Who We Are

Democracy Fund Voice was established in 2014 to conduct and support advocacy that will produce a stronger, healthier democracy in the United States. Democracy Fund Voice, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, is a sister organization to Democracy Fund, a private foundation that fosters the highest ideals of the American republic — government of, by, and for the people.

Democracy Fund Voice was founded and is solely funded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam. For more information about the Omidyars’ personal, professional, and philanthropic interests, visit The Omidyar Group.

Governance

Democracy Fund Voice is governed by a three-person board of directors: Pat Christen, Robinson Jacobs, and K. Sabeel Rahman. The organization’s president is Joe Goldman.

Financial Information

We take seriously our commitment to transparency. We will make regular disclosures on our grantmaking and post filings, including 990s as they are available.

2022 Financial Documents:

Please see the links below to view our previous 990s:

Pierre Omidyar

Founder and Chairman

Pierre Omidyar is Founder and Chairman of Democracy Fund Voice. Pierre is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who is best known as the founder of eBay. Starting from the premise that people are basically good, Pierre Omidyar created eBay in 1995 – an online platform that gives people equal access to information, opportunity, and tools to pursue their goals. Today he serves on the board of directors of the company, which enables more than 200 million buyers and sellers to connect and prosper over shared interests.

As a philanthropist, technologist, and innovator, Pierre has seen the positive impact social entrepreneurs can have on addressing the world’s most challenging problems. This perspective helped inform his creation of Democracy Fund, which he guides with his strategic vision, values, and unique approach to the field of philanthropy.

Pierre and his wife Pam are active philanthropists who believe that every person has the power to make a difference. Guiding their work is a common set of values – a deeply rooted belief in humanity, and a conviction that the world thrives when we prioritize treating others with compassion, dignity, and a respect for diversity. Working across many sectors and geographies, the Omidyars have contributed more than $1 billion to causes ranging from economic advancement for the underserved, technology for improving kids’ health, human rights, reimagining journalism and sustainability initiatives. In 2011, Pierre and Pam were honored with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy for the lasting impact of their work.

To fulfill their mission Pierre and Pam are deeply engaged in the organizations they founded, including: Democracy Fund, HopeLab, Humanity United, Omidyar Network, and Ulupono Initiative. While each organization across The Omidyar Group has a specific focus, they are united in that they all aim to create opportunities for people to improve their quality of life and that of their communities.

Pierre currently serves as CEO and publisher of First Look Media, a news organization dedicated to reimagining journalism in the digital age, and Honolulu Civil Beat, a local news service in Hawaii that encourages greater civic participation through media. He is also a trustee of Tufts University, Santa Fe Institute and Punahou School.

Stacy Donohue

stacy-donohue As Managing Director, Stacy leads Luminate Group’s investment team across the US, Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. She also leads the Civic Empowerment impact area for the firm globally. Stacy brings over 25 years of finance, investment, and leadership experience to her role, with a background combining business, technology, and philanthropy.

Before joining Luminate, Stacy spent ten years as a Director and Investment Partner at Omidyar Network. Here, she led the US investment team for the Governance & Citizen Engagement initiative and oversaw the development of a portfolio of over 50 investments and grants, led investment strategy and execution, and served as a Board member for several organisations. Prior to Omidyar Network, Stacy spent nine years at Hewlett-Packard Company in senior roles spanning strategy, corporate development, and merger and acquisition transactions. Stacy was previously a Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group, providing analysis and consulting for clients across multiple industries from healthcare to financial services. She began her career as an Associate in corporate finance at JPMorgan Chase.

Stacy is currently a Board member of Code for America and speaks at industry-leading conferences on civic technology and engagement.

Jeff Alvord

Jeff is a Managing Director of The Omidyar Group (TOG), overseeing financial management and the flow of resources to TOG entities. He brings business and management experience rooted in design, product development, and systems engineering. Jeff has served as an adviser and agent for the Omidyar family for more than a decade.

Jeff is the Managing Director of Comprehensive Financial Management (CFM), a premier multi-family office. Prior to joining CFM, he held executive-level and technical positions at Apple, Loral and Westinghouse Electric. Jeff was one of the founding parents of the Discovery Charter School, which launched in 2006. He also co-founded Fireclay Tile, a custom design and manufacturing company, in 1986.

Jeff has a bachelor’s of science in electrical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. His dedicated approach, combined with a passion for collaboration and iteration, supports TOG in its vision to improve the lives of people and societies.

Joe Goldman

President

Joe is the President of Democracy Fund Voice. He is also the President of Democracy Fund, a bipartisan foundation working to ensure that our political system is able to withstand new challenges and deliver on its promise to the American people. Previously, Joe was an Investment Director at Omidyar Network, where he incubated Democracy Fund for three years.

Joe has spent his career working to strengthen democratic institutions through public deliberation and policy reform. Previously, Joe was Vice President of Citizen Engagement at AmericaSpeaks, where he directed and facilitated large-scale public deliberations across the country, including the Unified New Orleans Planning Process after Hurricane Katrina and the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site after 9/11. Joe has written extensively about the theory and practice of deliberative democracy and spoken about the value of public deliberation in venues around the world.

Joe has also engaged the public from inside government. He managed Mayor Anthony Williams’ Neighborhood Action initiative in Washington, DC, which engaged thousands of residents in shaping the city’s budget priorities. Neighborhood Action was named Program of the Year by the International Association of Public Participation. Joe also managed the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission’s Common Ground regional planning process in Chicago, which later received the Outstanding Planning Award from the American Planning Association for its innovative use of technology and broad community outreach.

Joe was a Public Service Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he received a master’s degree in public policy. He graduated with honors in political science from Vassar College.

Follow Joe on Twitter @joegoldman