Category Archives: public participation

Join Our Aug. Confab Call on Building an Online Commons!

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You’re invited to join us for our next NCDD Confab Call on Thursday, August 25th from 1-2 PM Eastern (10am-12pm Pacific)! This interactive conference call will feature John Gastil, a democracy scholar and long-time NCDD member, and Luke Hohmann, CEO of Conteneo, Inc., who will share about a ground-breaking civic tech idea that they are working together to make into a reality. Register today to save your spot!Confab bubble image

John and Luke are gathering together software designers, civic reformers, academics, and public officials to envision and build an integrated online commons – a commons that would link together the best existing civic tech and other online deliberation and engagement tools by making them components in a larger “Democracy Machine.”

The purpose of the call is to discuss ideas about the design and development of the machine in advance of a session on the same topic during NCDD 2016 this October. The aim is to draw new people into the civic sphere, encourage more sustained and deliberative engagement, and send ongoing feedback to both government and citizens to improve how the public interfaces with the public sector. In advance of the call, we encourage participants to read about the basic concept in John’s recent post on the Challenges to Democracy blog or read his full essay, “Building a Democracy Machine: Toward an Integrated and Empowered Form of Democracy,” by clicking here

John Gastil is a professor in the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences at the Pennsylvania State University. His research focuses on the theory and practice of deliberative democracy, particularly as it relates to how people make decisions in small groups on matters of public concern. His recent books include The Jury and Democracy, The Group in Society, and Democracy in Small Groups: Participation, Decision Making, and Communication (2nd ed.).

Luke Hohmann is CEO of Conteneo, Inc. Conteneo is the leading provider of collaboration – not communication – solutions for the public and private sector. Through their cutting-edge technology and customized services, Conteneo enables employees, customers, and partners to work better together – no matter where they are in the world. Thousands of business leaders are using the Conteneo Collaboration Cloud and our Collaboration Consulting services to be more productive, innovative and competitive.

NCDD’s interactive Confab Calls are free and open to all members and potential members. Register today if you’d like to join us!

About NCDD’s Confab Calls…

Confab bubble imageNCDD’s Confab Calls are opportunities for members (and potential members) of NCDD to talk with and hear from innovators in our field about the work they’re doing, and to connect with fellow members around shared interests. Membership in NCDD is encouraged but not required for participation. Register today if you’d like to join us.

NHPRC Offers Grants Available for Engagement with Historical Records

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We recently heard about an interesting opportunity from our friends with the American Library Association’s Center for Civic Life, and we wanted to make sure our members heard about it. The Center recently shared an announcement about a grant opportunity for efforts that use historical records to spark public engagement, and we encourage our members to consider applying. Learn more in the ALA’s announcement below or find the original version here.

Public Engagement with Historical Records Grants through the NHPRC

Public Engagement with Historical Records

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) of the National Archives supports projects that promote access to America’s historical records to encourage understanding of our democracy, history, and culture.

The following grant application information is for Public Engagement with Historical Records.

Funding Opportunity Number: ENGAGEMENT-201610

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 89.003

Draft Deadline (optional): July 26, 2016
Final Deadline: October 6, 2016
NHPRC support begins no earlier than July 1, 2017.

Grant Program Description

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) seeks projects that encourage public engagement with historical records, including the development of new tools that enable people to engage online. The NHPRC is looking for projects that create models and technologies that other institutions can freely adopt. In general, collaborations among archivists, documentary editors, historians, educators, and/or community-based individuals are more likely to create a competitive proposal.

Projects might create and develop programs to engage people in the study and use of historical records for institutional, educational or personal reasons. For example, an applicant can:

  • Enlist volunteer “citizen archivists” in projects to accelerate access to historical records, especially those online. This may include, but is not limited to, efforts to identify, tag, transcribe, annotate, or otherwise enhance digitized historical records.
  • Develop educational programs for K-16 students or community members that encourage them to engage with historical records already in repositories or that are collected as part of the project.

You can find the original version of this post from the American Libraries Association at http://discuss.ala.org/civicengagement/2016/07/23/public-engagement-with-historical-records-grants-through-the-nhprc. 

