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Another "Financial Friday" lead - this time from our friends at Community Heart & Soul, who are offering $10,000 seed grants to support bringing this resident-driven process to cities and towns with populations under 30,000. Learn more about the grant opportunity below and the full requirements for eligibility can be found on their site linked here. Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program provides $10,000 in funding for resident-driven groups in small cities and towns to start the Community Heart & Soul model. Grant funding requires a $10,000 cash match from the participating municipality or a partnering organization. Why Apply?
How to Apply
About the Community Heart & Soul Model Community Heart & Soul is a resident-driven process that engages the entire population of a town in identifying what they love most abou their community, what future they want for it, and how to acheive it. Developed and field-tested over a decade in partnership with over 90 small cities and towns across America, Community Heart & Soul is a proven process for engaging a community in shaping its future. Based on three powerful principles - involve everyone, focus on what matters most, and play the long game - Community Heart & Soul helps towns move toward a brighter, more prosperous future by bringing the residents of a community closer together. When residents get closer, differences tend to fade and the things they care most about replace the differences. Trust is built and residents become more collaborative in their decision-making and stronger believers in their communities. People continue to stay in their communities, new people move in, and investment in towns increases. Community Heart & Soul is unique in how it engages communities. It is a highly inclusive process that reaches deep into communities to ensure all voices are represented in determining a town's future. Instead of bringing residents to the table, we bring the table to them at community events, neighborhood block parties, schools, businesses, and virtual gatherings. Learn more at: www.communityheartandsoul.org/seed-grants/ 
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NCDD member organization, the National Civic League is accepting applications for the 2023 All-America City Award until Wednesday, February 15th. This year's theme, ‘Creating Thriving Communities through Youth Engagement’, seeks to identify communities that are working to improve the health and well-being of young people, with particular attention to efforts that engage young people in this work. Only one of the featured projects has to relate to the theme, so they welcome communities who are addressing other challenges as well. Learn more in the post below and on NCL's site linked here. The 2023 All-America City Awards: Applications Due 2/15 The National Civic League is now accepting applications for the 2023 All-America City Award! The theme for 2023 is " Creating thriving communities through youth engagement." Since 1949, the National Civic League has designated towns, boroughs, cities, counties, and regions as All-America Cities for their outstanding civic accomplishments. The award, bestowed yearly on 10 communities, recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stronger connections among residents, nonprofits, academic institutions, businesses, and government leaders. The 2023 All-America City Award will recognize ten communities that are working to improve the lives of young people, with particular attention to efforts that engage young people in this work. Democracy thrives when all residents are active and engaged in the policies and decisions that shape their lives. In 2023, the National Civic League is seeking to identify communities that are breaking down barriers to meaningful youth participation and enacting programs that will improve quality of life for youth, and all residents, by extension. All-America City applicants for 2023 will be asked to demonstrate innovation, impact, equity and inclusiveness, civic engagement, and cross sector collaboration by discussing the strength of their civic capital—the formal and informal relationships, networks and capacities they use to make decisions and solve problems—and to provide examples of community-driven projects/programs that have adapted and transformed the community to be more receptive to youth voices and have addressed their concerns for the future. Applications are due February 15, 2023. 20 finalists will be named in March of 2023 and will be invited to assemble a community team to present their work at the All-America City Award event in Denver, CO from June 9-11, 2023, during which the ten eventual winners will be selected and announced. The 2023 award event will be in-person for the first time since 2019 and the League is looking forward to connecting with communities that are exhibiting the best in local innovation, civic engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. Teams of residents, nonprofit, business, and government leaders, and young people from communities across the country will share insights with peers, learn from national thought-leaders, and present the story of their work to a jury of nationally recognized civic leaders. The event culminates with the awards ceremony, recognizing the year’s ten All-America Cities. The transformational experience equips, inspires, and supports leaders and communities to achieve more than they ever believed possible. The All-America City Award shines a spotlight on the incredible work taking place in communities across the country. By celebrating the best in local innovation, civic engagement and cross-sector collaboration, the All-America City Award reminds us of the potential within every community to tackle tough issues and create real change. For additional information, watch this informational webinar and download the 2023 application.  Applications are open for the Better Arguments Project Ambassador Program until February 5th. This nine-week, fellowship program will offer the opportunities to learn with others in the Ambassador cohort on how to have more constructive conversations within their communities. The program is free to attend, and will provide a stipend to participants. The Better Arguments Project is a collaboration by the Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program, Allstate, and Facing History and Ourselves. Learn more about the program below and click here to apply.  Better Arguments Project Ambassador Program
