Liberal Fund-Raising Drive Seeks $250 Million to Aid Pushback Against Trump

Some of the country’s largest liberal foundations are quietly working to raise at least $250 million to help civil groups push back against President Trump and what they see as his steady drift toward authoritarianism, according to people briefed on the matter.

The effort is in its early days, working to secure initial commitments. But the scale of the collaborative undertaking has turned heads in the tightly networked world of philanthropy. It comes as donors are licking their wounds and many efforts to raise capital for liberal work are struggling.

If successful, it would be among the most financially ambitious initiatives to oppose Mr. Trump’s attacks on institutions. Some see it as a glimmer of hope in a community of progressive donors who have despaired over the new administration’s actions.

Recipients of the money raised would be nonpartisan nonprofits, not Democratic candidates or committees. The ultimate beneficiaries could include groups or individuals that file lawsuits against the government, provide security and safety for activists, or underwrite news media organizations or nonprofits seen as essential to the functions of democracy, the people said.

The effort, described by eight people briefed on it, is shrouded in secrecy. The philanthropic executives and donors involved are keeping a close grip on the details of their plans and the identities of the participants, out of fear that leaks could imperil their work and encourage retribution by Mr. Trump.

That gets at a bigger contradiction of political philanthropy in the Trump era: Benefactors want to organize themselves and spread the word about their intentions adequately to raise huge sums of money, but not to the point that their efforts receive unwanted attention from Mr. Trump.