Other Project 2029 Initiatives

This document catalogs the various “official” Project 2029 initiatives that have emerged since the 2024 election, primarily as progressive responses to the conservative Project 2025. These are listed in order of organizational prominence and institutional backing.

1. Democracy Journal’s Project 2029 (Centrist Democratic Establishment)

Organization: Democracy: A Journal of Ideas Leadership: Andrei Cherny (former Democratic speechwriter, co-founder of Democracy Journal) Website: democracyjournal.org Status: Active (launched 2025)

Advisory Board

Mission

To draft a comprehensive policy agenda for a hoped-for Democratic president taking office in January 2029. The project intends to produce a book from articles published over a two-year span in Democracy Journal, with quarterly policy releases leading up to the 2028 election.

Approach

Modeled after Project 2025 but from a center-left perspective. Aims to provide 2028 Democratic candidates with a ready-made policy framework backed by establishment Democratic thinkers.

Reception

Controversial within Democratic circles. Progressive critics argue the advisory board consists of the same centrist establishment figures who presided over Democratic losses in 2016 and 2024. Critics contend it lacks sufficient progressive representation and input from working-class voices.

2. Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) Project 2029

Organization: Association of State Democratic Committees Leadership: Jane Kleeb (ASDC President; Nebraska Democratic Chair) Status: Active committee within ASDC (established 2025)

Mission

Focused specifically on democracy infrastructure issues rather than broad policy agenda. Working to prepare:

Focus Areas

Distinction

This is a separate initiative from the Democracy Journal version, focused narrowly on election administration and democracy reforms rather than comprehensive policy across all issue areas.

3. Grassroots Project 2029 Coalition (Progressive/Independent)

Organization: Project 2029 (independent grassroots coalition) Website: project2029.me and p2029.org Leadership:

Status: Active (founded January 2025)

Composition

Mission

Citizen-led democracy reform effort focused on “substantive systemic change” rather than incremental reforms. Emphasis on moving “from outrage to action” toward “a future that is strong, kind, and focused on human flourishing.”

Four Policy Pillars

1. Governance

2. Economy

3. Humanity

4. Justice

Policy Output

Already released first major policy brief calling for Electoral College reform (2025).

Distinction

This is the most grassroots-organized Project 2029, explicitly rejecting party establishment control and emphasizing bottom-up policy development from working people and activists.

4. “People’s Project 2029” (Progressive Coalition Concept)

Advocates: Gara LaMarche (Open Society Foundations), Saru Jayaraman (One Fair Wage) Platform: Democracy Journal article (June 2025): “Needed: A People’s Project 2029” Status: Advocacy/vision document rather than operational organization

Core Argument

The answer to “top-down elitist Project 2025” cannot be another top-down elitist Project 2029. Instead, progressive policy must be:

Key Policy Proposals

Associated Organizations

Distinction

This is more of a policy vision and critique of centrist approaches than an operational project. It challenges both the Democracy Journal establishment version and argues for working-class-centered policy development.

5. Race Forward’s Project 2029

Organization: Race Forward (racial justice organization) Website: raceforward.org Status: Toolkit and vision framework (2025)

Mission

“Plant seeds for a collective Project 2029 driven by the movement for a multiracial democracy.”

Approach

Dual strategy:

Short-term (2025-2028):

Long-term (Project 2029):

Focus

Racial equity lens applied to federal agency transformation. Emphasis on reimagining government institutions to implement transformative racial justice policies.

Output

Published toolkit: “From Project 2025 to Project 2029: How We Resist an Authoritarian Takeover and Turn Public Administration into a Force for Equity and Justice”

Comparison Matrix

Initiative Institutional Backing Political Orientation Approach Status
Democracy Journal Centrist Dem establishment, think tanks Center-left Top-down policy document Active
ASDC Project 2029 State Democratic parties Democratic Party infrastructure Democracy/electoral reform only Active
Grassroots Coalition Independent, 800+ volunteers Progressive/independent Bottom-up, multi-issue Active
“People’s Project” Progressive labor orgs Left-progressive Advocacy/vision Conceptual
Race Forward Racial justice movement Progressive racial equity Institution transformation Framework

Key Differences and Tensions

Leadership

Scope

Methodology

Reception

The Democracy Journal version faces significant progressive criticism for:

The grassroots and progressive alternatives emphasize:

Relationship to This Repository

This repository’s Project 2029 pre-dates most of these initiatives and represents an independent policy framework focused on:

It shares significant policy overlap with the grassroots coalition and progressive alternatives while providing more comprehensive constitutional and legislative details than any of the initiatives listed above.

Sources and Further Reading

Last Updated: November 9, 2025