Faith and Public Dialogue

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Faith in Public Life Action Fund
Amount: $886,500 in 2016

What is Faith in Public Life Action Fund?

Faith in Public Life Action Fund (FPLAF) is a strategy center that seeks to advance faith in the public square by building coalitions and supporting campaigns through which the faith community can influence public debate. They will engage a diverse group of faith leaders from across the political spectrum in a call to elevate the tenor and quality of public debate, and to foster more civil politics.

Why do we think the project is important?

Faith leaders play a unique role in the lives of many Americans. The unique moral standing of faith leaders has the potential to shape the tenor and tone of the public dialogue and how policy and politics are covered by the media while spreading a message of tolerance and respect to political leaders and the public.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting FPLAF?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $886,500 to the Faith in Public Life Action Fund.

Strategies for American Muslim Communities

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Amount: $52,238 in 2016

What is the The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding?

The Institute  for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) conducts objective, solution-seeking research that empowers American Muslims to further community development and fully contribute to democracy and pluralism in the United States. This grant will support ISPU so that it can provide research support to a convening of a diverse group of leaders and experts to develop strategies to combat fear mongering against the American Muslim community.

Why do we think a convening on Anti-Muslim rhetoric is a important?

This project will address the deterioration of civil discourse that is damaging our democracy’s political process. While other groups have joined together to attempt to combat this rhetoric, the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding has unique networks and capacity to help bring together the people who can most effectively address this serious problem.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting ISPU?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $52,238 to The Institute for Social Policy Understanding.

ReThink Media’s Security and Rights Collaborative

Type of Activity: Project
Grantee: Rethink Media’s Security and Rights Collaborative
Amount: $500,000 in 2016

What is the Security and Rights Collaborative?

ReThink Media’s Security and Rights collaborative builds the communications capacity of nonprofit think tanks, experts, and advocacy groups working toward the protection of human and civil rights. Democracy Fund Voice’s grant supports the Collaborative’s efforts to combat political fear mongering in our public discourse by developing and deploying new messaging strategies for the American Muslim community via collaborations with related experts and advocacy groups.

Why do we think this project is important?

We believe rhetoric that dehumanizes and isolates specific groups of people in our society weakens our democracy. In recent years, political leaders from both parties have exploited public fear in the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris, San Bernardino, and Orlando, in ways that breed prejudice and xenophobia. Through this project, ReThink Media will combat political fear mongering and provide a voice for those who are being targeted by these attacks.

How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting the Security and Rights Collaborative?

In 2016, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $500,000 to ReThink Media’s Security and Rights Collaborative’s message research, refinement, and deployment to respond to the escalation of anti-Muslim bigotry.