Hewlett Foundation Invests $19 Million to Strengthen Civic Life Across America

Grants support organizations working to increase participation and build a sense of belonging at a community level

MENLO PARK, Calif., Jun 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation announced $19 million to fund organizations working to strengthen civic participation across America.

The grants to GivingTuesday, Shared America, and Be The People, where Hewlett Foundation President Amber Miller serves as a member of Be The People's National Leadership Council, aim to strengthen civic participation, reduce polarization, and support efforts that help communities rebuild a sense of shared purpose and ability to solve problems together.

"We believe in the essential importance of civil society – a dynamic space where people come together to solve problems, bridge differences, and build shared futures. We recognize that the fabric of civil society is under strain in many places, marked by polarization, distrust, and the erosion of constructive dialogue. We seek to catalyze efforts that rebuild trust, re-establish a sense of shared humanity, promote inclusive participation, and depoliticize issues that matter for all," said Amber Miller, President of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Among civic leaders, local organizers, veterans, researchers, faith communities, and philanthropists, there is deep concern about rising distrust and growing fragmentation in American life. There is also a strong desire for practical ways to bring people back together, toward a broad and durable consensus about our shared civic future, through ground-level work in their communities.

As part of a longstanding commitment to institutions that support civic culture, the foundation has also supported organizations like Trust for Civic Life, which invests in community-led hubs across regions often overlooked by philanthropy, like the Black Belt, Central Appalachia, Tribal Lands, and the Southwest Border. In Buckhannon, West Virginia, its work started with restoring a boat dock. From there, it grew into monthly community gatherings where residents propose fixes and receive small grants to act on them. Behind this is a simple idea: when residents come together to solve local problems, they build trust in each other and in the institutions around them.

To learn more visit: https://hewlett.org/building-a-shared-civic-future/

About the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation:

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a nonpartisan philanthropy that supports efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, advance education, protect the environment, and improve lives across the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

SOURCE The Hewlett Foundation