About Us

Demand Progress Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. It houses operations that, until mid-2022, took place as a project of New Venture Fund.

– We educate our members and the general public about matters pertaining to the democratic nature of our nation’s communications infrastructure and governance structures, and the impacts of corporate power over our economy and democracy.

– We mobilize our members and the public to engage with executive branch agencies with jurisdiction over these matters, and to confront corporate bad actors.

– We engage in research, outreach to the media, educational programming, and occasional litigation related to these areas of concern.

Areas of Focus

Internet Freedom

We work to protect an internet that affords the public the ability to communicate freely online, without unjust interference from corporations or governments.

Human & Civil Rights

We strive to protect human and civil rights, online and off, in the United States and throughout the world.

Corporate Power

We seek to reduce the corrupting influence of corporate interests in policy-making, break up and regulate concentrations of corporate power, and reform the financial system — so our democracy and economy work for everyone.

Democracy & Open Government

An open, accountable, and sufficiently-resourced government is essential for a well-functioning democracy — and smart use of technology is key to making our modern democracy work.

FOIA Team

Financials

The following financial disclosures list grants, donations, gifts, and payment for services received by the Demand Progress Education Fund as housed within our Fiscal Sponsor. Most of our funding is for general support of our work; funding for specific projects and programs generally are described as such.

Demand Progress Education Fund does not accept contributions from governments. On occasion we accept contributions from corporations for work that is aligned with our mission, such as that in opposition to mass government surveillance or in support of anti-monopoly efforts. Corporate donations generally represent no more than 5% of our income.

Financial Disclosure Information for 2022

  • Ford Foundation ($600,000)
  • Anonymous ($550,000)
  • Hewlett Foundation ($400,000)
  • Todd Y Park Family Fund ($200,000)
  • Democracy Fund ($100,000)
  • Way to Rise ($100,000)
  • Arca Foundation ($50,000)
  • Wallace Foundation ($50,000)

Financial Disclosure Information for 2021

  • Anonymous — ($550,000)
  • Todd Y Park Family Fund — ($200,000)
  • Democracy Fund — To support the First Branch Center ($175,000)
  • Hewlett Foundation — ($100,000)
  • Arca Foundation — ($50,000)
  • Center for Economic and Policy Research — To support the Progressive Talent Pipeline ($38,500)
  • Hull Family Foundation — ($30,000)
  • Yelp — ($30,000)
  • Athena Coalition — To support the regulation of tech monopolies ($21,000)
  • Lincoln Network — For a joint project with the First Branch Center ($16,500)
  • New Venture Fund — Reimbursement ($12,500)
  • Calyx Institute — ($7,500)
  • JM Kaplan Fund — ($1,000)

Financial Disclosure Information for 2020

  • Ford Foundation — ($625,000)
  • Anonymous — ($600,000)
  • Schwab Charitable — Support the BillMap Project ($350,000)
  • Todd Park — Support the Digital Democracy Project ($200,000)
  • Way to Win — ($125,000)
  • William and Flora Hewlett Foundation — Support the First Branch Center ($125,000)
  • Democracy Fund — Support the First Branch Center ($85,000)
  • Media Democracy, Education Fund — To support online rights ($70,000)
  • Ploughshares Fund — To support progressive foreign policy work ($60,000)
  • Arca Foundation — ($50,000)
  • Wallace Global Fund — ($50,000)
  • Issue One Action — To support the report Article One: Rebuilding our Congress ($30,000)
  • Lincoln Network — To support research on Legislative Branch science and technology ($30,000)
  • Center for Economic and Policy Research — Support the Progressive Talent Pipeline ($21,000)
  • Fidelity — ($15,000)
  • NVF Reimbursement — ($12,500)
  • Proteus — ($7,000)