Our Work: Democracy

The goal of RFF’s Democracy program is to promote and sustain multiracial democratic practice in the United States. In 2019, RFF founded the Democracy & Power Innovation Fund, a community of organizers, researchers, and funders who, through collaborative study, rigorous research, and analysis of program data, are innovating strategies, programs, and tools to make the practice of building democracy easier, more equitable, and better able to deliver material change in peoples' lives. Our theory is that the political system is failing communities of color and the solution is to reorient our collective focus away from transactional and extractive short-term tactics toward support for base-building organizing rooted in communities of color that creates long-term, durable, organized power.

The DPI Fund has supported dozens of collaborative research projects and built a community of more than 800 individuals, organizations, researchers, and funders committed to learning together about effective approaches to create and sustain a multiracial democracy in the United States.

Collaborators

Collaboration is key to our success. Our staff work in close partnership with aligned funders, experts, and national, state, and local leaders to build and implement complex initiatives that can drive necessary progress.

Case Study

Understanding and Measuring Power

The DPI Fund's Organizing Lab works with grassroots organizations around the country to support the collection and analysis of organizing data that gives groups insight into their core work. Building on the learning from this partnership, we developed an analytic framework that state-based organizations can use to understand and measure the strategies and tactics that increase their base of support in the community, grow leaders, develop collective capacities, and achieve measurable impact.

Case Study

Exploring Diverse Values and Identities within Communities of Color

The DPI Fund’s narrative program focuses on research and innovative practices to understand the various values and identities that exist within Black, Latino, AAPI, and Native communities. Our research partnerships support state-based organizing groups in their work to connect with, engage, and inspire Black, Latino, AAPI, and Native voters and promote the sense of community and belonging that is necessary as a foundation for high levels of civic engagement.

Organized power drives change. Powerful multiracial democratic practice requires organized collective action within a strategy aimed at winning change.

Team Members

Julie Fernandes

Associate Director for Democracy

Irum Ali

Program Assistant

Noga Shlapobersky

Research & Policy Analyst