PBP Releases Guide for Participatory Budgeting in Schools

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Ensuring that younger generations have opportunities to practice the skills they need to make decisions together about substantive issues is vital to maintaining a democratic society. So we are thrilled to share that the Participatory Budgeting Project – an NCDD member organization – has created a new tool to help schools everywhere give students that opportunity with its new PB in Schools Guide, which is designed to help educators collaboratively launch participatory budgeting processes in their classrooms and school buildings. Learn more in the PBP announcement below or find the original here.

PBP-Logo-Stacked-Rectangle-web1PB in Schools Guide

We all want young people to become civically engaged. This can start now, in school! PBP has developed a free Guide for you to give students a direct experience in civic engagement through Participatory Budgeting.

The Guide shows how to get your school working with Participatory Budgeting (PB). The PB process creates an experiential learning environment for community engagement at a local level. Students are challenged to think about community needs and issues, exploring their environment. They are then empowered to design and implement a solution, taking shared ownership of their school community. They will gain a new attachment to their community; a sense of pride that comes with civic contribution. And they will build a stronger, more collaborative relationship with school administration, one another, and the community at large.

The Guide includes 18 lesson plans and 6 worksheets that are designed to take 45 minutes, once a week, over the course of a semester. You will find sections that explore:

  • Idea Collection
  • Proposal Development
  • Planning
  • VotingPB_Schools_Cover
  • Implementation and Beyond

Participatory Budgeting is great to bring into your classroom because:

  • It’s democracy in action.
  • It gives your students a positive civic engagement experience.
  • It serves as a bridge for your students to be engaged in politics and their community.
  • It strengthens the school community by building positive relations between students and the administration.
  • It shows students the benefits of getting involved.

By implementing Participatory Budgeting into classrooms, students will learn to:

  • Increase their ability to work collaboratively
  • Develop research, interviewing, and surveying skills
  • Develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills
  • Develop public presentation skills
  • Increase their awareness of community needs and their role in addressing those needs
  • Understand budgetary processes and develop basic budgeting skills
  • Identify ways to participate in governance
  • Increase concern about the welfare of others and develop a sense of social responsibility

The Guide’s game plan is effective and efficient as well as adaptive – modify it to fit your context. The Guide explains how to navigate idea collection, proposal development, an expo, a community vote, and implementation of winning projects.

PBP welcomes you to take the first step in bringing your school community closer and educating your students in an engaging democratic process by downloading our free Guide!

You can find the original version of this Participatory Budgeting Project announcement at www.participatorybudgeting.nationbuilder.com/pbinschools.

CII Seeks Support to Develop New “Wise Democracy” Tool

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Long time NCDD members John Spady recently sent us news of a project being undertaken by another NCDD member, Tom Atlee, and his Co-Intelligence Institute that we wanted to share here. Tom and the CII are developing a new tool for supporting “wiser democracy,” and are seeking support to obtain a matching grant for the work. We encourage you to read John’s letter about the project below or learn more about the project and how to support here.

Fundraiser request from the Co-intelligence Institute with Tom Atlee

The board of the Co-intelligence Institute (CII) has initiated a fund raiser to support the emergence of “wiser democracy” – Tom Atlee and Martin Rausch have developed a pattern language card desk design (similar in design to the Group Works deck created in 2011) to impart a sense of what is possible and promote wiser archetypes of design, and they are calling on the D&D community for support in funding the project.

The CII fundraiser is at this secure link: https://bit.ly/CII-fundraiser2016. Here’s a bit more explanation from the fundraiser page:

Tom Atlee and Martin Rausch have been working on a Wise Democracy Group Pattern Language deck, that builds on the insights of Tom’s previous books, The Tao of Democracy and Empowering Public Wisdom. In some ways, this new pattern language is analogous to the Group Pattern Language deck, only its focus is on democracy as a whole, instead of on groups. Your contribution will allow us to complete this project, which is already half-way there! We still need to edit the cards, complete the designs, and invest in our first print run.

It’s also a great time to contribute, since your money will be doubled through an anonymous challenge grant, if we reach our goal by August 31st! Any funds over the amount we are requesting here, will be used for other co-intelligence projects, such as the completion of a nearly-finished book on the need for a participatory approach to sustainability.

This challenge grant from a generous and anonymous donor has been made and the challenge can only be met if CII first raises $10,000. Please take a moment to visit the link and review the challenge.

