Philanthropy: an ally of democracy

With the rise of climate emergencies, social inequalities, and humanitarian crises, philanthropy is dedicated to addressing the pressing challenges facing us today. Its mission is to confront these issues while striving to create more inclusive, equitable societies that respect individual rights and collective freedoms. As the promotion of these democratic values increasingly shapes the goals of foundations, it also influences their operations, guiding their efforts to foster fairness and respect for diversity.

Democracy under increasing pressure

Democracy is facing increasing pressure from multiple fronts. Rapid institutional changes, rising authoritarianism, growing communitarianism, and shrinking civic space are straining democratic models. Mistrust in knowledge, science, media, and truth further weakens democratic foundations. The freedom of democratic debate is often compromised by polarized opinions that limit nuance, suppress diverse viewpoints, and hinder respectful dialogue. This erosion of democratic discourse undermines core values democracy is built on: freedom of expression, representation, equality and inclusion. 

What role can philanthropy play in this context? What strategies can it employ? And what legitimacy does it have to act on behalf of others in the public interest?

Direct action to promote democracy

Faced with the threat to democracy, philanthropy is committed to taking action. “The term democracy was very present in the actions of foundations in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, but in France it has been notably emerging over the past year," says Alexandre Giraud, Director of Philanthropic Action at the Fondation de France. “Is this linked to the proximity and intensification of the conflict in Ukraine, which poses a major threat to the democratic front? To the fact that dialogue between politicians is becoming increasingly difficult and polarised, which is also a threat to the future of democracy and one of its core values, freedom of expression? Or that representative democracy is less and less popular with young people, a situation that is also reshaping the political landscape? Digital technology, with the explosion of social networks, is also helping to undermine democracy, encouraging the spread of false information, cognitive biases, and binary opinions, leaving no room for nuance or constructive argument in debate. I also think we have come to realise that in the end, democracy is not an immutable state of affairs and that even France is not immune to a backward slide in this respect. So it is very important that foundations look at this issue, take on this more 'political' role and commit to both restoring confidence in the values of democracy and preserving this precious asset, the guarantor of individual freedoms and community life".

To preserve the vitality of democracy, foundations encourage and promote the development of initiatives of various kinds: support for independent media, access to information/the pluralism of information, support for civil society, and so on.

Founded in 2023 by Sarah Durieux, the Foundation Multitudes supports initiatives at European level based on the conviction that the fight against injustice involves preserving and restoring democracy. "Philanthropy is developing a wide range of initiatives, but it takes too little interest in what enables it to fulfil its missions. Namely, a functioning democracy. Our democratic system no longer appeals, particularly to young people, because it does not respect the rules of social parity. In France, 60% of members of parliament come from the upper classes, though they represent only 10% of the population. To strengthen democracy, we need inclusive leadership and decision-making processes that reflect our society as a whole," says Sarah Durieux.

The Multitudes Foundation supports projects that encourage political parties to include people from all social groups in their leadership. It assists programmes designed to inspire young people to take a fresh interest in politics, make it a means of action and enable it to function more effectively. It funds around 15 projects in Europe, including the Italian association Fantapolitica, which encourages people under 30 to get involved in municipal life. It also provides a wide range of discussion forums. "Our European dimension means that we can share a wealth of experience, thus avoiding silo systems - country by country and discipline by discipline. We are developing a community of practice with researchers and philanthropists working on these issues. Last month in Paris, we brought together the Fantapolitica teams and French and German associations to discuss the democratisation of politics.

Another example of mobilisation at the European level is the Civitates alliance, joined by the Fondation de France in 2017, which consists of several European foundations belonging to the Network of European Philanthropy (NEF). Together, they have launched a joint fund to defend and promote democracy in Europe. Since its creation, it has supported more than 50 organisations in 18 countries to the tune of €13 million: "Civitates has three priority areas of intervention: support for civil society and the defence of freedom of assembly and association; support for independent public interest media; and support for organisations interested in the impact of new technologies on democracy," says Elisa Peter, director of the fund.

More recently in France, several foundations (Porticus, Fondation de France, Fondation Danielle Mitterrand, OSF) have set up the Fonds pour la Démocratie, designed as a philanthropic structure dedicated to this issue. “Democracy is an essential condition and component of the public interest, at the crossroads of all the major causes fostering a fairer, greener, and more caring society," says Laetitia Veriter, Head of Philanthropy at the Fondation de France. “We are working to bring about a collective and ambitious philanthropic initiative, dedicated to the mission of French democratic vitality. Its aim is to support associations and movements that promote citizenship education and empowerment for all, combat misinformation, protect the rule of law, enhance the participation of marginalized groups, propose new practices and democratic visions, and, crucially, get the younger generation on board.”

Promoting democratic values

For Pierre Sellal, Chairman of the Fondation de France, "philanthropy has long been inseparable from the notion of progress: the world is not condemned to 'evil', it can be made better through determination and action, altruism and solidarity, and effective collaboration. Our era is less comfortable with the idea of progress, and philanthropists probably feel they are not the movers and shakers they were in the past. However, philanthropy still loves truth, knowledge, and learning. When these are banished or opposed, it’s the sign of a society full of inequality and tension. This is why philanthropy is eminently present in support for education, research, and science, which guarantee, if not of progress, then common values and the capacity for dialogue.”

