​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.

New Profit, a venture philanthropy organization that has invested over $350 million in social entrepreneurs since 1998, has launched Connected Futures, a new Catalyze cohort offering $100,000 unrestricted grants and a year of structured support to organizations that help people bridge active divides and work together toward collective goals. The cohort targets organizations whose core programming builds the skills, relationships, and structures needed for productive dialogue, civic participation, and collaborative problem-solving across differences in background, belief, or identity. Discovery Forms are open through May 26, 2026, for U.S.-based nonprofits with annual expenses between $250,000 and $2 million and at least two years of programmatic operation. Connected Futures represents a direct and significant funding opportunity for NCDD members whose work strengthens the relational and structural conditions that make dialogue, deliberation, and democratic participation possible.

The JAMS Foundation and National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM) are launching the 2026-2028 Community Mediation Mini-Grant Program, awarding up to five organizations $15,000 per year to develop preventive approaches using community mediation skills to de-escalate family conflict during critical transitions like substance abuse treatment, assisted living moves, or mental health services navigation. Grant recipients will participate in a structured Learning Community facilitated by NAFCM using the Listening for Action Leadership Process, meeting twice monthly for the first six months and monthly thereafter to share challenges, test approaches, and develop replicable resources while creating at least one policy or procedure change over the two years for lasting systemic impact. This collaborative model emphasizes deep listening, collaborative problem-solving, community co-creation, and attention to power dynamics—principles aligned with NCDD values—with all materials shared across the broader field to strengthen community mediation practice nationally and internationally, creating pathways for families to work through disagreements collaboratively before they escalate into formal legal proceedings or institutional interventions.

​A six-month internship (October 2025–March 2026) with peace practitioner Fleur Ravensbergen offers students and recent graduates rare hands-on experience in conflict resolution, combining training design, research, online education, and communications work. Ravensbergen brings over 15 years of global field experience—from armed conflict negotiations to corporate mediation—providing interns with exposure to both international peace processes and community-level dialogue. The role includes creating real-case role-play simulations, supporting negotiation and career-entry courses, conducting conflict research, and contributing to outreach through podcasts and digital platforms. With remote flexibility, occasional meetings in the Netherlands, and a modest stipend, this internship bridges academic learning and professional practice, offering comprehensive preparation for careers in peacebuilding and dialogue facilitation.

NCDD is excited to share the following job opportunity with our network. In addition to sharing periodically on the blog, the best way to find out about the latest opportunities is to sign up for the NCDD Making-A-Living Listserv. You can subscribe to the list by sending a blank email to [email protected].