In Defense of Movements:
A Roadmap for Resilience and Justice

The In Defense of Movements Project is a strategic collaboration between funders and philanthropy organizations to amplify the expertise of movement organizations leading the political, narrative, and legal defense of justice movements facing state repression through political prosecutions.

Political prosecutions that target movements for racial, social, and environmental justice and human rights are alarmingly common and a coordinated trend occurring nationwide. They are a key tactic employed by the state and state-adjacent actors to repress movements, and often go hand in hand with using media, financial platforms, surveillance, investigations, and threats to revoke non-profit IRS status. We are unified by a mission to enable our justice movements to operate in fearlessness and determination - undaunted by the specter of state repression through the weaponization of the justice system, and steadfast in their power building.