NEW YORK—The Open Society Foundations help fund an array of nonprofit civil society groups across the United States that advocate for a fairer world.
The vast majority of these groups have no involvement with protests of any kind. Others may seek to articulate and amplify dissenting voices through, for example, petitions, meetings, and peaceful public protests.
These decisions on how best to advance change lie with our grantees, not with Open Society; we adopt an arm’s length approach to grantees once our publicly disclosed funding decisions are made. Open Society does not pay protestors. We never, and will never, coordinate, train, or strategize with protest organizers or participants.
At the same time, in all their work, our grantees are expected to adhere to the principles of nonviolence grounded in the human rights that are inherent to Open Society’s mission.
We recognize that the ability to engage in nonviolent public protest is a hallmark of any vibrant democracy—and that in the United States this right is secured by the Constitution.
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Civic Engagement
Bolstering Women and Youth, Linchpins of Democracy
Philanthropy has historically underfunded women and youth. Open Society’s new $50 million investment in their engagement addresses that imbalance—and builds on recent surges in civic engagement crucial to the future of American democracy.
Art and Activism
Reimagining January 6th
The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol left him in a cold sweat. Creating a comic book seemed like one way to reach people not obsessively following the news and spark activism to help defend a multicultural democracy.
Workers' Rights
How Resilience Workers Help Combat the Climate Crisis
After climate disasters hit, migrant workers play a key role in rebuilding U.S. cities. But in this multibillion-dollar industry, they face abuse and exploitation. Now, they're fighting to have their rights recognized.