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Healthy Democracy Fund

EIN 27-1457207 · Portland, OR

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak45 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HEALTHY DEMOCRACY WORKS TO ELEVATE THE VOICES OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE IN PUBLIC DECISION-MAKING. HEALTHY DEMOCRACY DEVELOPS NEW FORMATS FOR DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT THAT PRIORITIZE THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATION, TRANSPARENCY, AND IN-DEPTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE.

Income
$541,054
Spending
$641,902
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 71%
Employees
4
Volunteers
21
Highest pay
$67,683, program co-director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 27% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)
  1. $220,876 spent. DEMOCRACY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: IN 2025, THE DEMOCRACY R&D NETWORK 9TH ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE GLOBAL NETWORK OF DEMOCRATIC INNOVATORS ATTRACTED OVER 270 PARTICIPANTS IN BRUSSELS, MARKING ITS LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE EVENT YET, WITH STRONG REPRESENTATION FROM GLOBAL SOUTH COUNTRIES. COMMUNITY BUILDING EFFORTS INCLUDED 5 REGIONAL MEETINGS, SUPPORT TO FIELD-BUILDING DISCUSSIONS, AND THE ADDITION OF 28 NEW MEMBERS. THE NETWORK ALSO LAUNCHED THE FIRST SESSION OF THE HARD CONVERSATIONS SERIES. THE DR&D WEBSITE WAS FULLY UPDATED, TWO NEWSLETTER EDITIONS WERE PUBLISHED, GENERATING 121 NEW SUBSCRIBERS AND SHARING 63 PIECES OF CONTENT ON MEMBER ACTIVITIES, RESEARCH, AND FIELD DEVELOPMENTS.
  2. $230,410 spent. DELIVERY OF LOTTERY-SELECTED CIVIC ASSEMBLIES: IN 2025, HEALTHY DEMOCRACY (HD) DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED THE HUGHES CIVIC ASSEMBLY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS (CO) AND SEVERAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. THIS CIVIC ASSEMBLY ANALYZED A PRESSING LAND-USE ISSUE AND DEVELOPED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH VOTED TO PUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE BALLOT. IN NOVEMBER 2025, FORT COLLINS VOTERS APPROVED THE ASSEMBLY'S VISION FOR THE HUGHES SITE. THIS YEAR WE ALSO PROVIDED PRO BONO CONSULTATION TO SEVERAL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE US ON DEMOCRATIC LOTTERIES AND DELIBERATIVE PROCESS METHODS.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.'HEALTHY DEMOCRACY (HD) DESIGNS AND COORDINATES INNOVATIVE PUBLIC PROCESSES CALLED CIVIC ASSEMBLIES, WHICH EMPOWER EVERYDAY PEOPLE TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO TOUGH POLICY QUESTIONS. WE SELECT DELEGATES THROUGH A DEMOCRATIC LOTTERY (ENSURING NEW AND REPRESENTATIVE VOICES), CREATE A PROCESS FOR INFORMATION GATHERING (PRIORITIZING BREADTH AND CREDIBILITY), AND DESIGN THE IN-ROOM DELIBERATION (SUPPORTING DEEP COLLABORATION, CONFLICT EXPLORATION, AND CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING). HD ALSO COORDINATES LOGISTICS, TECHNOLOGY, CONTRACTING, MODERATOR TRAINING, STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS, AND FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE DEMOCRATIC MINI-SYSTEMS.
  3. $55,888 spent. PUBLIC ADVOCACY FOR LOTTERY-SELECTED DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY: IN 2025, HEALTHY DEMOCRACY EXPERTS PRESENTED SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS AT VENUES INCLUDING THE PLURALISM IN ACTION CONFERENCE IN ATLANTA, GA, THE COLORADO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE MEETING IN ASPEN, CO, THE ICMA ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN TAMPA, FL, AND A CITIZENS' ASSEMBLY SCHOOL HOSTED BY THE FEDERATION FOR INNOVATION IN DEMOCRACY NORTH AMERICA IN AKRON, OH. WE ALSO CONTINUED TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS ON FIELD-BUILDING EFFORTS AMONG CIVIC ASSEMBLY PRACTITIONERS, ADVOCATES, ACADEMICS, AND FUNDERS FROM ACROSS THE US.
  4. $26,407 spent. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION: HEALTHY DEMOCRACY WORKS WITH FELLOW DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY PRACTITIONERS TO DEVELOP, INCUBATE, AND REFINE NEW DESIGN CONCEPTS THAT IMPROVE DELIBERATIVE PROCESSES. HD STAFF REGULARLY CONSULT WITH GOVERNMENT STAFF ON PROCESS DESIGNS THAT RANGE FROM ONE-TIME DELIBERATIVE PANELS TO PERMANENT SYSTEMIC REFORMS. THIS YEAR WE CREATED THE FOLLOWING PROCESS DESIGN TOOLS:* READINESS CHECKLIST FOR NEW PROJECTS - TO STREAMLINE THE EARLIEST STAGES OF PROJECT PLANNING WITH OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS.* ADVOCATE RESOURCE GUIDE - THIS EVER-EVOLVING LIST OF OUR FAVORITE INTRODUCTORY ARTICLES, VIDEOS, AND MORE IS A GREAT STARTING PLACE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN PROMOTING OUR WORK.* UPDATED LANGUAGE PHILOSOPHY & STYLE GUIDE - ANOTHER LIVING DOCUMENT, A REVISION TO OUR LONGSTANDING STYLE GUIDE, NOW WITH MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE WORDS & VALUES WE PREFER, THE ONES WE DON'T, AND WHY IT MATTERS.* ADVOCACY TIPS - DO'S, DON'TS, AND OTHER ADVICE RELATED TO ADVOCATING FOR LOTTERY-SELECTED DEMOCRACY WITH GOVERNMENT STAFF, ELECTED, AND OTHERS.
  5. $15,533 spent. CIVIC EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND CAPACITY BUILDING: IN 2025, HEALTHY DEMOCRACY STAFF PROVIDED ADVICE AND GUIDANCE ON USING CIVIC ASSEMBLIES TO SEVERAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FIELD WORKING IN A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITIES AROUND THE US, AS WELL AS WITH COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PARTNERS. HD STAFF ALSO PARTNERED WITH A MEDIA CONSULTANT TO OFFER A WORKSHOP FOR ALLIES IN THE FIELD TO LEARN ABOUT STORYTELLING ON DEMOCRATIC INNOVATION. HEALTHY DEMOCRACY PROVIDES EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRATIC INNOVATIONS TO INTERESTED ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT BODIES, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. HD WORKS TO BUILD AWARENESS OF AND CAPACITY FOR SUCH DEMOCRATIC PRACTICES THROUGH CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS, CAPACITY-BUILDING WORKSHOPS, AND LONG-FORM TRAINING PROGRAMS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2011.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.