for Democracy Network, we also make tailored recommendations to individual large donors and foundations. If you’d like that advice, contact us at team@focus4democracy.org