In the words of Walt Whitman: “I cannot too often repeat that Democracy is a word the real gist of which still sleeps, quite unawakened, notwithstanding the resonance and the many angry tempests out of which its syllables have come, from pen or tongue. It is a great word, whose history, I suppose, remains unwritten because that history has yet to be enacted.”

While wise democracy has not yet been enacted on a large scale,  a number of successful experiments show what is possible. The cards that have been drafted distill patterns of “good design” – aspects we need to consider when creating  a wiser democracy. These are not a “set of rules” but instead support reflection, integration, and implementation.

Thank you for you interest in this project from the Co-intelligence Institute!

John Spady
CII Board Member
and Founder of the National Dialogue Network

Take the Survey on the State of Public Participation Practice

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Recently, NCDD member supporting member John Godec shared on the NCDD Discussion Listserv that he is conducting a survey of public participation practitioners on the state of the profession. The survey is a valuable way to gain some insight into the current state of public engagement, and John is willing to share the final results, so we encourage you to complete the survey before the Aug. 31 deadline! You can read more in John’s announcement below or find the original version here.

Public Participation in the Age of Smartphones & Brexit: Dead or Alive? – A Survey of the State of the Practice‏

We need your help.  When everyone is connected to everyone else and opinions can be posted to the world from your phone, does anyone really care about public participation anymore?  Do those in power really have any interest in sharing their power?  Does the public truly think that they have any real voice in governance?

We want to understand the state of the practice from your expert view.  Tell us how healthy – or not – the profession is from your perspective. Has the craft changed, and how, and what do you think the future holds?

This survey is easy and brief. We’ll present and discuss the results at the IAP2 North American Conference in Montreal in late September and send you a report copy if you’re interested.

So please take a couple of minutes, click on and complete the survey now while you’re thinking about it and also please forward this or send the link to anyone else that you know that has a role in this profession.

Our deadline is August 31.  And thanks very much.

Start the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PublicParticipation2016

You can find the original version of this announcement from Godec Randall & Associates at www.godecrandall.com/2016/07/19/public-participation-in-the-age-of-smartphones-brexit-dead-or-alive-a-survey-of-the-state-of-the-practice.

New Jobs & Openings in the Field

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In the last week, we’ve heard about several jobs and other openings in democracy-oriented organizations, so we wanted to put them all in one place for our members. We know that there are many people in our network who would be great fits for these openings, and we strongly encourage you to apply to these positions or share about the openings with your networks!

There is a list of the openings and links to more information below. Good luck to all the applicants!

Participatory Budgeting Project

  • Community Engagement Coordinator (Greensboro) – learn more here
  • Community Engagement Coordinator (Oakland) – learn more here

E-Democracy

  • Seeking new board members – learn more here

Democracy Fund

  • Executive Assistant to the President and VP, Strategy, Learning, and Impact – learn more here
  • Program Associate, Governance Initiative – learn more here
  • Local News Associate, Public Square – learn more here
  • Research Associate, Informed Participation – learn more here
  • Senior Counsel – learn more here
  • Program Internship – learn more here

NCDD Members Host 4-day Transpartisan Tele-Summit

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As you may have seen on the NCDD Discussion Listerv recently, several NCDD members are hosting a “virtual roundtable” focused on transcending partisan divides this Aug. 1-4. The American Citizens Summit event will be co-hosted by NCDD members Amanda Roman and John Steiner and will feature many more members and D&D leaders as speakers. We encourage our members to learn more in Amanda’s announcement below or visit www.americancitizenssummit.com.

Join The American Citizens Summit for 3 Days of Political Cross-Training

As you may know, the first decade of my career was dedicated to the center-right political coalition. While my values and philosophical leanings remain. I have spent the second decade getting to know and working to support amazing organizations and innovative individuals that are focused on moving beyond typical political boundaries and getting results.

Just after the RNC and DNC conventions, I will be co-hosting a tele-summit that will recognize and spotlight this transpartisan dynamic. We are anticipating 50,000+ registrants and I would love to have you join us for three days (and an extra evening) of energetic political cross-training!

Are you concerned by our nation’s current political climate? Discouraged that infighting and bitter partisanship is affecting our ability to move forward? Do you feel discouraged and without a place in the political process? Wondering if your vote really counts?

You’re not alone.