Do you want to lead your community to engage more constructively across differences of opinion? Program Description The Better Arguments Project Ambassador Program is a fellowship-style, action-oriented experience. As a result of the program, each Ambassador will be equipped to make commitments of action to put Better Arguments into practice in their respective communities. We seek leaders of all kinds who share a passion for finding healthier, more constructive ways to disagree and exchange ideas, and who are ready to commit to leading their communities in doing so. This program will unfold through a series of nine modules, taking place virtually for two-hours each week. Meeting weekly with their cohort of Ambassadors, participants will master the Better Arguments framework, reflect deeply on their own values and views about civil discourse and engagement across divides, and learn how to guide others to argue better. Participants will engage in peer-to-peer learning with a diverse cohort of Ambassadors, all of whom are taking this step to improve our civil discourse. With the support and feedback from fellow Ambassadors as well as the Better Arguments team, participants will craft a commitment to bring Better Arguments concepts to their community. This program is completely free, and each participant will receive a stipend. If this program sounds right for you, start by asking yourself: “Why does my community need a Better Argument?” Share your thoughts with us by applying to the Ambassador Program today! More information can be found at: betterarguments.org/ambassador-program/. NCDD member orgs - CitizenLab and Konveio have teamed up to make online engagement even more dynamic! "Get the right community input for every phase of your project. Learn how to match the right communications and engagement tools to each part of a project lifecycle with CitizenLab and Konveio." Learn about this exciting partnership on their upcoming webinar this Thursday, January 26th, at 1pm Eastern, 10am Pacific - read more below and register here. Introducing the CitizenLab x Konveio partnership. Get everyone on the same page with a full suite of online community engagement tools and interactive documents. Until now, online engagement tools have applied a one-size-fits-all approach; relying heavily on surveys throughout a project lifecycle and under-investing in initial and follow-up communications. This approach can make engagement feel transactional and leave residents in the dark about how and when their input will be used. In response, CitizenLab and Konveio have teamed up to ensure local governments can match the right communications and engagement tools to each part of a project lifecycle. Local governments can now do it all; launch a project using CitizenLab's idea collection or survey tools; refine early drafts or mockups using Konveio's embedded document engagement platform; and then communicate out findings and reports, all in one place. This webinar will cover the different types of community input and buy-in required as a project progresses, and identify different "sequences" or pre-defined engagement processes that align to specific types of projects, like comprehensive plans, climate action plans, and ARPA budgeting. Join us to learn and discuss:
Register for the upcoming webinar at: www.citizenlab.co/konveio-webinar  NCDD Member Organization, the Kettering Foundation, announced the release of their most recent publication, Connections 2022: Innovating for Democracy. This issue explores learnings from Kettering's research around the challenges to democracy and takeaways on how various sectors are working to address those challenges. Read the highlights in the post below and download the publication for free on Kettering's site here. Connections 2022: Innovating for Democracy Connections 2022 is a deep dive into Kettering research: what we’ve done—and where we want to move in the future. The issue, edited by KF director of strategic initiatives Melinda Gilmore with KF senior associate Maura Casey, features research spearheaded by Kettering program staff and colleagues. It includes articles focused on how citizens and professionals are tackling the challenges of democracy, from elementary students developing deliberative citizenship to journalists rethinking how they engage with the community. One common theme runs throughout: the work of democracy includes experimenting and learning together. The authors invite you to learn with them and consider how you might innovate for democracy in your community. Articles in this issue:
Find the full publication at: www.kettering.org/catalog/product/connections-2022.  A little "Financial Friday" lead for all of those in our network passionate about the intersection of engagement work and community science. Our friends at the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) are currently offering three funding opportunities: ASTC-sponsored Thriving Earth Exchange Community Science Fellowships, Partnership Planning Seed Grants, and Project Implementation Grants. We encourage you to check these out and share with your relevant networks! Learn more in the post below and find the original information on ASTC's site here. Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) 2023 Funding Opportunities
