Introduction
A guide with resources, directories and media about strengthening democracy collated by the Democracy Resource Hub.
- Discover democratic reform strategies and civic engagement tools to enhance democratic institutions and defend against backsliding.
- Explore nonpartisan reforms, participatory democracy innovations, and civic tech solutions for inclusive governance and addressing historical injustices through citizen assemblies and digital democracy platforms.
What is ”Strengthening Democracy” and why is it important?
Strengthening Democracy is at the heart of the project for democratic renewal. It aims to create more inclusive, responsive, and just democratic systems and institutions. Strengthening Democracy includes:
- Improving existing democratic structures and building new ones
- Fostering active civic participation
- Creating opportunities for participatory and deliberative democracy
- Innovative democratic processes
- Defense against democratic backsliding
In today’s complex political landscape, strengthening democracy is crucial for addressing unprecedented social, political and existential challenges.
How does strengthening democracy fit into the broader movement for democratic renewal?
Strengthening democracy works synergistically with other key approaches:
Power-Building and Nonviolent Action: Empowers and mobilizes citizens to participate in, advocate for and defend democratic processes.
- Nonviolent Action and Pro-Democracy Struggles
- How to Win Well: Civil Resistance Breakthroughs and the Path to Democracy
Peacebuilding: Fosters dialogue, social cohesion, and collaboration, supporting effective democratic institutions and decision-making in diverse communities.
Strategic Planning: Provides the roadmap for achieving long term democratic reforms.
Narrative & Storytelling: Shapes public understanding and support for democratic values.
Resources at the intersection of strengthening democracy and the other approaches:
Democracy Strengthening Skill Sets & Resources
How can I learn more about nonpartisan efforts to improve democratic institutions & processes?
There are many ways to engage with nonpartisan efforts to enhance democratic structures and implement reforms. You can support pro-democracy movements, contribute to discussions on reinventing American democracy, or explore frameworks for bridging divides. Here are some resources to learn more:
How can we develop participatory & deliberative democracy?
Participatory and deliberative democracy tools involve citizens directly in decision-making processes. These can include citizen assemblies, lottery selected groups, and collaborative governance approaches. These methods aim to enhance the quality and legitimacy of democratic decisions. Here are some resources to learn more:
- OECD Guidelines for Citizen Participation Processes
- About Participatory Democracy
- How Do I Plan A Participatory Process?
- Collaborative Discussion Toolkit
Specific Participatory Democracy Processes
- Participatory Budgeting
- Citizens' Assembly
- Deliberative Cafe (Mini Citizen's Assembly)
Case Studies: Participatory & Deliberative Democracy
- Collaborative Governance: Empowering Communities in Washington Through Community Assemblies
- Where Citizens' Assemblies Are Happening around the World
- Transnational Citizens' Assemblies - Case Study Collection
- Participatory Budgeting: Community-Driven Zoning and Development in Chicago’s 35th Ward
Visit the Peacebuilding page for more resources about collective decision-making.
How can we support civic engagement & empower citizens to participate?
Supporting civic engagement involves creating opportunities for people to participate in political and civic life at all levels. This can range from community organizing and public discussions to developing civic infrastructure and addressing political division. Here are some resources to learn more:
- The Civic Engagement Primer
- Community Engagement Toolkit
- Living Room Conversation Guides:
- Citizen University
- Building a Resiliency Network: A Toolkit for Building Community Resilience during a Contentious Election Cycle
Case Studies: Civic Empowerment
Visit the Power-Building & Nonviolent Action page for more resources about Grassroots and Community Organizing.
How can we use digital democracy tools and civic technology?
Digital democracy tools and civic technology are changing how citizens interact with democratic processes. These innovations can improve accessibility, transparency, and participation in governance. They offer new ways for people to engage with their representatives and contribute to decision-making. Here are some resources to learn more:
- Guide to Digital Participation Platforms
- People Powered.org Digital Participation Platform list
- Polis and the Political Process
Case Studies: Digital Democracy
How can we support transitional justice and the development of a multiracial democracy?
Building a multiracial democracy involves addressing historical injustices and fostering understanding across diverse communities. This process includes having open conversations about race and equity, as well as actively working to counter discrimination and hate. Here are some resources to learn more:
- Talking about Race: Racial Equity Resources
- A Community Guide for Opposing Hate
- Common Justice Resources
- What Is Transitional Justice?
Visit the Power-Building & Nonviolent Action page for more resources about organizing for social, economic, environmental & racial justice.
Visit the Peacebuilding page for more resources about belonging and inclusion.
How can we defend democracy from threats and democratic backsliding?
Defending democracy requires vigilance and proactive measures. This involves recognizing signs of authoritarianism, supporting pro-democracy movements, and preparing for potential challenges to democratic institutions. It's important to understand these threats and know how to respond effectively. Here are some resources to learn more:
- How Democratic States Can Effectively Support Pro-Democracy Movements
- The Checklist to End Tyranny: How Dissidents will Win 21st Century Civil Resistance Campaigns
- Authoritarianism: How You Know It When You See It
- Hold the Line: A Guide to Defending Democracy
- Harnessing Our Power to End Political Violence Guide
Defending Democracy Case Studies:
- Golden Dawn: Lessons From Greece in Tackling Extremism
- Authoritarianism to Democracy: The Story of Mongolia
Visit the Power-Building & Nonviolent Action page for more resources about using activism to mobilize to defend democracy against authoritarianism.
Democracy Strengthening Directory
The Democracy Resource Hub Directory is organized into three groups:
- Networks: Organizations to join and work with.
- Training Organizations: Offering workshops, trainings, webinars and courses.
