![]()
Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has pledged $23 million to Fairshake, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of political discourse in the United States. The funding will be used to support Fairshake's efforts to promote civility and reduce polarization in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections.Fairshake was founded in 2020 by a group of former Obama administration officials, including David Plouffe, who served as campaign manager for Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. The organization's mission is to make politics more civil and productive by promoting respectful dialogue, evidence-based decision-making, and accountability.Fairshake's work has been praised by both Democrats and Republicans. In a statement, a16z co-founder Marc Andreessen said that Fairshake is doing important work to improve the quality of our political discourse. He added that a16z is proud to support their efforts to make politics more civil and productive.The $23 million pledge from a16z is the largest single donation that Fairshake has received to date. The organization said that the funding will be used to expand its programs and reach more voters in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections.Fairshake's programs include a Civility Pledge that candidates can sign to commit to running a respectful campaign, a Truth Squad that fact-checks political ads, and a Dialogue Project that brings together people from different political backgrounds to discuss issues in a civil manner.The organization's work is particularly important in the current political climate, which is characterized by high levels of polarization and incivility. A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that a majority of Americans believe that political discourse in the United States has become more negative and divisive in recent years.Fairshake's efforts to promote civility and reduce polarization are essential to restoring trust in our political system and ensuring that our democracy remains strong. The $23 million pledge from a16z is a significant investment in these efforts and will help Fairshake to expand its reach and impact in the years to come.