Anti-Authoritarian Grantmaking Guidelines
Seeking feedback on this set of Anti-Authoritarian Grantmaking Guidelines:
1. Does it directly counter an authoritarian tactic?
Ask:
Which tactic does this address? (e.g., voter suppression, captured media, protest criminalization, economic precarity)
Is the connection clear and evidence-based?
Fund if: The tactic is active in the target geography and the intervention disrupts it directly.
2. Is the cost per unit of impact reasonable?
Ask:
Can the grantee show the cost per key outcome?
Ballots retained or added
People freed from unjust detention
Laws blocked/repealed
Dollars restored to households
How does that compare to similar interventions?
Fund if: The cost per outcome is at or below sector benchmarks (e.g., <$0.25 per voter reached, <$500 per direct legal defense case, <10% of the household value restored).
3. Is there measurable, near-term impact?
Ask:
What will be different in 6–12 months if this is funded?
Will we have a verifiable data point (court win, turnout shift, media investigation published, policy change enacted)?
Fund if: Impact can be measured and publicly documented within a year.
4. Does it build durable power or infrastructure?
Ask:
Will the win stick beyond this grant cycle?
Will it leave behind assets (trained organizers, legal precedents, public-owned tools, voter files, co-ops) that can’t be easily dismantled?
Fund if: At least 50% of the value remains in community hands after the grant period.
5. Can it scale or be replicated?
Ask:
If successful, can this model be used in another state, city, or sector?
Is there a plan to share tools, tactics, or infrastructure?
Fund if: The grantee has a scaling or replication plan that doesn’t depend on your foundation alone.
6. Is the grantee structurally independent?
Ask:
Is the organization’s governance independent of political parties and extractive corporate interests?
Is leadership accountable to the communities served?
Fund if: The grantee is not beholden to actors whose interests conflict with democratic values.
7. Does it leverage coalition power?
Ask:
Will this grant be amplified by other funders, partners, or grassroots groups?
Is the grantee connected to broader movements resisting authoritarianism?
Fund if: Your investment adds momentum to a bigger push rather than standing alone.
8. Does it have a clear exit or transition strategy?
Ask:
What happens when your funding ends?
Will the work collapse, taper, or sustain through other revenue or policy changes?
Fund if: There’s a credible plan to maintain the gains without indefinite dependency.
9. Is there transparency in reporting?
Ask:
Will you get regular updates with metrics, stories, and budget use?
Is the organization willing to publish results publicly?
Fund if: There’s a clear, agreed-upon reporting cadence and metrics.
10. Will success weaken the authoritarian playbook long-term?
Ask:
Does the outcome permanently remove or blunt a tool authoritarians use (e.g., eliminate a voter purge law, create binding legal precedent, secure public ownership)?
Fund if: The grant clearly contributes to shrinking the opponent’s toolbox.