In 2023, ASTC’s Community Science Initiative will provide direct support through three opportunities that each provide funding alongside professional development, networking, and strategic support for community science initiatives. Designed to support and scale a diversity of community science projects at different stages of development, each award has unique goals, requirements, and timelines. Briefly, the three opportunities are:
More information on the grants can be found at www.communityscience.astc.org/2023-funding-opportunities/. Today, January 19th - NCDD friend, The David Mathews Center for Civic Life, is hosting an Applied Democracy Exchange (ADEX) on "A Free Press: Examining the Role of Journalism in a Functioning Democracy". The conversation kicks off at 10am Eastern, 1pm Pacific. Register here! Applied Democracy Exchanges (ADEX) Join us every third Thursday to discuss the current perils and future promises of democracy. These monthly conversations, held every third Thursday, will focus on the current perils and future promises of democracy in the U.S. and abroad. These hybrid discussions (live online and in-person) will focus on a unique, democracy-related theme each month. We are particularly interested in bridging the gap between theory and practice, bringing together both researchers of democracy and its practitioners on the ground. Guest speakers and practioners will include journalists, teachers, researchers, and everyday people from all over the world. What they all have in common is a deep belief in democracy and a shared concern for its future. Dr. David Mathews will be joining us for these conversations and we’d love to have you as well! About the organization: The David Mathews Center for Civic Life works to strengthen civic life in Alabama by increasing active citizenship, community collaboration, and effective decision making.  NCDD Member Organization, MetroQuest, is hosting their upcoming webinar, The Ultimate Virtual Public Involvement Checklist, next Wednesday, January 25th at 2 pm Eastern, 11 am Pacific. Learn more about the webinar below and register to join linked here.  Upcoming MetroQuest Webinar: The Ultimate Virtual Public Involvement Checklist Wednesday, January 25th 11 am Pacific | 2 pm Eastern (1 hour) 101 questions to guide your team to success! Ever wonder why some VPI efforts sizzle and others fizzle? Over the past few years, virtual public involvement (VPI) has become essential to every public engagement process. In response, MetroQuest partnered with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) to unbundle the keys to successful VPI in a series of peer-to-peer forums with DOTs, MPOs and planning and public involvement consulting teams from across the country.
This webinar will uncover the 101 guiding questions that teams should consider throughout the planning, engagement and reporting phases to guide your team to great results in every project. NCDD Sustaining Partner, the Interactivity Foundation, is hosting the second discussion event in their interactive online series - The End of American Democracy? A Community Conversation Series. "What are the key processes and institutions that we need to have a healthy democracy? What concerns do you have about the capacity of these processes and institutions to resist authoritarianism?" The event will be on Wednesday, January 18th, at 2pm Eastern, 11am Pacific. Read more about the remaining events in this series in the post below and register via the Interactivity Foundation's website linked here.  The End of American Democracy? A Community Conversation Series
What would it look like if democracy were to collapse here in the US? Almost 3/4 of Americans think that American democracy is under threat, and in 2021 the US was listed for the first time as a “backsliding democracy.” Please join us for this 3-part interactive online conversation series about the authoritarian threats to our democracy. Our small-group conversations are designed for collaborative exploration. Our conversations aren’t debates or arguments. We focus on helping each other to explore the broader meaning of what is happening as it relates to the prospects for democratic societies to thrive. Each of us is an expert about what democracy means for us. Bring your questions, concerns, and thoughts. NCDD Member Jamila Mindingall and the South Fulton Community Mediation Center in Georgia are putting on an in-person and virtual conversations this week for the National Day of Racial Healing. They are having a great participation response, but it means they need more volunteer facilitators to help out! TONIGHT: If you are interested, please register for the 60-minute facilitators roles and responsibilities pre-event meeting on this evening, Monday, January 16, 2023, at 6 pm (Eastern). This pre-event meeting will be to discuss the event, process, and any questions. Sign up to register for this event on the page linked here. Flyers for the facilitators' pre-event meeting and the conversation events are below. If you have questions, please send a message to Jamila at jmindingall@sofu-cmc.org. These events are part of the larger, national week of events to honor the National Day of Racial Healing - learn more below and at: www.healourcommunities.org. ABOUT THE NATIONAL DAY OF RACIAL HEALING The National Day of Racial Healing is a time to contemplate our shared values and create the blueprint together for #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism. Launched on Jan. 17, 2017, it is an opportunity to bring ALL people together in their common humanity and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world. This annual observance is hosted by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) and was created with and builds on the work and learnings of the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) community partners. Fundamental to this day is a clear understanding that racial healing is at the core of racial equity. This day is observed every year on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.    |
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© The National Coalition For Dialogue And Deliberation, Inc. All rights reserved.