​The Democracy Stories Lab, a new initiative from People Powered in partnership with the Democracy Narratives Alliance, is calling on creators worldwide to submit visual storytelling that reimagines what democracy could look and feel like in everyday life. The call invites short videos, illustrations, and graphics that move beyond policy talking points to explore voice, fairness, belonging, and what happens when communities hold real power over the decisions that shape their futures. Submissions must engage with the Democracy Narratives Alliance's research on how to talk about democracy, giving participants a practical framework for translating dialogue and deliberation principles into accessible, creative formats. Applications open July 14, 2026, with a submission deadline of September 14, 2026, and winners receiving cash awards plus amplification across both organizations' networks. The initiative reflects NCDD's mission of expanding who gets to shape conversations about democracy, extending the field's reach into creative and media spaces it rarely touches.

The Council on Foundations has launched the Community Foundations Working Across Differences Accelerator, a new grant opportunity designed to help U.S. community foundations deepen their capacity to bring people together across social and political divides. The program pairs direct funding, including a $20,000 planning grant and up to $45,000 in follow-on support, with expert coaching and a structured peer learning agenda, giving foundations both the resources and the skills to design local strategies for working across differences. Selected organizations commit staff time to a bimonthly peer learning circle and at least one additional capacity-building program, such as the Council's Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort. Applications are due September 4, 2026, and are open to U.S. community foundations, with preference given to Council members and organizations planning for long-term engagement. The accelerator reflects a growing recognition among funders that bridging divides requires sustained investment, positioning it as a valuable resource for NCDD's network of practitioners and philanthropic partners.

People Powered, a global hub for participatory democracy, has launched the Democracy Stories Lab in partnership with the Democracy Narratives Alliance, an open call inviting creators worldwide to submit visual stories that reimagine what democracy could look and feel like. The initiative moves conversations about democracy beyond policy circles by inviting films, illustrations, and graphics that capture voice, fairness, belonging, and what happens when communities hold real power over their own decisions. Creators anywhere in the world, working in any visual medium, can apply by the September 14, 2026 deadline, with four winners receiving $1,000 each and five honorable mentions receiving $500 each. The initiative reflects NCDD's broader interest in expanding who tells the story of democracy and how, connecting narrative strategy directly to the practice of dialogue and civic participation.

​The Council on Foundations has launched the Community Foundations Working Across Differences Accelerator, a new grant program supporting community foundations that want to build local capacity for bridging divides in their communities. The Accelerator combines direct funding, expert coaching, and peer learning to help selected foundations design and implement strategies for working across differences, treating that work as a core function of civic leadership rather than a side initiative. Eligible U.S. community foundations can apply for a $20,000 planning grant, with the possibility of $45,000 in follow-on implementation funding, by submitting an online application before the September 4, 2026 deadline. This opportunity gives NCDD's network of practitioners and funders a concrete example of philanthropy investing directly in dialogue and bridge-building infrastructure at the community level.

Civics Unplugged is accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Civic Innovators Fellowship, a free, virtual, 16-week program that prepares high school students to take action in their communities. Running from September through April, the Fellowship combines interactive, discussion-based weekly sessions on history, democracy, technology, and culture with skill-building, purpose exploration, and hands-on community projects, all within a regional cohort supported by alumni mentors. Its admissions approach is deliberately non-traditional, setting aside GPA, test scores, and resumes in favor of assessing applicants on who they are and what they hope to build, with the stated aim of finding potential rather than prior achievement. The application deadline is September 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST, and the program is open to current high school students and those on a first gap year begun in June 2026, including international applicants for its U.S.-focused, English-language content. For the NCDD network, the Fellowship is a notable youth civic-engagement pipeline and a resource practitioners can pass along to young people ready to start doing community work now.

The National Issues Forums Institute has launched the "What's Next, America?" Community Grant Fund, a $250,000 investment to help communities, campuses, and K-12 classrooms host nonpartisan conversations, identify shared priorities, and turn them into local civic action during the nation's 250th anniversary year. The fund offers two tracks: Spark Grants of $1,000 to help communities organize and begin hosting conversations, with applications opening August 2, 2026, and Civic Action Grants of $2,500 to $5,000 to support the nonpartisan projects that emerge from those discussions, opening September 17, 2026. Grounded in the National Issues Forums tradition of deliberative public discussion, the fund is built to move communities from talking together toward acting together, with past efforts producing projects such as a youth city council and a community arts festival. Eligibility is deliberately broad, extending to groups without 501(c)(3) status through fiscal sponsors, with support offered to any applicant who needs help finding one. For the NCDD network, this is both a practical funding channel and a well-aligned vehicle for the deliberation-to-action work at the heart of the field.

​The Minnesota Council on Foundations has launched the Minnesota Civic Resilience Fund, a one-time pooled grantmaking initiative distributing $300,000 in $25,000 grants to approximately twelve Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits conducting nonpartisan voter engagement, civic education, and community organizing work ahead of the 2026 election. The fund prioritizes strategies that build civic capacity, expand voter participation, counter disinformation, and actively defend voting rights — with particular emphasis on historically underrepresented communities and broad geographic reach across the state. Applications are open through June 22, 2026, with funding decisions expected in early July. For NCDD members and partners working in Minnesota's civic ecosystem, this fund offers both immediate resources and a model of coordinated philanthropic investment in the relational and structural foundations that make democratic participation possible.

The National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation is now accepting applications for its Summer 2026 Intern Cohort, offering fully remote, flexible internship opportunities across six roles — Communications, Democracy Engagement, Digital Systems Infrastructure, Grant Writing, Membership Engagement, and Program Development — open to students, recent graduates, and emerging professionals regardless of current enrollment status. The cohort model prioritizes community, professional development, and hands-on experience in the dialogue and deliberation field, with training in facilitation, access to NCDD's staff and board, and the opportunity to contribute to real organizational work. Applications are due Monday, June 8, and require a PDF resume submitted through the NCDD Intern Cohort Application Form. This opportunity speaks directly to NCDD's mission of growing and sustaining a vibrant community of practice dedicated to dialogue, deliberation, and democratic engagement.