Washington, D.C. · Nonprofit
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER (Washington, D.C.) receives grants from 19 organizations whose IRS filings report $23,410,000 to it, the largest being SIXTEEN THIRTY FUND ($11,180,000). 5 of them have funded it in more than one year.
- Revenue FY2024
- $19M
- Funders on record
- 19
- Grants received
- $23M
- Net assets
- $13M
What Defending Democracy Together does
Mission
To further the common good and general welfare of the citizens of the united states of america by protecting and defending american democratic norms and institutions.
As stated on its FY2024 Form 990.
Programs
On its FY2024 return the organization reported starting a significant new program.
The organization initiated the nebraska project in 2024 to advance public education on democratic participation and the principles that foster trust in american governance. Through communications and storytelling, the project amplified community voices across nebraska that emphasized accountability, constitutional values, and the vital role of every citizen in sustaining democracy.
Its own explanation, from Schedule O of that return (Part III, line 2).
The republican accountability project (rap) continued its role as a center-right voice advocating for political accountability, the rule of law, and the defense of america's democratic norms and institutions. Rap conducted communications campaigns and maintained its "democracy report card," a public database assigning grades to elected officials based on key criteria related to democracy and the rule of law. Additionally, rap ran educational and communications initiatives emphasizing that no public official is above the law, reinforcing the importance of accountability within our democratic system.
$5,511,139 spent41% of program spendingDefending Democracy Together's (ddt) general program advanced government accountability, the rule of law, and adherence to constitutional principles. In 2024, ddt served as a center-right voice for strengthening democratic norms, with its experts and board members promoting values and policies consistent with longstanding american traditions. Through public education efforts including newspaper contributions, television advertising, and digital content, ddt reached wide audiences and fostered greater understanding of the importance of accountable governance and the preservation of democratic institutions.
$4,129,545 spentof which $3,100,000 as grants30% of program spendingRepublicans for the rule of law (rrl) was a communications and issue advocacy campaign that promoted the rule of law and defended core democratic norms. Through advertising, media engagement, and digital campaigns, rrl emphasized that no one, including the president, is above the law in america. The project also conducted public education efforts underscoring the importance of the supreme court and the judiciary in upholding constitutional principles and protecting the rule of law.
$2,034,903 spent15% of program spendingRepublicans for ukraine (rfu) continued its public education and advocacy efforts to promote american leadership on the global stage, support u.s. Allies, and advance policies that help ukraine prevail in its defensive war against russia. In 2024, rfu deployed advertising and communications campaigns that highlighted the stakes of democracy versus autocracy, underscored the importance of trans-atlantic solidarity, and reaffirmed america's core values of freedom and independence. The project also elevated the voices of conservative americans who champion these principles, making the case that standing with ukraine is consistent with both u.s. Interests and long-held republican values.in 2024, the nebraska project advanced public education on the importance of democratic participation and the principles that strengthen trust in american governance. Through communications and storytelling, the project highlighted community voices in nebraska that emphasized accountability, constitutional values, and the importance of every citizen's role in sustaining democracy.in 2024, the presidential reform project (prp) advanced public understanding of the laws, norms, and practices that govern…
$1,907,608 spentof which $600,000 as grants14% of program spending
The 4 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $13,583,195.
The organization over time
Each line starts at 100 in 2018, so what you read is the shape rather than the size: 150 means half as much again as 2018, 50 means half. The number beside each label in the key is where it ended.
Balance sheet
Total assets and total liabilities at each year end, in dollars. The largest one-year move in total assets was 2020 to 2021, from $7.0M to $13M (+90%).
How it's funded, over time
Each bar is one year's revenue split into where it came from, and every bar is the same height — these are shares, not amounts, so a year that raised twice as much looks the same size. Hover a bar for the split.
Surplus & reserves
Operating surplus or deficit each year, and months of liquidity in hand. 3 of the last 7 reported years ran a deficit.
reserve
Leadership and staff
The officers, directors, trustees and key employees listed on each return. Joined and no longer listed compare each filing with the year before, matching people by surname and first initial; a year after a gap, or a roster under three people, has no comparison.
Chief executive
Sarah Longwell
Executive director
As listed on its FY2024 Form 990.
