Civitates supports organisations working to tackle Europe’s deepening political polarisation, its shrinking civic space, the decline in independent media and the rise of online disinformation. Each poses a serious threat to democracy.
Civitates is the only pooled philanthropic fund that was set up for the sole purpose of addressing democratic decline and closing civic space in Europe. The case for confronting these threats is growing increasingly urgent.
In 2017, a handful of philanthropic foundations awoke to the dangers populist leaders in Hungary and Poland posed to Europe. They realised that the scale of the challenges Europe’s shifting political landscape represented, required collective action. So they reached out to each other and pooled their resources: knowledge, networks, and money.
This coming together with a shared sense of purpose to tackle threats to democracy in Europe, culminated in Civitates’ official launch at the Philea conference in Poland in 2017.
At first, Civitates focused on supporting independent civil society organisations and media in countries where the pressure on them was most acute: in particular countries with authoritarian governments in Central and Eastern Europe.
Since then, as the warning signs of growing polarisation in Western Europe have grown more visible, Civitates has extended its geographical focus – all the while growing organically and attracting new foundations who recognise the urgency and value of our work and want to be part of it.
Democracy withers and dies without a free civil society and media. Civitates strengthens democracy in Europe by supporting diverse civil society organisations and fact-based, public interest journalism which holds power to account and exposes its abuses. Sharing knowledge and tools, our grantee partners strengthen the fabric of European societies.
Major online platforms overflow with disinformation, hate speech and divisive messages. As such, they damage democracy. Civitates supports organisations who strive for Big Tech to be regulated effectively, for online platforms with reliable, trustworthy information, where healthy, open debate blossoms. As well as exposing the abuse that pervades online and the technical designs driving it, Civitates supports organisations offering an alternative, positive vision for the Internet.
European democracies and civic space are under attack, yet the resources invested in defending and promoting democratic principles and practices are scarce. Civitates brings donors together around a common agenda and acts as a hub for experimentation and learning. Civitates plays a critical role in securing public and private money to strengthen democracy and civic space.
by committing to multi-year, flexible partnerships, we act in solidarity with civil society organisations who are working to resist democratic backsliding and closing civic space. We also work with journalists who hold power to account and are threatened because of their work.
as philanthropic foundations, we collaborate openly and strategically with each other and to support broad-based civil society coalitions.
we are open to new ways of addressing the root causes of democratic decline and we believe that civil society-led experimentation can transform democracy and open civic space in unexpected and groundbreaking ways.
Civitates fosters cross-fertilisation of our grantee partners’ expertise in these areas (Sub-Funds), to strengthen democracy in Europe.
A flourishing civil society is a hallmark of a healthy democracy. Independent civil society is a check on state and corporate power. It creates a space for open debate, where different ideas and policies can take root and flower.
Civitates enables this to happen by supporting broad coalitions of civil society groups, who work to safeguard the space in which they can participate in public life, contribute to open public debate and create more diverse and resilient societies across Europe.
The impact of online platforms on democracy is among the most urgent issues of our age. They hold a vast sway over where we get our information, how our opinions are formed, and how we reach democratic decisions. With artificial intelligence and algorithmic formulas seeping into every aspect of our lives, this influence is growing.
Our Sub-Fund on Tech and Democracy tackles these technologies’ impact on democracy. In particular, we support organisations that advocate for effective EU legislation to curb the spread of online hate, conspiracies and disinformation.
An independent media is essential for a functioning democracy. It holds power to account, guards against disinformation, and brings vital public interest stories into the public domain. Yet throughout Europe, independent media is being assailed from different directions.
Civitates supports independent media outlets who are forging new ways to thrive in this harsh climate. Organisations who are creating innovative and resilient financial models, which will enable them to do fact-based public interest reporting and investigative journalism, while amplifying voices too often excluded from the mainstream press, including those of civil society.
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