Investing in Civil Society: The Foundation of Democracy

I’ve spent most of my career working in some of the world’s most challenging, conflict-ridden, and repressive places. Each place was defined by its local context, but all were fragile states, meaning there was an absence or a breakdown of a social contract between people and their governments. When countries suffer from a lack of political legitimacy or fail to deliver for their citizens, they are at greater risk of instability and violent conflict.  Whether a country is able to avoid falling into the trap of fragility, without sliding into authoritarianism or chaos, often hinges on whether there is a vibrant, engaged, and active civil society. 

A strong civil society is the foundation of democracy. The nonprofits, community organizations, faith groups, and advocates that form civil society bind a democracy together, enabling meaningful citizen engagement, a sense of agency, collective action, and accountability. Civil society can educate people about their rights and help catalyze movements for change. It can also shine a light on corruption and abuse of power that often happens in the shadows. As individuals and institutions try to consolidate wealth and power, it is civil society that stands in defense of the common good. 

So, it is no surprise that as democracy has declined globally, attacks against civil society have escalated. In contrast to the heady days of democratic flowering in the post-Soviet era, civil society is in retreat across the world. Organizations that track the health of civil society have shown that, since 2019, civil society has weakened under targeted efforts to undermine it. Today, more than 2.4 billion people live in countries where civic space has effectively disappeared—where expressing dissent carries serious risks, including detention, violence, or worse. 

Amid this democratic backsliding, philanthropies must rethink how we support and protect civil society to best ensure its resilience over time. Funding civil society actors isn’t optional; it’s essential. But how we fund them matters just as much as what we fund.

All too often, philanthropy, for good reasons, supports civil society primarily through program-based funding: investments in nonprofit initiatives designed to carry out specific activities within defined timelines, goals, and budgets. This approach is rooted in a sincere commitment to steward resources responsibly and maximize impact. This approach may accomplish important programmatic goals, but experience tells us it isn’t sufficient to sustain strong, resilient civil society groups over time and to safeguard the long-term success of specific programs.

Even in the best of times, civil society groups require less visible but essential forms of support to support their capacity to operate, from developing new strategic plans to ensuring sound financial management and recruiting strong staff. When governments increase attacks on civil society and limit the ability of organizations to speak out or pursue their missions, additional and more urgent support is required, including crisis communication, legal counsel, and digital and physical security.  When organizations are unable to operate, civic freedom is further constrained, often leading to less accountable governance and heightened risk of fragility and authoritarianism.

At the Packard Foundation, we’ve prioritized funding the people and structures that hold civic life together. By backing people, institutions, and networks with flexible, longer-term investments, we seek to help them build resilience over time, pivot to changing needs with greater agility, and sustain the communities that depend on their support. When organizations are well-led, secure, and resilient, the benefits extend far beyond the life of a single grant. And communities anchored by organizations that enable collective action and a sense of belonging are more resilient.  

Together with our partners, the Packard Foundation supports Resource Hubs—organizational strengthening and leadership platforms that are a core part of civil society infrastructure. These hubs provide easy-to-access support that adapts to changing needs and reaches many organizations in an economically sustainable way. 

We currently support three types of hubs:

• Comprehensive Hubs: Offer training and coaching on a broad range of organizational needs including strategy, fundraising, operations, and leadership
• Security Hubs: Provide legal, crisis communications, and physical and digital security support
• Merger and Partnership Hubs: Help organizations navigate funding declines by exploring new business models, partnerships, mergers, or responsible wind-downs

Together, these hubs help civil society adapt to an operating environment that grows more challenging by the day—and they offer a model for how funders can invest collaboratively in the resilience of the field as a whole.

Every day we see the dedication of people around the world who are on the frontlines of supporting their communities, protecting their democracy or demanding a more responsive, accountable government. They are the backbone of social change, providing essential services, and safeguarding democratic norms. 

As a vital segment of civil society, philanthropies themselves are coming under fire. Our freedom to give in ways that align with our values is being challenged in new and consequential ways. In moments of uncertainty, it can be tempting to hold fast to familiar approaches or even pare back civil society funding, rather than embrace new models. But that would be a dangerous mistake. 

Democracy is the miracle that enables us to live peacefully with those with whom we disagree. Safeguarding that miracle means supporting the civil society that upholds it—courageously and holistically.