Catalyze: Civic Lab
Our cohort-based approach to accelerating the growth of organizations focused on strengthening democracy in the United States.
Building the future of a thriving multi-racial democracy and expanding civic engagement.
Building a thriving multiracial, intergenerational, and cross-cultural society requires that we invest in our democracy, which has yet to fulfill its founding promises for all of us. Launched in 2019, Civic Lab is a cohort-based approach to supporting innovative approaches to strengthening and building a thriving, inclusive democracy in the United States and its territories.
We invest in nonpartisan democracy organizations that are building civic capabilities and supporting narrative change – painting a picture of what’s possible for the future of our democracy.
Our goal is to build and support the nascent ecosystem for democracy organizations by amplifying their work and increasing philanthropic funding flows outside of election cycles to ensure long-term sustainability and investment.
“ My commitment to public service was instilled in me by my grandmother…What I admired her the most for was our shared passion and commitment to community development and our strong belief that citizen-centered reform is the key to a strong democracy. Issel Masses of Sembrando Sentido, a Civic Lab alumni organization
We support organizations that build civic capabilities by:
- Cultivating discernment (e.g., media literacy, civic education)
- Building daily practices of democracy (e.g., narrative change work),
- Constructing a vision for an inclusive and thriving democracy (e.g., community activation and engagement).