Who funds it, year by year
2018 → 2023: the base broadened from 2 funders to 4 funders, grant income fell $1.7M → $545k.
2 of 19 of your funders are donor-advised or pass-through sponsors (tagged DAF) — 48% of grant dollars received. That money is really individual donors directing a sponsor; the institutions to cultivate are the non-DAF funders.
From the IRS filings of DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER’s funders (the co-funder graph). Association, not causation. Trends are read to FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving. FY2024–FY2026 are still being filed and are shown unshaded; they do not move any figure on this page.
How concentrated its funding is
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER leans on a few funders — its largest provides 48% of grant income and the top three 77%; half comes from just 2 funders.
the vertical line marks half of all grant income — 2 funders to its left
100% of the income these shares are computed over arrives through pass-through sponsors or from payers whose filings do not say what kind of payment it is. Concentration is still measured over all of it, because the money is real; what it does not support is a claim about how many institutions have chosen to fund DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER.
Largest funder’s share by year: 2018 96% · 2019 100% · 2020 77% · 2021 53% · 2022 64% · 2023 37% — diversifying over time.
“Effective funders” = inverse Herfindahl index (1 / Σ shareᵢ²) — the number of equal-sized funders that would give the same concentration. Trends are read to FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving. FY2024–FY2026 are still being filed and are shown unshaded; they do not move any figure on this page.
How long its funders stay
22% of DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER's funders are still giving 3 years after their first grant; 26% give in more than one year at all.
Share of funders still giving k years after their first recorded grant, pooled across every acquisition cohort. A funder counts as retained in a year only if it made a grant that year. Measured to FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving — a funder cannot be counted as lapsed in a year most filers have not reached.
Where its funders are
73% of DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER's grant income comes from Washington, D.C. funders.
In-state vs out-of-state, by year
Funder states come from each funder’s own filing. $11M arriving through sponsors registered in 1 state is excluded from the map and the split above: a sponsor holds money on a donor’s behalf, so its registered address would place those dollars somewhere no donor need ever have been. Trends are read to FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving. FY2024–FY2026 are still being filed and are shown unshaded; they do not move any figure on this page.
Organizations like DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER
Organizations whose mission and program text most resemble this one, by semantic similarity over every organization in the US filings — the closest peers, and often the clearest route to shared or prospective funders.
In Washington, D.C.
Nationally
Read directly from this organization’s own Form 990, as neutral context.
Where the money goes
98% of spending goes to programs.
Governance
Footprint & structure
Files a return copy in 20 states
Screen this organization
A dated, signed PDF of the compliance screen for DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER: IRS status (Business Master File, Publication 78, auto-revocation), the OFAC sanctions lists, the Internal Revenue Bulletin, and California registration, with the Rev. Proc. 2018-32 §8.01 reliance elements stated element by element. Generated from the current files at the moment you download it.
Screens are triage, not determinations; a source that cannot be read reports not screened, never clear. Screen this nonprofit · How the screen works · on the API as GET /api/screening/{ein}?format=pdf
Questions and answers
- Who funds DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER?
- DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER (Washington, D.C.) receives grants from 19 organizations whose IRS filings report $23,410,000 to it, the largest being SIXTEEN THIRTY FUND ($11,180,000). 5 of them have funded it in more than one year.
- How many funders does DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER have?
- IRS filings report 19 organizations giving $23,410,000 in grants to DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER, 5 of which have funded it in more than one year.
- Who is the largest funder of DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER?
- SIXTEEN THIRTY FUND is the largest funder on record, with $11,180,000 in grants. The full list of funders is on this page.
- How can an organization like DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER find more funders?
- Start with the funders already giving here, then look at the foundations that back similar organizations in Washington, D.C.. The funding by cause and by state pages list the largest funders for a given area and how to approach them.
These figures are read directly from IRS Form 990 / 990-PF e-file XML: this organization’s own return for FY2024 (financials across 2018–2024), and the filings of 19 funders that report grants to it. “On record” means captured in the filings we have parsed — a funder that does not e-file, or whose grant detail is not itemized, will not appear. Filings run roughly 12–24 months behind. Trends on this page end at FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving; later years are shown and marked, and move no figure. Data on this page was exported October 14, 2026. What this page cannot tell you · view filing