So, even if their purpose does not include the word democracy, many foundations help to bring it to life and uphold its values; reducing inequalities, fostering access to education and rights, taking action against discrimination and disinformation, promoting high-quality and pluralistic information, contributing to artistic creation and influence are all initiatives with a powerful democratic resonance.

The increasingly important role of digital technology in society also raises a number of democratic issues: how can we combat disinformation and the manipulation of opinion by public or private players on social media, particularly in the context of elections? How can we promote access to reliable, high-quality information in the digital sphere? How can we make digital tools accessible to as many people as possible, while protecting citizens and their data? Various philanthropic players are tackling these issues, such as the Tech and Democracy sub-fund of the Civitates alliance, involved in combating the harmful effects of technology on democracy. Another example is the European AI and Society Fund, created in 2020 by a consortium of European foundations and hosted in Brussels by NEF, the ethical banking cooperative. Its mission is to ensure that civil society can be an active and effective partner in shaping the regulation of Artificial Intelligence in Europe, so that it meets the needs of individuals and society.

Furthermore, cooperation and collective action, which are forms of democratic operation, are essential to find effective and sustainable solutions. Thierry Pech, CEO of the Terra Nova think tank, stresses the importance of building a broad consensus to tackle the major transitions that lie ahead: ecological, demographic, digital, etc. (1) "The issues of climate change require numerous transformations in the choices we make on a daily basis, and call for new forms of democracy that go beyond representative democracy."

Involvement of stakeholders and cooperation

The spirit of co-construction and active involvement of the people concerned is increasingly the rule in foundation activities. “We strongly support the active participation of people in the choice and follow-up of actions that concern them," says Axelle Davezac, CEO of the Fondation de France. “This involvement is one of the key criteria in the selection of the projects we support. It meets a democratic need, because it gives people back the power to act, and ensures effectiveness backed by conviction. To succeed, you don't do it for, you do it with."

Co-production is central to the model of Un Monde par Tous Foundation, created in 1996 by Patrick Lescure. "We are focusing on a triple challenge: the ecological crisis, the explosion of inequalities, and the erosion of democratic and humanist values. We support nearly 40 associations working on the ground to tackle the root causes of problems and offer alternatives through actions based on advocacy and resistance." Un Monde par Tous supports migrant aid associations such as Anafé (national association for border assistance for foreigners), which conducts research and awareness-raising campaigns on the issue of migration. In the field of ecology, it supports associations that promote small-scale farming, cultivated biodiversity, and food and land sovereignty, maintaining trust with funded partners". They are the ones with the expertise. I don't put the foundation in the position of deciding and distributing. We are links in a chain; some of the many players acting for the common good."

Private philanthropy and the general interest

If philanthropy is committed to democracy, it must also embrace the spirit of democracy in its practices. Many foundations are introducing collaborative methods in their operations. They include specific skills, employee representation in corporate foundations, and the involvement of the people concerned in the selection, roll-out, and widespread adoption of programmes.

Sylvain Lefèvre, in his study "Philanthropy and Democracy: challenges and prospects for foundations in the 21st century" (2), points out that "foundations are keen to develop democratic ways of working, in terms of choosing actions, pooling ideas and experience, or even transforming the way they operate internally."

To read the study, download “Philanthropy and democracy, challenges and outlook for foundations in the 21th century.

Download the study

Philanthropy and democracy: what are the issues and prospects for foundations?

As there is a balance to be struck between power and counter-power in any democracy, Nicolas Duvoux, who co-directed this study, points out that philanthropy can even act "as a counter-power when the causes it supports are struggling to make progress." Because one of the distinctive features of philanthropy is that it works over the long-term." As it is not constrained by the short timeframe of the market or electoral procedures, it is an instrument not for conserving resources but for reforming and innovating society."

Far removed from the imperatives of electoral deadlines or profitability, foundations make an important contribution that complements the work of the State. They can afford to be daring and take risks to support the most innovative projects, focusing on the long term and accepting the uncertainty inherent to all research. In this way, philanthropy exercises its freedom with this ability to act, to ask questions, and to challenge, which also nourishes the democratic vitality of a country.

The experimentation of the "Territories with zero long-term unemployed" programme is an illustration of this. Initiated by ATD Quart Monde in partnership with several foundations, it resulted in a law adopted by Parliament in 2016. Another example is the Maison des Femmes project in Saint-Denis, developed by gynaecologist Ghada Hatem and supported by various foundations including Kering, Raja, and the Fondation de France. "When I came up with the idea for this women’s centre, which would provide both a medical facility and a unit to deal with violence against women, I went to see the minister responsible, who rejected the project because it was too unusual and didn't fit into any of the boxes. Without philanthropy, it would never have seen the light of day." The Maison des Femmes is currently 60% funded by public authorities, proof that philanthropy complements and enriches government action, playing its full role as a creator of innovation.

(1) Report by Terra Nova: Quel rôle et quelle place pour la philanthropie dans une démocratie aujourd’hui ?

(2) "Philanthropie et Démocratie, enjeux et perspectives pour les fondations au XXIème siècle", by French sociologist Nicolas Duvoux and Canadian political scientist Sylvain A. Lefèvre.

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FURTHER READING

→ The Philanthropy Observatory
→ “We believe that this is a moment for philanthropy to be bold, brave, and courageous.” - Julie Broome