Deep Democracy

The road to unlocking equity and repairing our democracy lies in the South and BIPOC communities. Yet the ecosystem of mainstream, values-led (mostly white) philanthropy lacks a consistent strategic giving framework and infrastructure for investing in BIPOC communities, especially in the South. BIPOC communities are increasingly concentrated in the South and most impacted by income inequality, racial injustice, and violence.

In previous election cycles, Rivera Consulting has identified over 100 “Deep Democracy” counties, primarily located throughout the South and Southwest with large concentrations of BIPOC, college-educated residents, female-headed households, and residents born outside of the United States. This multi-variable county by county analysis informs philanthropic and individual donor giving strategies to BIPOC communities and organizations committed to multi-racial power building, racial and social justice.

Our hypothesis is that deep and long term philanthropic and private investments in Deep Democracy counties will have a greater impact on the long term civic engagement and quality of life.

In 2024, we refresh this research to better understand what’s happened to these communities over the last four years and what you can do to chart a new chapter for American civil rights and democracy.