United States

The Open Society Foundations work to advance rights, freedom, and justice, and to defend democracy. We pursue these goals in the United States by supporting groups that strengthen rights while improving American’s economic well-being; bolster democratic participation; and encourage the U.S. to play a principled, values-driven role in the world.

We support organizations working to safeguard American democracy at a time when fundamental rights are under attack. This includes work that defends against further erosions of civil liberties and the rule of law including—but not only—through strategic litigation that protects civil society from attack, and that exposes corruption and holds government accountable. 

We believe that existing legal protections against discrimination must be enforced and that anti-discrimination laws must be expanded to cover communities that have historically faced gaps in coverage such as LGBTQ+ Americans and those facing generational poverty. Every American deserves the right to live safely and securely and free from discrimination, participate in our democracy, and have equal access to economic opportunity including through a good job, affordable health care, childcare, and housing. 

This work builds on past work. We’ve addressed serious erosions of rights in recent years, perhaps most significantly, supporting efforts to restore and protect reproductive rights for millions of people in states like Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Missouri, Arizona, and Nevada, following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. We will continue to defend the right to make decisions about one’s own health and future.

At Open Society, we believe every person deserves the opportunity to determine their future and live with dignity. This includes the freedom to earn a living wage, change jobs, start a business, and form a union. 

We are making significant investments to improve Americans’ economic well-being and develop an affirmative agenda that addresses rising costs for families. We champion organizations protecting workers’ rights and advocating for policies to help families thrive, such as improving pay and protections for caregivers, affordable childcare, home care, prescription drugs, and health care, especially for low-income Americans. We have supported successful efforts to expand paid leave in Nebraska and increase the minimum wage in Missouri. We also back efforts that challenge the growing consolidation of corporate power that stifles competition and economic mobility.  

Advancing racial justice is central to our work to create economic opportunity and agency for all Americans. Economic exclusion and racial exclusion in the United States have always been deeply intertwined. We believe an agenda that focuses on both rights and economic renewal is the most impactful way to improve people’s lives. 

Through a dedicated and longstanding initiative, Open Society has supported efforts to hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable for its role in the overdose crisis. We have advocated for state governments to use the billions of dollars won in lawsuits with opioid manufacturers and distributors for impactful public health programs. We have invested in solutions that save lives and decreased drug overdoses, including by increasing access to naloxone, drug checking, medications for opioid use disorder, overdose prevention centers, and supporting health-based solutions that are effective alternatives to incarceration.

America’s immigration system is broken—failing communities, newcomers, and the national interest alike. In response, we are working to help build a system that puts communities in the driver’s seat: one where legal pathways replace chaos; where states, cities, and ordinary Americans have a say in who comes and how many; and where immigrants arrive with jobs, sponsors, and support. We fund organizations defending immigrant rights and family unity at a time when communities are being torn apart and people's constitutional protections and rights are being violated, while also investing in the policy architecture and cross-partisan coalitions needed to build an immigration system Americans can believe in and one that provides refuge for people fleeing persecution and seeking a better life for their families.

We believe the United States should remain a refuge for people fleeing persecution and seeking a better life for their families. We support orderly and planned immigration, including by working with communities to welcome newcomers. We also fund a range of organizations that provide frontline legal advice to individuals seeking asylum or facing deportation.

We believe the United States has a responsibility to be a force for good in the world. We work with partners who advocate for diplomacy to prevent conflict and resolve it justly. We support U.S. leadership in advancing democracy, human rights, and justice—and in engaging actively with multilateral institutions and standing up for international law. We fund organizations that strengthen civil society around the world and advocate for robust U.S. support for humanitarian and development aid. We back efforts to ensure all Americans have a voice in shaping foreign policy.

George Soros’s giving in the United States began in the 1980s with a focus on just two issues—improving the quality of palliative care and reforming punitive drug policies that largely targeted Black Americans. During the 1990s, our racial justice work broadened to fight bias in schools, in policing, in voting, and in the justice system, while we expanded support for those advocating for greater levels of government accountability and the protection of civil and political rights for all. We have offices in New York and Washington, D.C.

Highlights of Our Work in the United States