- Resource Libraries: Information hubs for deeper exploration.
The directories on this page only include organizations and libraries related to “Democracy Strengthening.” (Full Directory here)
Directory Navigation Tips:
- Click on the Organization/Resource tile for more information.
- Directory entries include a short “Summary,” a longer “Description,” website link, and other information.
- Use Table View for easy viewing on mobile devices, or for dynamic spreadsheets on desktops.
- Use Filter (on desktops) to focus on the specific information you’re looking for, such as skillsets, target audience, learning goals, location. (Learn more: How to Filter).
Democracy Strengthening Network Directory
Table View (mobile friendly)
Democracy Strengthening Training Directory
Democracy Strengthening Resource Libraries
Featured Media
Newsletters & Blogs
- Citizen Connect
Citizen Connect is a nonpartisan platform dedicated to helping Americans find ways to heal our political divides. This platform provides ways to engage with organizations (right, left and center) working to fix politics, and access to events and content. - The Fulcrum
The Fulcrum is a platform where insiders and outsiders to politics are informed, meet, talk, and act to repair our democracy and make it live and work in our everyday lives. - Democracy Notes
A weekly substack newsletter, with well curated selection of articles, job postings, events, and funding opportunities,” related to democracy. Curated by Gabriel Lerner. - Beyond Intractability
An almost daily substack newsletter based on Beyond Intractability‘s online knowledge base.Most of the newsletter is focused on big conflict problems that affect us all, such as the hyper-polarization crisis threatening democracy in the U.S. and many other places around the world. - VISTA by The Horizons Project
The Horizons project seeks to strengthen key relationships, foster collaborations, and channel resources within the system of social change to address injustice, advance societal healing, and reimagine our democracy. Subscribe here
Books
- Plurality: The Future Of Collaborative Technology And Democracy by E. Glen Weyl, Audrey Tang and Community
- The People’s Verdict: Adding Informed Citizen Voices to Public Decision-Making by Claudia Chwalisz
- The Wise Democracy (Pattern Language)
Articles/Essays
- “Can We Deliberate, Please?” by James Traub
- “Why governing in a time of polarisation requires different tools and processes.” by Participedia
- “Democracy Rising 17: Earth Overshoot Demands Stronger Civic Infrastructure” By Matt Leighninger
- “Five Strategies to Support U.S. Democracy” By Rachel Kleinfeld
Reports
- Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century (Source: The Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship – American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2020.)
- Strengthening US Democracy (Source: Freedom House, 2024)
- Pathways Through Participation: What creates and sustains active citizenship? (A joint research project, led by National Council for Voluntary Organisations(NCVO), 2011. Source: Involve.co.uk)
- Itʼs Complicated. People and Their Democracy in Germany, France, Britain, Poland, and the United States. (Source: Attitudes Towards Democracy by More In Common project, 2021.)
- The Hidden Tribes of America (Source: Hidden Tribes a More in Common project, 2018.)
Podcasts
The Anti-Authoritarian Podcast is here to help anyone concerned about creeping authoritarianism and fascism in the U.S. and beyond to confront strategy questions that will strengthen their work to advance multiracial democracy and stop the rise of authoritarianism.
Recommended Episodes:
- “Across the Lines: We Win Democracy Together, with Rachel Kleinfeld“
- “Community and Connection: The Antidotes to Authoritarianism, with Sulma Arias”
The Democracy Group is a network of podcasts united around the goal of helping listeners understand what’s broken in our democracy, and how people are working together to fix it. We see the network as a public service dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate.
Recommended Topics:
The Omni-Win Project is an effort to raise awareness of the many opportunities that exist to improve democracy. It presents ideas, paradigms, tools, approaches and people that can help us co-create a future where everyone wins.
Recommended Episodes:
- “Why We Need A Wiser Democracy Now” with Tom Atlee
- Creating a Healthy Democracy For Everyone
- ”The Greatest Challenges of Our Democracy” with Ken Cloke
How to Win Friends and Save the Republic (National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers (NANR)
Compelling conversations with the main actors working tirelessly to reform American democracy. The focus is not just on electoral change but on creating a more inclusive and effective political landscape that values every voter. Recommended Episodes:
- “Building bigger bridges (with Debliyn Molineaux)”
- “A new promise to America (with Jeff Clements)”
- “Appetite for Corruption (with Josh Silver)”
- “Rank the Vote (with Nathan Lockwood and Monica Burke)”
Videos & Movies
Why the world needs more builders — and less “us vs. them” [13 min, TED Talk]
What if we replaced politicians with randomly selected people? [9 min, TED Talk]
Democracy Innovation Academy [YouTube Playlist, Online Course]
Dialogue Lab: America [57min, Documentary]
Citizens’ Assemblies in 90 seconds [1.5 min, Video]
Explore 22nd Century Initiative’s
BLOCK, BRIDGE, & BUILD: Playbook for an Inclusive Multi-Racial Democracy
A compilation of tools and frameworks for pro-democracy organizations and the organizers, storytellers, and researchers on the front lines of the fight against authoritarianism. We will block the rise of toxic polarization and political violence, bridge to the constituencies we need to organize supermajorities, and build toward governing power in an inclusive, multi-racial, pluralistic democracy.
How to Filter the Directories
- Click on “Filter” in the top left corner
- Click on “+ Add Condition”
- Use the dropdown menu to change “Name” (red circle) to one of these options: Category, Skillset, Audience, Location or Goal
- Use the dropdown menu to change “Enter a value” (green circle) by selecting your area of focus.
- It is possible to add multiple filters.
Credit: The Artwork on the Democracy Resource Hub logo is by Veronika Belcheva (CC-BY-NC-SA).