Like many Americans, you may feel like a bystander, powerless to make a difference. And while media would have us believe that bitter polarization and gridlock is the norm, that’s only one overplayed perspective of the story.

There are MANY passionate and dedicated Americans engaged in and working to reform our democratic system – citizens just like YOU! – developing bold solutions that transcend partisan politics and creating platforms where everyone’s voice CAN be heard and everyone’s vote DOES count.

You’re invited to take your place among them during the American Citizens Summit, August 1-4!

I’m honored to have served as the lead designer for this event and to be co-hosting conversations with over 45 respected political leaders, grassroots visionaries, business pioneers, change agents and advocates – including Gavin Newsom, Marianne Williamson, Grover Norquist, Jackie Salit, Eric Liu, Joan Blades, John Robbins (and so many more!) – who are committed to putting democratic principles before politics-as-usual to help reclaim the full power of our democracy.

During this unprecedented 4-day event you’ll discover opportunities to bring about the change you believe is possible, ways to navigate political conversations without polarization, and alternatives that build momentum toward a brighter future for us all.

We’ll chart the course toward more positive politics. We’ll build bridges across divides and learn about effective solutions for our communities and our country.

I hope you’ll participate in this special online gathering presented by The Shift Network.

RSVP here for The American Citizens Summit — at no charge!

The American Citizens Summitwill serve as a “virtual roundtable” where diverse thought leaders representing the full spectrum of political ideologies – each with valuable insights and contributions, and united in their desire to bring greater wisdom and compassion to our country through this process – will come together to model a respectful dialogue in an effort to shift our political paradigm.

Join us for 4 days of energetic political cross training on how to get results, respect differences and strengthen our democracy. You’ll discover:

  • Ways to navigate political conversations without polarization
  • Bold solutions that transcend partisan politics
  • How to help reclaim the full power of our democracy
  • Innovative & inspired actions you can take immediately
  • A larger community with resources & connections for you to tap into
  • Pathways to channel your energy, passion & interests
  • Ways to make your voice heard & your vote count
  • Your contribution in peacefully fulfilling our highest promise as a nation
  • Network with like-minded people who share your desire to move forward in UNITY
  • Effective solutions that are working for our communities & our country
  • Processes that allow us to see opposing sides & possibilities for common ground

RSVP here for The American Citizens Summit – at no charge!

Yours truly,

Amanda Kathryn Roman

Enter Everyday Democracy’s Youth Grant Competition

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We hope that our younger members will take note of a great opportunity that NCDD member organization Everyday Democracy recently announced. EvDem is offering grants for 18-30 year olds to attend their national convening in December of this year, and we encourage you to apply before the August 1 deadline! Learn more in EvDem’s announcement below or find the original version here.

Young Leaders Grant Opportunity

EvDem LogoThe next generation of leaders engaging people in creating positive change has already made waves in communities across the country.  Our goal is to attract 20-40 of those young leaders to take part in learning and networking at our upcoming national convening. Participants will learn, connect, and share their insights with changemakers of all ages.

Several young leaders will be awarded scholarships to enable them to attend the convening, and will have the opportunity to compete for grant money to support their leadership and organizing efforts in their local communities.

What we hope to accomplish:

  • Highlight the work of young leaders at our national convening
  • Provide opportunities for learning and networking among young leaders
  • Provide support for the critical work being done by young leaders across the country
  • Build our network among the next generation of changemakers

What is the grant competition?

Young leaders (ages 18-30) will have the chance to compete to win one of four all-expense paid scholarships to Everyday Democracy’s national convening in Baltimore, MD, December 8-10, 2016. The four finalists will present their work at the conference and compete for grants to support their work in their local communities.

By participating in this grant competition, young leaders will gain access to our tools, resources and coaching, as well as a national spotlight for the work they are doing.

How do I apply?

If you are interested in participating, send us a completed Intent to Apply form. We will follow up with you by providing the application guidelines and other details.

Through the application process, applicants will submit information telling us who they are, the work they are doing and what impact the convening and grant could have on their work.

The application process will likely include an essay and/or video submission. Submissions will be judged based on a demonstration of a commitment to the values of racial equity and inclusive community-building that Everyday Democracy champions. The submission details are still being determined. Those who submit an Intent to Apply will be the first to hear details on how to submit an application for the grant.

Who is eligible to apply?

