Why Protecting Democracy Means Protecting Nonprofits

A robust civil society is one of the hallmarks of a healthy democracy—a space where people can organize, stay informed, debate ideas, and advocate for themselves without fear of government scrutiny. But escalating attempts by the government to silence civil society actors, including and especially nonprofit organizations, threaten to shrink this space. The threat is not random, but instead a well-known tactic employed by authoritarians across the globe.

This column provides timely, research-driven analysis from democracy experts on why protecting American democracy requires protecting civil society, and how nonprofits can navigate this moment, stand in solidarity together, and continue our mission-oriented work.

About Us: Protect Democracy is a cross-ideological nonprofit organization dedicated to defeating the authoritarian threat in America. You can connect with Protect Democracy on Substack, LinkedIn, BlueSky, and Threads.