AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY
This program was developed to reach out to unaffiliated or alienated Jews, particularly gays, lesbians, youth and those who had married into or had converted to Judaism. Grants were intended to increase the inclusiveness and strength of the American Jewish community.

This program area supported education and training programs focused on attracting new leadership and teaching traditions and customs, especially for Jews who had not experienced them in their youth.

DEMOCRACY AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
Nourishing and sustaining a viable democracy requires more vibrant participation by more of its citizens. Through the Democracy and Citizen Participation area, the List Foundation sought to contribute to a more inclusive economic and political society in which justice, equity and fairness prevail for all. Our grantmaking supported efforts to expose and challenge anti-democratic social and political forces, and to articulate and advance new, realizable visions of a just society. Sub programs included:

Campaign Finance Reform
The Foundation supported projects that used a range of strategies to reduce the role of money in political campaigns. We believed that this reduced role would create greater equity and more meaningful opportunities for citizen participation in the political process as activists, candidates and voters.

Voter Education and Participation
In accordance with Internal Revenue Code section 501 (c)(3) and 4945(f)
The United States falls far behind most nations in the most basic democratic practice: voting. The Foundation gave support to projects that increased voter participation in all elections and ballot measures, particularly among populations that traditionally have low voter turn-out.

Alternative Visions for Justice and Democracy
The Foundation supported projects that conceptualized, tested and communicated alternatives to anti-democratic developments. We looked for projects that proposed new assumptions and new, democracy-enhancing, structural and institutional arrangements and practices. Progressive coalition-building at the state and national levels were key objectives of this area.

ECONOMIC JUSTICE
The primary focus of the Economic Justice Program was to support work that addresses the challenges of an economy that benefits the few at the expense of many. The Program funded organizations and projects that seek to overcome the widening gap between rich and poor by developing new opportunities and strategies for low income people to build access to economic resources, and to challenge the structures and conditions that sustain economic injustice in our communities and society. Initially, the Economic Justice program focused on projects and organizations based in New York City, with a special interest in supporting diverse community development strategies. When the program took on a national scope, this interest expanded to include living wage campaigns, youth empowerment and economics education training.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE ARTS
In its commitment to freedom of expression and helping artists and arts organizations create social change, the Foundation provided either project or operating support. Preference was given to organizations demonstrating a commitment to cultural equity, community building, artists and the right of free inquiry and expression. Further, a diversity of voices in each organization’s staff, board of directors and projects had the highest priority. Support was also given to organizations seeking to protect and promote First Amendment rights, particularly freedom of expression.

ISRAEL
This program was developed to bring the values of democracy and citizen participation to Israel. Grant-making supported efforts to expose and confront anti-democratic social and political forces, and to articulate and advance new, realizable visions of a just society. Emphasis was placed on the rights of women and minorities, and working in coalition was encouraged.

NEW PROBLEMS/NEW SOLUTIONS
In order to sustain and build a healthy movement for social change, we need to sustain the organizations and activists that are the foundation of this movement. Through the New Problems/New Solutions area, the Foundation worked towards this goal. We supported fellowships and retreat programs that allowed organizers the time and space to renew their energy and dedication, and training programs that equipped them to expand their individual capacity to win change. We dedicated ourselves to strengthening the capacity of all grantees either through general support funding or through dedicated grants that focused on capacity–building in diverse areas of organizational need. We also sought to nurture the next generation of social change leaders by funding youth-focused training programs and youth-led organizations.

The New Problems/New Solutions area also focused on identifying emerging issues that were under the radar screen of the philanthropic community. These topics ranged from exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with such trends as devolution and globalization, to educating the public about the environmental dangers presented by a growing reliance on biotechnology. In all efforts we sought out dynamic leaders and organizations that took creative, strategic approaches not only to highlighting problems, but also to crafting solutions.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY AND ADVOCACY
An open, accessible and diverse communications environment is essential for a vibrant, healthy democracy. In response to rapidly changing technology and to the sweeping deregulation created by the 1996 Telecommunications Act, the Foundation developed a funding strategy to support advocacy for the public interest. Emphasis was on challenging concentration of ownership, balancing intellectual property rights, fostering an independent media, supporting the protection of noncommercial space in the media environment and maintaining an open and accessible Internet.

SPECIAL INITIATIVES

Capacity Building
The Foundation sought to foster the healthy and stable development of groups working for social change, in order to sustain and increase their impact and effectiveness over the long haul. These grants were used for the development of multi-year, overarching strategic plans or the creation and execution of plans in areas such as fundraising, financial management, marketing and communications, or board and leadership development.

Independent Media
A vibrant democracy depends on an independent media presenting diverse opinions. While the Foundation had supported independent media all along, this initiative was developed in response to the increased demand for in-depth and unbiased information in the post 9/11 climate.

Interprogram
The Interprogram area was developed to support groups whose work helps build field capacity in the issue areas of interest to the Foundation. Funding supported research, media training, legal strategies, technology assistance and regranting.