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From Concern to Action: Funding Democratic Futures

1 July, 2026

When participants at the June 3rd Funding Democratic Futures event organised jointly by HER Collective and The Hague Humanity Hub, were asked what concerned them most about the future of democracy, their answers were unequivocal: apathy and misinformation.

These concerns reflected more than abstract anxiety. They captured a shared sense among civil society actors, community organisers, funders, researchers, policymakers, and (former) politicians that democracy is under pressure not only from weakened institutions, but also from a growing loss of public trust and participation.

The discussion quickly moved from concern to a practical question: how can funding help turn civic energy into democratic power?

Key Insights: What We Heard

  • The democracy crisis is not only institutional; it’s a crisis of participation. Apathy is growing not because people don’t care, but because many no longer feel their engagement matters.
  • Destabilization has become a business model. The forces undermining democracy are often structured, coordinated, and well-funded. Responses need to match that scale and intentionality.
  • Seemingly disparate frictions in society – be it around the manosphere, sexual and reproductive rights, lgbtq community, trade, or geopolitical tensions – oftentimes can be linked back to the same actors looking to destabilize our democracies. Once actual democratic ruptures appear, the damage to our social fabric has been done.
  • Civic momentum does not automatically lead to political power. Therefore, when funding stops just short of the “political line,” it leaves strong movements unable to transform their energy into lasting policy change.
  • The most urgent funding gaps are in innovation and political leadership. When given the choice, many participants prioritized youth engagement, civic education, and democracy innovators.
  • Democracy needs reimagination. Preserving existing systems is no longer enough. The conversation needs to shift towards how democratic participation can be meaningfully redesigned for today’s realities.

Discussion Highlights: From Concern to Action

Rather than framing democracy as a distant or theoretical ideal, participants grounded the conversation in present-day realities where several pillars of democratic systems are under growing strain. What resonated with many across the room, however, was not only their collective concern about the erosion of institutional infrastructures, but also their shared recognition regarding the declining ability of citizens to meaningfully influence the decisions that shape their lives.

A recurring tension throughout the discussion was the relationship between civil society and politics. Many organizations that build movements and mobilize communities, as well as funders, acknowledge that building momentum outside of politics does not automatically translate into decision-making power. Instead, it results in movements that struggle to get their ideas translated into policy, and citizens who feel disconnected from formal politics, thus contributing to a growing gap between civic engagement and political representation. This helps explain why apathy emerged so strongly during the discussion. Many people do care, but they do not always see a path from participation to influence.

At the same time, civic engagement as we know it, whether through political parties, unions, or community structures and volunteer work, is steadily declining. Moreover, political debate is increasingly shaped online, where misinformation and polarisation can spread quickly. These shifting avenues of public engagement and the increasing disconnect between what people care about and what political establishments respond to create fertile ground for other challenges to democracy, such as disinformation and polarization, to take hold, further destabilizing fragile democratic systems.

As noted earlier, these developments are not random: They are structured, coordinated, and often well-funded.
Having shared these insights,  the conversation shifted from one centered on apathy to one that assessed the underlying incentives and infrastructures of democratic and anti-democratic forces.

Funding Gaps Identified

This shift, and the recognition regarding the systematic nature of the problem, brought forth the essential question at the heart of the conversation: what are we not funding that we should be?

The responses from the participants indicated a strong emphasis on:

  • Youth engagement and local activism
  • Civic education and critical thinking
  • Countering disinformation and strengthening public debate
  • Legal systems that protect democratic actors
  • Democracy innovators

Nonetheless, focussing on efforts that responded to, rather than being a part of political decision-making processes does not solve the  tension between funders, civil society and politics. Bridging this divide emerged as a critical frontier, emphasizing the need to invest in political leadership, supporting existing and new candidates, and helping people better understand how democratic institutions actually work. The discussion also raised an important question for funders and philanthropists: how can they use their influence, networks, and resources to support democracy more effectively?

Rebuilding Civic Culture

Underneath the conversations on democratic setbacks and interventions in need of funding was a consensus on the imperative to rebuild civic culture.  Rebuilding that culture means restoring people’s sense of agency and reinforcing the idea that democracy is an active, collective responsibility.

What’s Next: What We Can Each of Us Do

Reflecting on the insights from our conversation, a few ways came up in which we can all step up as citizens,  and organizers is investing in efforts that:

  • Encourage people to speak up, not only during elections
  • Protect those on the frontlines of activism
  • Elevate voices that can resonate across different parts of society
  • Make conversation across the aisle possible, even when the going gets tough
  • Strengthen the social fabric that holds democratic systems together
  • Invest in democracy innovators

What’s Next: What We Can Collectively Do & Why Now

If there is one key takeaway from this evening, it is that this is a timely and essential conversation that is far from finished. This session on Funding Democratic Futures marked the beginning of what we hope will become an ongoing dialogue on how resources, strategies, and collaboration can strengthen democracy and actively counter democratic backsliding.

While the challenges facing democracy are significant, so too is the potential of people to sustain it. This evening has demonstrated a collective commitment to keep asking difficult questions and to start funding the answers.

Get involved

We hope to keep this conversation going. If you are a funder, practitioner, researcher, or citizen who cares about the future of democracy, there are several ways to stay connected and contribute:

About the event

This event was organized by the HER Collective and The Hague Humanity Hub and brought together approximately 50 people representing a diverse set of actors including civil society, community organizers, funders, researchers, policymakers, and (former) politicians, among others, to jointly explore possible pathways to safeguard a democratic future. The conversation took place under the Chatham House Rule.

Valuable Resources used in preparation for and during the session


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