Introducing the
U.S. Democracy Hub
The most comprehensive, insightful, and accessible data platform for the U.S. nonprofit Democracy field.
Data for the People
For Funders
who want to understand the field, address gaps, and discover new grantees to support
For Nonprofits
who want to enhance their strategies, sustainability, and impact
For Researchers
who want to access the most reliable and insightful data
For Journalists
who want to tell stories that matter, grounded in meaningful data
Unlock the strategic data you need to succeed.
How it Works
1. Public data is centralized
Impala transforms millions of public fillings (990 forms) into insightful profiles for every nonprofit and foundation in the U.S.
2. Organizations are classified
Democracy Funders Network (DFN) applies a modern taxonomy to classify each democracy organization into curated ecosystems (e.g. Good Governance).
3. Users enrich the data
Nonprofits and funders enhance the dataset by updating their profiles and uploading missing or recent 990s. Nonprofits request to be reclassified if needed.
4. Everyone benefits
Users get insights from profiles and ecosystems of nonprofits and funders that are most relevant to their work.
A Data Hub Like No Other
Clarifying
Provides visibility into what’s happening, who’s involved, and how funding is flowing in the parts of the U.S. Democracy Field that matter to you.
Dynamic
Evolves as the U.S. Democracy field does over time, with the latest data on organizations’ classification, financials, staffing, and funding.
Communal
Serves the entire U.S. Democracy field, including nonprofits and funders, whose participation increases value for everyone.
Accessible
Free to use for years to come, thanks to generous sponsors.
Decoding Democracy
Impala combined its technology with DFN’s taxonomy to make the complexity of the U.S. Democracy field easier to understand.
Custom Ecosystems
70
Nonprofits Represented
4,267
Funders Involved
23,326
get to know your ecosystem(s) like never before
Empowered Electorate
Ensuring every vote counts
Quality Leaders
Developing leaders for democracy
Good Governance
Building effective governing institutions
Counter Authoritarianism
Outflanking convergent authoritarian threats
Informed Public
Powering participation with information
Beloved Communities
Building bridges, fostering belonging
Democratic Imagination
Envisioning democracy's future, today
Just Society
Supporting the grassroots for justice
- Awareness & Consciousness Raising
- Organizing & Movement Building
- Advocacy & Litigation
- Solidarity & Cooperative Development
- Assistance & Movement Support
- Racial Justice
- Economic Justice
- Civil Rights
- Gender Justice
- LGBTQ+ Rights
- Indigenous Sovereignty
- Disability Rights
- Immigrant Rights
- Education Justice
- Health Equity
- Environmental Rights
Stronger Fields
Building infrastructure, strengthening backbone efforts
Accomplish More for Your Mission
- Funders
- Nonprofits
- Researchers
- Journalists
Landscape Assessment
Understand key trends in the U.S. Democracy field and sub-sectors within it.
Gap Analysis
Reveal gaps where your support could make a difference.
Grantee Discovery
Discover new grantees to support in line with your values.
Collaboration
Find opportunities to give alongside peers with similar priorities.
Participatory Classification
Ensure your organization is classified in the correct ecosystem so others can see your work in the field.
Funder Awareness
Enable more funders to see your latest profile data.
Peer Benchmarking
Understand your peers' financials, funding, and staffing to improve your strategy and performance.
Collaboration
Identify and evaluate potential partners in your ecosystem.
Data Access
Export the most complete, organized dataset of nonprofits, funders, and grants in the U.S. Democracy sector.
Thought Leadership
Generate and publish insightful analyses to inform sector stakeholders.
Story Sourcing
Find compelling information in the U.S. Democracy sector worth reporting.
Efficient Research
Analyze sector-wide trends, organization-specific profiles, or original public filings.
Data Visualization
Get high-quality data visuals that can be embedded in stories.
I thought this was an incredibly easy to use resource, and was customized in a way that made me more likely to go back and use it as a regular part of my team's workflow!
Eli Pariser | New Public
WOW. This is really incredible. So much data and incredibly user-friendly; it's clear you all put a ton of detail and analysis here, the explanations and visuals are so compelling. I feel like a kid in a candy store.
Becca Leviss | Democracy 2076
For the Sector, By the Sector
The Democracy Funders Network (DFN) has spent nearly two years collaborating with funders and nonprofits across the democracy sector to design the U.S. Democracy Hub. This project reflects extensive partnerships across the sector, including cooperation with the National Civic League’s “Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map,” ensuring the Hub will serve as a valuable tool for strengthening democracy efforts. Special thanks to the many partners across the field who contributed their expertise and insights, shaping this platform into what it is today.
The democracy hub cuts away 80% of the research work meaning I can focus my efforts on engaging with the right nonprofits.
Name @ Org
The democracy hub cuts away 80% of the research work meaning I can focus my efforts on engaging with the right nonprofits.
Name @ Org
The democracy hub cuts away 80% of the research work meaning I can focus my efforts on engaging with the right nonprofits.
Name @ Org
The democracy hub cuts away 80% of the research work meaning I can focus my efforts on engaging with the right nonprofits.
Name @ Org
For the Sector, By the Sector
The Democracy Funders Network (DFN) has spent nearly two years collaborating with funders and nonprofits across the democracy sector to design the U.S. Democracy Hub. This project reflects extensive partnerships across the sector, including cooperation with the National Civic League’s “Healthy Democracy Ecosystem” team, ensuring the hub will serve as a valuable tool for strengthening democracy efforts. Special thanks to the many partners across the field who contributed their expertise and insights, shaping this platform into what it is today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the U.S. Democracy Hub?
