On June 23, 2025, NCDD hosted an energizing webinar, Deliberation in Action: A Civic Season Call to Reimagine Democracy. Held during Civic Season—the stretch between Juneteenth and the Fourth of July—this timely session brought together field leaders working to revitalize democracy through deliberative engagement and citizen empowerment.

Co-presenters Roshan Bliss (NCDD), Marjan Ehsassi (FIDE – North America), Katie Fahey (The People), Christine Lopes Metcalfe (Local Policy Lab), and Rahmin Sarabi (American Public Trust) shared real-world examples of how citizens’ assemblies and other deliberative practices are driving change in places like Montrose, Colorado; California; Michigan; and beyond. Speakers explored what it means to grow civic infrastructure from the ground up, integrate deliberation into decision-making, and build trust through participatory processes that center transparency, equity, and shared power.

Panelists emphasized that deliberative democracy is not a one-time event—it’s a long-term cultural shift rooted in community relationships and ongoing collaboration. From navigating polarization and funding challenges to designing inclusive, local systems of participation, the conversation lifted up both the promise and complexity of this work. Attendees left with key insights, examples, and renewed energy to help embed deliberative values in the heart of democratic life. ​Read more lessons from the webinar and watch the recording below.

Join the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) on Monday, June 23rd for "Deliberation in Action: A Civic Season Call to Reimagine Democracy," from 12–1:30 p.m. Eastern / 9–10:30 a.m. Pacific. This timely webinar will explore how communities across the country are using dialogue, deliberation, and civic engagement to bridge divides, build trust, and shape inclusive policy. As part of Civic Season—the reflective period between Juneteenth and the Fourth of July—this event highlights democracy as a living culture that requires ongoing practice and renewal. Featuring leading voices in democratic innovation, the conversation will offer real-world examples, strategic insights, and a vision for collective action. Register here and more in the blog post below.

On May 22, 2025, community organizers and civic professionals joined NCDD for an engaging and thought-provoking webinar, Rethinking Inclusivity: Expanding the Invitation in Public Engagement. This timely session explored how today’s political climate—while undeniably polarized—also presents opportunities to reimagine public engagement in ways that resonate across political, cultural, and geographic divides.

Co-presenters Elena Martínez-Torres (Sustained Dialogue Institute), Phillipe Cunningham (Urban Rural Action), Siri Erickson (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement), and Tahnee Robertson (Southwest Decision Resources) shared powerful reflections on inclusive language, rural engagement, intergenerational participation, and adaptive strategies for reaching those often left out of civic spaces.

Panelists highlighted that inclusivity is not just about who is present—but how we show up, how we frame our invitations, and how we build spaces rooted in shared values like respect, fairness, and community. Participants left with concrete tools, deeper insights, and a renewed commitment to fostering belonging and representation in civic life. Read more lessons from the webinar and watch the recording below.

​NCDD is now accepting applications for its remote, unpaid, and flexible summer internship program—an ideal opportunity for students and emerging professionals interested in dialogue, deliberation, and community engagement. Internship roles are available in the areas of Communications, Democracy Engagement, Grant Writing, Membership Engagement, and Program Development. To learn more, join us for our upcoming info session, “Launching Your Path – Learn About NCDD Internships,” on Tuesday, May 20 at 11am PT / 2pm ET. This virtual session will provide insights into the program, introduce the NCDD team, and offer space for questions. Learn more in the blog post below and register to join the call!

On April 21, 2025, over 100 participants from across the civic ecosystem joined NCDD for a timely and thought-provoking conversation: “Bridging and Advocating in Divided Times: Navigating the Tension for Stronger Civic Practice.” This webinar explored how dialogue and deliberation professionals can support changemakers without compromising their integrity—and how advocacy and dialogue, far from being at odds, can be understood as complementary tools for strengthening democratic engagement.
​
The session featured Julia Roig and Jarvis Williams of The Horizons Project and Dr. Martin Carcasson of the Center for Public Deliberation, who brought decades of experience to a shared inquiry: how can we navigate the tension between impartiality and action in today’s polarized environment? Our panelists ​offered frameworks, tools, and deep reflections on how civic professionals can hold space for multiple truths, foster connection, and support justice-driven work without falling into partisanship or paralysis.

It’s been one year since NCDD 2023 brought hundreds of changemakers together in Atlanta for three inspiring days of connection, learning, and collaboration. The conference featured over 60 workshops, dynamic plenaries, and countless opportunities to foster new partnerships and strengthen the dialogue and deliberation community.

As we reflect on the success of NCDD 2023, we’re already looking toward NCDD 2025. To bring the next conference to life, we need your support through sponsorships, donations, and funding partnerships. We also invite you to help shape the event by sharing your thoughts in our NCDD 2025 Interest Survey. Let’s keep the momentum going!

On July 1st, NCDD along with several partners, launched the Practitioner Mobilization for Democracy (PMD) to engage mediation and facilitation practitioners in fostering democratic engagement and resolving conflicts. The virtual event featured keynote speakers Ken Cloke and Joan Blades, who emphasized the importance of dialogue in strengthening democracy and building community trust. The initiative aims to mobilize practitioners for pro-democracy efforts, with opportunities for involvement through monthly forum calls, resources, and joining the organizing team. Learn more in the post below and join the mobilization!

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) wants your ideas to develop a Federal framework, guidelines, and leading practices for public participation and community engagement (PPCE) activities to help Federal agencies more broadly and meaningfully engage with you and your communities. People are encouraged to share their experiences and provide feedback through public comments, online forms, or attending virtual listening sessions by May 17th. Read the NCDD blog post about the opportunity here.

This is the first real opportunity in a while for practitioners like us to help inform Federal practices for engagement! Some may remember our efforts as a network during the Obama Administration, which led to the development of the Core Principles for Public Engagement, and we sent a joint response on the Open Government Action Plan with the Deliberative Democracy Consortium back in 2012 (see the archive post about this here: https://web.archive.org/web/20200918061645/www.ncdd.org/6591).

On May 3rd, NCDD staff will convene a listening session to hear from our network and gather input for NCDD’s response. This meeting will provide opportunities to reflect on the questions prompted by the Federal government’s Request for Information. The listening session will be held at 2pm Eastern, 11am Pacific.

Register here to join the NCDD Listening Session!

Some of the questions we will be exploring include…

• What types of content (e.g., methods, tools, definitions, research on the value of participation and engagement, promising practices) could OMB include in a Federal framework for PPCE?
• What goals and objectives should OMB consider when developing a Federal framework for PPCE?
• What steps should OMB take that involve the Federal Government and the public, especially engaging members of underserved communities, to ensure collaborative development of the framework? Please share any promising practices and successful examples.

If you are unable to join us during the NCDD listening session, you are welcome to share your thoughts via a survey by May 10th. Information gathered from the NCDD listening session and survey, will be compiled and submitted to OMB. Take the survey: LINKED HERE 

The White House OMB, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and U.S. GSA Open Government Secretariat are hosting a listening session as well. On May 2nd, from 1:30-3:00 PM Eastern, this session offers a chance to learn about the OMB's PPCE framework and share your insights. Register for the government listening session at: LINKED HERE