Democracy and Civic Life Initiative
Democracy and Civic Life Initiative supports institutions advancing civic education, citizen-led problem-solving, and shared democratic practices to strengthen democracy and trust in public institutions.
Funder: Henry Luce Foundation
Due Dates: Concept notes accepted unsolicited (no fixed deadline stated) | March, June, November (annual board consideration)
Funding Amounts: $10,000–$1,000,000 across Luce Foundation programs; multi-year grants available
Summary: Supports active citizenship, citizen-led community problem-solving, and sharing successful democratic practices to strengthen democracy and public trust.
Key Information: Grants go to institutions, not individuals; applications are typically invited, with limited funding reserved for unsolicited proposals.
Description
The Henry Luce Foundation’s Democracy and Civic Life Initiative, formerly Democracy, Ethics, and Public Trust, supports citizens’ active involvement in their own governance, particularly where they can see the outcomes of their participation. It treats democracy as a daily practice whose viability depends on the results it produces for citizens. The initiative primarily supports projects in the United States.
Its three focus areas are equipping citizens for active citizenship, practicing democratic participation, and disseminating successful approaches. Supported work includes access to news and information, civic education, community capacity-building, testing democratic approaches, community-based visioning and problem-solving, and defending democratic rights. Research, evaluation, convenings, and publications can help share effective practices. The initiative aims to rebuild trust in shared institutions, strengthen democratic culture, advance justice, and inspire new conceptions of American identity and belonging.