The U.S. Democracy Hub is the most complete, insightful, and accessible data platform to understand the U.S. Democracy field and the organizations in it. By introducing a modern taxonomy that redefines the sector and its causes, the Hub offers funders, nonprofits, researchers, and journalists in-depth analysis of the sector's size, financial sustainability, staffing, and the institutional philanthropy that supports it. Set to launch in September 2024, the Hub will feature data from over 4,500 nonprofits and 30,000 funders active in 70 custom ecosystems.
How can I join the U.S. Democracy Hub?
It's quick, easy, and free! Click to register. After answering a few simple questions, you'll land right in the Hub.
Who can access the U.S. Democracy Hub?
Anyone can create a login and access the U.S. Democracy Hub, for free. Some features are specific to particular types of users. Only nonprofit organizations and foundations have profiles, which are listed in ecosystems. Only nonprofits can request to be reclassified in particular curated ecosystems. If you are a consultant, you can contact us to let us know which of your client organizations you would like to be linked to, or use the platform independently.
Do I need to pay for access?
Nope, it's FREE! The U.S. Democracy Hub is sponsored by the Democracy Funders Network.
How was the taxonomy developed?
The taxonomy was developed through a methodical process, beginning with a thematic analysis of three existing democracy categorization schemas, followed by validation with subject matter experts. Through multiple rounds of expert feedback and iterative co-design, the schema was refined and tested on over 1,000 nonprofit organizations. Insights from this practical application informed further adjustments, ensuring real-world relevance. The final schema underwent a comprehensive expert, communications, and legal review to ensure clarity, accuracy, and broad applicability.
How are organizations classified in the taxonomy?
Democracy Funders Network (DFN) created a modern taxonomy to make the complexity of the U.S. Democracy sector easier to understand for everyone involved in it. It was developed with feedback from dozens of nonprofits and funders in the field so that they could easily locate themselves in it and analyze their sector, on their terms. The taxonomy is based on a four-level system of tags related to the missions and functions of nonprofit organizations in the sector. Here is an example: U.S. Democracy > Informed Public > Journalism & News Media > Solutions Journalism. Importantly, any nonprofit can request to be added to or reclassified in a particular curated ecosystem in the taxonomy. Requests are reviewed by Democracy Funders Network and implemented by Impala. Over 4500 nonprofits have been classified within 70 curated ecosystems, which are supported by over 30,000 funders.
How is an organization's financial and organizational data aggregated across multiple categories?
Organizations can belong to multiple ecosystems based on the scope of their work. As a result, they may appear in more than one category and/or subcategory. In these cases, the organization's full financial and organizational data is represented in each ecosystem they belong to. However, when aggregating data across more than one ecosystem, we ensure that figures such as revenue, expenditures, and other statistics are not double-counted purely because an organization appears in multiple ecosystems. This approach provides an accurate and holistic view of the organization's contributions across multiple sectors, without inflating the overall numbers.
Can I change my organization’s classification?
Yes, you may request to be added to or reclassified into different curated ecosystems. Access the request form by selecting the "Update my organization's tags" button on the Hub. Please select the ecosystem(s) to which you belong and at least one tag relevant to your work for each. Only select those constituting a significant portion of your activities and expenditures in alignment with your mission. You may also provide any additional information to support your request. Your request will be reviewed by Democracy Funders Network and Impala will update the platform accordingly. The review process can take up to three weeks. You’ll be notified of the result, once complete.
Where does the data come from?
Impala transforms millions of public fillings (990 forms) into insightful profiles for every nonprofit and foundation in the U.S. Democracy Funders Network (DFN) applies a modern taxonomy to classify each democracy-affiliated organization into curated ecosystems (sub-sectors). Nonprofits and funders upload any missing or recent 990s to enhance the dataset, while nonprofits request to be reclassified, as needed. Users get insights from profiles and ecosystems of nonprofits and funders that are most relevant to their work.
How often is the data updated?
Data is constantly being updated on a regular basis, as it becomes available. When organizations update their profiles (e.g. programs, people, impact), this data is available immediately. Any 990s uploaded by nonprofits or funders are processed in several days. Organization reclassifications are processed on a weekly basis. And as the IRS makes data available at scale for a particular fiscal year (e.g. 2023), we update our systems accordingly. That said, by encouraging organizations to upload their recent 990s, together we can bypass the longstanding issue of the IRS' data lag. As a result of our dynamic approach to gathering data, the U.S. Democracy Hub is the most complete and up-to-date source of information on the U.S. Democracy field and the organizations in it.
Can I download raw data for research purposes?
Yes! Researchers can download an export of the raw data from the U.S. Democracy Hub. The files are free to download after providing your name and email address. Click below to learn more about the data available and gain access to it.
How is my organization’s data used?
Most of Impala's data is sourced directly from Form 990s that have been released by the IRS. The data is supplemented by additional 990 uploads by users, self-reported profile information, some third party sources, and requests for reclassification in Sponsored Hubs, such as the U.S. Democracy Hub. While we make insightful public and user-generated data available on the platform, your organization and individual data privacy and security are top priorities to us. To learn more, see our Help Center, Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
How should I cite the U.S. Democracy Hub in my reporting?
What's important to us is (1) access and (2) attribution. Please include a hyperlink where possible, which links to this website. See "What is the Democracy Hub?" for easy information. Contact us if you would like a quote or have further questions.
Who runs the U.S. Democracy Hub?
The Democracy Hub is a collaborative initiative between Impala, a tech-for-good company known for its innovative solutions for nonprofits and funders, and the Democracy Funders Network, a cross-ideological learning and action community for donors concerned about the health of American democracy. This partnership combines technological expertise and high-quality data, with sector-specific knowledge to create a comprehensive and user-friendly platform for the entire U.S. Democracy field.
Who can I contact to answer a different question?
Reach out to support@impala.digital, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.