Promoting free and fair democracies.
We support non-profit organisations working to promote democratic development and pluralism through civic engagement, communication, scientific research and political activities.
Who We Are

The Foundation for Democracy & Pluralism was founded in 2021 by Swedish business leader Daniel Sachs. With a deep and enduring commitment to the revitalization of democracy, Sachs has dedicated decades to advancing open, inclusive, and just societies.

In 2010, Sachs formalized his mission by establishing the Daniel Sachs Foundation, through which he has pioneered non-partisan political philanthropy. DSF addresses critical challenges to democracy and fosters innovative solutions to reimagine politics, including the Apolitical Foundation and Multitudes Foundation.

The Foundation for Democracy & Pluralism represents a strategic expansion of Sachs’ efforts to support and sustain democracy. This foundation was established to provide flexible and timely funding for a broad range of impactful initiatives that empower citizens, support democratic movements, advance knowledge through scientific research and strengthen independent media.

Beyond his own foundations, Sachs plays a significant role in global democratic advocacy. He serves as Vice Chair of the Open Society Foundations (OSF) and chairs its Investment Committee. Sachs is also on the board of Stewards for Project Liberty, working to help citizens reclaim control of their digital lives. Additionally, he serves as a senior advisor to Chatham House and is a founding council member of the European Council on Foreign Relations, reflecting his global commitment to advancing democracy.

Board of Directors
Robert Ohlsson
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Robert Ohlsson

Robert Ohlsson is a lawyer and founder of Nord Advokater. He is specialised in foundation law and capital market matters.

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Daniel Sachs
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Daniel Sachs

Daniel Sachs is a Swedish business leader with a deep commitment to fostering open and democratic societies. He is the founder and CEO of P Capital Partners (PCP), a leading corporate lender and strategic financial partner for entrepreneurial and family-owned businesses across Northern Europe. Additionally, he serves on the board of Wallenberg Investments AB.

As a founder of multiple organizations dedicated to revitalizing democracy—such as the Daniel Sachs Foundation, the Apolitical Foundation, and the Multitudes Foundation—Sachs has been at the forefront of efforts to reimagine political systems. Beyond his own initiatives, he holds the role of Vice Chair at the Open Society Foundations (OSF) and actively contributes to several other key organizations, including Chatham House, Project Liberty, and the European Council on Foreign Relations, all of which work to advance democratic values globally.

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Paul Alarcon
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Paul Alarcon

Paul serves as the Secretary General of the Daniel Sachs Foundation, where he focuses on advancing democracy, diversity, and cultural initiatives. He is a co-founder of several organizations dedicated to reimagining inclusive and democratic societies, including the Apolitical Foundation, Multitudes Foundation and F1RST. With a background as the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Stockholm, Paul has held senior leadership roles across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. In 2023, he was recognized as an Obama Leader.

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What We Do

The Foundation for Democracy and Pluralism is an independent philanthropic organization dedicated to enhancing the fairness, inclusivity, responsiveness, and accountability of political systems.

Our mission centers on promoting civic empowerment and democratic engagement. We also recognize the vital role of independent media and research in ensuring a diverse range of perspectives and a well-informed citizenry.

To advance these objectives, we offer flexible and timely support to projects and organizations that aim to bolster the principles and institutions necessary for sustaining democracy worldwide.

Funded by Daniel Sachs and a network of dedicated donors, the foundation has supported around a hundred projects and organizations dedicated to advancing free and fair societies grounded in pluralistic democratic principles since 2021.

Who we support

The Foundation for Democracy & Pluralism supports non-profit organizations committed to fostering free and fair societies grounded in pluralistic democratic principles. Below are some of the initiatives we have proudly funded:

My Voice, My Choice

In the lead-up to the 2024 EU Elections, the Foundation for Democracy & Pluralism supported a coalition of organizations across Europe united in advocating for women’s rights. Their collective mission was to urge the European Union to ensure safe and affordable abortion access throughout the region, aiming to gather 1 million signatures for their European Citizens’ Initiative. This initiative has become the fastest-growing ECI in history, collecting over 500,000 formal signatures within the first six weeks. The movement continues to gain momentum, with more organizations joining forces to achieve the goal.

Back Democracy

To protect democracy in Sweden, the Foundation for Democracy & Pluralism supported the Backa Demokratin (”Back Democracy”) campaign led by Civil Rights Defenders (CRD) for the period 2023–2026. In recent years, anti-immigrant rhetoric, once limited to fringe groups, has increasingly been adopted by major political parties. In response, CRD’s initiative seeks to empower organizations and movements to protect civil and political rights, influence policy through strategic litigation, and raise public awareness about the threats to democracy and the steps needed to counter them.

My First Vote

In 2022, the Foundation for Democracy & Pluralism supported Associação Coletivo Cultural in its efforts to encourage young people aged 16-17 to register to vote in the Brazilian general election that year. The initiative, Meu Primeiro Voto (”My First Vote”), encompassed a range of activities, including social media campaigns, festivals, and other in-person events, all designed to boost voter registration and engage young voters. The results were remarkable – youth registration surged by over 50% compared to the 2018 election, reversing a two decade-long decline across four consecutive election cycles. Initiatives like Meu Primeiro Voto played a key role in driving this renewed wave of youth participation.

Apply for Support

We actively seek new grantees in alignment with our strategic priorities and do not accept unsolicited project proposals. However, we welcome the submission of ideas and suggestions through our contact form, which we evaluate on a case-by-case basis. If you do not receive a response within one month, this unfortunately means that the foundation is not able to consider support for your organization at this time.

Please note that we only accept applications from non-profit organizations and projects that align with our mission.

To send us a message, please use the contact form.

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