Statement on Political Violence and the Fundamental Freedom of Speech
“Acts of political violence — from the recent murder of Charlie Kirk to the murder of Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman of Minnesota — have no place in our democracy. Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of those lost to these senseless attacks, and we extend our deepest sympathy in the face of unimaginable pain.”
“Our country is built on the premise that everyone has the right to express themselves, even when others don’t agree with or like what they say. No one should fear for their safety simply for expressing their views. We must all forcefully condemn these heinous acts as affronts to the fundamental principles and health of our nation — and as charitable giving organizations, including those working in communities impacted by these tragedies, we do.”
“Our organizations are composed of people working to strengthen communities. We support our neighbors when they are in need and remain committed to uniting across divides and partisanship. Philanthropy exists to bring people together, not drive them apart.”
“Organizations should not be attacked for carrying out their missions or expressing their values in support of the communities they serve. We reject attempts to exploit political violence to mischaracterize our good work or restrict our fundamental freedoms, like freedom of speech and the freedom to give. Attempts to silence speech, criminalize opposing viewpoints, and misrepresent and limit charitable giving undermine our democracy and harm all Americans.”
“At a moment that is fragile and fraught, we must rise to the higher standard we all collectively desire. Now is a moment for leadership that drives unity rather than sows further division. Our organizations will continue focusing on helping people across all backgrounds, geographies, ideologies, and belief systems, to heal, thrive, and live peacefully together, protected by the freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution.”
Signatories
- Action for Transformation Fund
- Adler & Colvin
- Advance OC
- Akonadi Foundation
- Albert Pick Jr. Fund
- Andrew Goodman Foundation
- Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
- Barr Foundation
- Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust
- Black Freedom Fund
- Borealis Philanthropy
- Boston Women’s Fund
- Bush Foundation
- California Community Foundation
- California Donor Table
- Carnegie Corporation of New York
- Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
- Charles F. Kettering Foundation
- Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
- College Spark Washington
- Comer Family Foundation
- Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut
- Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
- Conant Family Foundation
- Council of Michigan Foundations
- David Rockefeller Fund
- Democracy Alliance
- Democracy Fund
- Dietel Pickering & Partners
- Doris Duke Foundation
- East Bay Community Foundation
- Erol Foundation
- Ethel and James Flinn Foundation
- Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
- Fetzer Institute
- Ford Foundation
- Foundation for Child Development
- Foundation for Systemic Change
- Freedom Together Foundation
- Fund for Nonviolence
- Futures Unbound
- General Service Foundation
- Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
- Give Forward Foundation
- Grand Victoria Foundation
- Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment
- Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees
- Grantmakers in the Arts
- Grantmakers in Health
- Grove Foundation
- Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
- Health Forward Foundation
- Healthy Communities Foundation
- Henry Luce Foundation
- Hill-Snowdon Foundation
- Hopelab
- Hopewell Fund
- Humanity United
- Hyams Foundation
- iF, A Foundation for Radical Possibility
- Imaginable Futures
- James B. McClatchy Foundation
- Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation
- Jerome Foundation
- Jubitz Family Foundation
- Kapor Foundation
- Kataly Foundation
- Kenneth Rainin Foundation
- Knight Foundation
- Kolibri Foundation
- Kresge Foundation
- Krupp Family Foundation
- Latino Community Foundation
- Lohengrin Foundation
- MacArthur Foundation
- MADRE
- Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies
- Marguerite Casey Foundation
- Marin Community Foundation
- Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
- McGregor Fund
- McKnight Foundation
- Mellon Foundation
- Mertz Gilmore Foundation
- Metta Fund
- Micah 6:8 Foundation
- Michael Reese Health Trust
- Minneapolis Foundation
- Morton K. And Jane Blaustein Foundation
- Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation
- NEO Philanthropy
- New York Foundation
- New Venture Fund
- Northwest Area Foundation
- Omidyar Network
- Open Horizon
- Open Society Foundations
- Peter E. Haas, Jr. Family Fund
- Philanthropy California
- Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE)
- Philanthropy Massachusetts
- Philanthropy Northwest
- Polk Brothers Foundation
- Prebys Foundation
- Public Welfare Foundation
- Raikes Foundation
- Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Rockefeller Brothers Fund
- Rockefeller Family Fund
- Rosenberg Foundation
- Sachs Foundation
- San Francisco Foundation
- Schmidt Family Foundation
- Schott Foundation
- SHIFT
- Siegel Charitable Foundation
- Sierra Health Foundation
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation
- Solidaire Network
- Solidaire Action
- Sobrato Philanthropies
- Spencer Foundation
- Stanley Center for Peace and Security
- Stolper Fertik Family Foundation
- Stuart Foundation
- Stupski Foundation
- Surdna Foundation
- Terra Foundation for American Art
- Tikkun Olam Foundation, Inc.
- The Amalgamated Foundation
- The California Endowment
- The California Wellness Foundation
- The Christensen Fund
- The Funders Network
- The George Gund Foundation
- The James Irvine Foundation
- The Joyce Foundation
- The Lebowitz-Aberly Family Foundation
- The Libra Foundation
- The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
- The Rippel Foundation
- The Skillman Foundation
- The Summit Foundation
- The Water Foundation
- The Winston-Salem Foundation
- Tides
- TransitCenter Foundation
- Unbound Philanthropy
- Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)
- United Philanthropy Forum
- Wallace Global Fund
- Walter & Elise Haas Fund
- Weingart Foundation
- Wildseeds Fund
- William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund
- William T. Grant Foundation
- Windward Fund
- WITH Foundation
- Women Donors Network
- Woodbury Fund
- Woods Fund Chicago
- Woven Foundation
- Y & H Soda Foundation
- Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
If you represent a philanthropic organization and would like to add your name in support of this statement, please sign up here.