Anyone from the U.S. who will be between the ages of 18-30 on December 1, 2016 who is doing great work to change their communities. Everyone who applies must be available and able to travel to the conference December 8-10, 2016 in Baltimore, MD.

Download the Intent to Apply form.

You can find the original version of this announcement from Everyday Democracy at www.everyday-democracy.org/news/young-leaders-grant-opportunity.

Depolarizing Discourse by Understanding Emotion’s Role

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NCDD member Dave Biggs recently published the insightful interview below via MetroQuest – an NCDD member organization – and we wanted to share it here. Dave interviews the author of a new book, I’m Right and You’re an Idiot, on the way emotion and perceived risk contribute to polarization and toxic public discourse, and how understanding the psychology of our “emotional dialogue” can help us build bridges to understanding. We encourage you to read the piece below or find the original version here.

The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How to Clean It Up

James Hoggan has influenced my work for two decades. I find myself quoting his work in many of my public speaking engagements and the lessons he has articulated have shaped MetroQuest and the best practices listed in our guidebook in numerous ways. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to sit down with Hoggan to discuss his new book, I’m Right and You’re an Idiot: The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How to Clean It Up. After years of research that included interviewing some of the world’s most profound thinkers on democracy, conflict, and consensus-building, Hoggan has cleverly articulated not only what’s wrong with public discourse but also what must be done to fix it. Here’s our conversation.

Dave Biggs: You named your book ‘I’m Right and You’re an Idiot.’ What does that title mean to you?

James Hoggan: The title I’m Right and You’re an Idiot describes today’s warlike approach to public debate. It’s a style of communication that polarizes public conversations and prevents us from dealing with the serious problems stalking everyone on earth.

It is an ironic title, chosen because it epitomizes the kind of attack rhetoric we hear so often today. It reflects the opposite of the real message of the book, which was best said by peace activist and Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh who told me to: “Speak the truth not to punish.”

Dave Biggs: It’s clear that you covered a great deal of ground in researching this book. Tell me about that journey. What motivated you to go to such lengths?

James Hoggan: I was driven by curiosity about how we might create Continue reading →

Become a Sponsor of NCDD 2016 Today!

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NCDD is working hard on putting together our 2016 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation this October 14-16 in the Boston metro area. It’s shaping up to be our best conference yet, and like all of our conferences, NCDD 2016 will be a great opportunity to gain recognition while supporting the field by becoming a conference sponsor!

Looking to heighten the profile of your organization and work in the field? Being a sponsor is a great way to do it! NCDD conferences regularly bring together over 400 of the most active, thoughtful, and influential people in public engagement and group process work across the U.S. and Canada (plus practitioners from around the world), and being a sponsor can help your organization can reach them all.

Being an All-Star Sponsor ($3000), Co-Sponsor ($2000) or Partner ($1000) will earn you name recognition with potential clients, provide months of PR, and build respect and good will for your organization every time we proudly acknowledge your support as we promote the conference. Plus you’ll be providing the crucial support that NCDD relies on to make our national conferences so spectacular, including making it possible for us to offer more scholarships to the amazing young people and other deserving folks in our field. You can learn more about the details in our sponsorship document.

The earlier you commit to being an NCDD 2016 sponsor, the more exposure you earn as we begin to roll out our sponsor logos on our website. But the benefits go way beyond that – just look at all the perks you get for being a sponsor!

By supporting an NCDD conference, our sponsors are demonstrating leadership in D&D, showing commitment to public engagement and innovative community problem solving, and making a name for themselves among the established leaders and emerging leaders in our rapidly growing field. We expect to have between 400 and 450 attendees at NCDD 2016, and all of them will hear about our sponsors’ work!

When you sign on as a sponsor or partner of NCDD 2016, you’ll be joining an amazing group of peers you can be proud to associate with. To give you an idea, check out our sponsors and partners for our 2014 national conference in Reston:

SponsorLogosAsOf9-7-14

Interested in joining their ranks and sponsoring the 2016 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation? We encourage you to consider investing in yourself, in NCDD, and in the field by becoming a sponsor today! We would deeply appreciate your support – plus you get so many benefits.

Learn more about sponsor benefits and requirements here, or send an email to sandy@ncdd.org to let us know you are interested in supporting this important convening through sponsorship. And thank you for considering supporting the conference in this critical way!