The U.S. Democracy Hub, an innovative data project by the Democracy Funders Network and Third Plateau in partnership with Impala, has been named the Community Voice Winner and Silver Winner for Best Use of Data in Awareness, Human & Civil Rights.
The Community Voice win reflects the support of the public, who voted to recognize the importance and impact of this work. The Silver win, meanwhile, was awarded by judges from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), the group responsible for selecting all Gold, Silver, and Bronze Anthem Award honorees. Together, these two awards—one chosen by the public and one by industry experts—underscore the urgency and significance of our team’s efforts to make the U.S. nonprofit democracy sector more transparent, connected, and effective.
“This has been a challenging year for the impact sector, but the Winners of the 5th Annual Anthem Awards have shown their resilience and continued commitment to a better tomorrow,” said Anthem Awards General Manager, Patricia McLoughlin. “This year’s winners are a source of hope, and I am excited to celebrate their work with the world today.”
The 5th Annual Anthem Awards received more than 2,000 submissions from 42 countries worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities.
A Critical Moment for Democracy
America’s democracy is facing unprecedented challenges. Yet, while threats to civic engagement grow, the nonprofit democracy sector — with more than 4,000 organizations working to protect and strengthen democratic institutions — was largely operating in the dark. Fragmented data, opaque tax records, and scattered knowledge made it nearly impossible to understand who was doing what, where resources were flowing, and where critical gaps existed.
This lack of visibility created gaps at precisely the moment when clarity and coordination were most needed. Funders, nonprofits, and journalists lacked a single, trusted source of financial data to make strategic decisions. The result: inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and sector vulnerabilities.
Enter: The U.S. Democracy Hub
The U.S. Democracy Hub is the first comprehensive diagnostic of the U.S. nonprofit democracy sector’s finances and organizational sustainability. It transforms fragmented information into a living, dynamic map of over 4,000 organizations, showing:
- Where resources flow
- Where gaps remain
- Where investment is needed
The hub continuously monitors trends, identifies emerging patterns, and uncovers strategic gaps — providing the sector with real-time insights to act decisively.
Kristin Hansen, Executive Director of the Civic Health Project and a project advisor, perfectly sums up the challenge the Hub addresses:
“The majority of people doing democracy work have just come into it in the last several years. A new grassroots democracy practitioner typically knows nothing about philanthropy, knows no one in philanthropy, and doesn’t even know what the different categories of philanthropy are.”
By democratizing access to information, the Hub gives new and experienced practitioners alike the tools to navigate the sector thoughtfully.
How It Works
The Hub integrates robust data from multiple sources, far beyond previous efforts:
- IRS filings for both grantmakers and nonprofits
- Nonprofit finances
- Nine distinct categories of democracy work
This integration allows users to sort top funders, identify the largest nonprofits, and track investments across the ecosystem. The result is a nuanced, actionable picture of the democracy field — one that supports smarter giving, collaboration, and sector growth.
Our team spent nearly two years collaborating with funders and nonprofit leaders to ensure the Hub is both comprehensive and user-friendly, blending technical rigor with field expertise. The collaboration between Democracy Funders Network, Third Plateau, and Impala brought together sector knowledge, strategic clarity, and technological innovation.
Why Now
At a time when democracy is fragile, the Hub empowers stakeholders to:
- Identify gaps and opportunities in the sector
- Track risks and emerging trends
- Make data-driven investments that strengthen democracy
Every click in the Hub contributes to a clearer understanding of the sector, enabling funders, nonprofits, and others to act more effectively in support of open society.
Looking Forward
While the Anthem recognition is exciting, the work to fortify democracy is ongoing. The U.S. Democracy Hub is just one example of what’s possible when data, technology, and sector expertise come together. This model could be replicated across other ecosystems where fragmented information impedes progress.
If you’re interested in exploring how this kind of data-driven approach can transform your field, please reach out. Together, we can build smarter, more resilient sectors that respond to the challenges of our time.
