Disagree Better, a nonpartisan initiative dedicated to improving the quality of civil and political discourse in the United States, has released a new public service announcement featuring Princeton University professors Cornel West and Robert George, whose decades-long cross-ideological friendship models the kind of principled, relationship-centered engagement that strengthens democratic culture. The PSA demonstrates that sustained dialogue across big political differences is possible when grounded in mutual respect, intellectual integrity, and a genuine commitment to shared inquiry rather than persuasion. It offers practitioners, educators, and community leaders a concrete, relatable example of what bridge-building looks like outside the formal facilitation context. The work of Disagree Better aligns directly with NCDD's mission to foster dialogue and deliberation, supporting the broader field's effort to rebuild the civic trust and relational infrastructure that healthy democracy requires.

The Spring 2026 issue of the National Civic Review, published by the National Civic League, brings together nine contributors from across the civic field to examine the structural, relational, and institutional conditions that make democratic life possible. The issue advances a compelling argument that democracy's current challenges — misinformation, polarization, institutional erosion, and exclusion — are best understood as failures of civic infrastructure requiring systemic, community-grounded responses. Contributors offer practical frameworks for rebuilding that infrastructure, from embedding community engagement in city governance to designing welcoming systems that restore civic trust among immigrant and marginalized communities. This issue is a vital resource for NCDD members and practitioners committed to strengthening dialogue, deliberation, and the conditions for genuine democratic participation.

​SFU's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue convened nearly 40 civic leaders and organizations in March 2026 to prioritize recommendations from BC's Special Committee on Democratic and Electoral Reform, which had received input from nearly 1,000 individuals and organizations. Participants identified seven high-impact, implementable priorities — including establishing a non-partisan democratic engagement centre, strengthening civic education, countering election misinformation, and considering a people's assembly on electoral reform. The Centre for Dialogue, which presented to the Special Committee directly, frames the current moment as a rare policy window where public concern and institutional momentum are aligned. For NCDD's network, the initiative demonstrates how deliberative convening can translate broad institutional reform agendas into focused, collectively owned priorities — a model with clear relevance beyond British Columbia.

​The Alliance for Higher Education has launched a 12-month Fellowship Program, selecting seven scholars to advance research and policy work defending academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and equitable access in higher education. Fellows will be embedded in the Alliance's Action Hubs, developing model policies and governance frameworks in response to escalating federal and state threats to colleges and universities. The program reflects the Alliance's framing of higher education as a fifth pillar of democracy — one currently under significant political pressure. For NCDD's network, the fellowship speaks to a broader concern: that the civic and deliberative functions of higher education institutions are inseparable from democratic health, and that protecting them requires sustained, field-informed advocacy.

​A new analysis from SFU's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue examines the real-world impacts of climate deliberation processes, drawing on case studies from the UK, Canada, and France to challenge the view that citizen assemblies produce little tangible change. The evidence reviewed shows that deliberative processes consistently transform participants — increasing climate literacy, shifting behavior, and in some cases inspiring civic leadership — while also enabling policy consensus across deep value disagreements. Notably, more than 70% of France's Citizens' Convention for Climate recommendations were adopted in some form, including landmark climate legislation. For NCDD's network, the analysis reinforces a core deliberative principle: that well-designed processes can move people from passivity or division toward informed, collective action — even on some of the most contested issues of our time.

​The Kettering Foundation has named 15 Dayton-area community members as its 2026 Dayton Democracy Fellows, recognizing leaders from nonprofit, government, faith, arts, and advocacy sectors who are advancing inclusive democratic practice. The cohort reflects a wide range of civic approaches, from cooperative economics and tenant organizing to Indigenous advocacy and community media. The fellowship supports Kettering's Democracy and Community focus area, which holds that democratic renewal depends on the everyday work of people rooted in their communities. For NCDD's network, the Dayton Democracy Fellowship offers a concrete example of how structured community leadership programs can cultivate the civic relationships and capacities that dialogue and deliberation efforts depend on.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation warns that civil society is under growing threat worldwide, with shrinking funding and rising restrictions, intimidation, and retaliation against leaders. As core freedoms decline in 60 countries—including increasing limits on protest and politicized free speech in the U.S.—these trends jeopardize the ability of advocates and organizations to serve communities. The Foundation argues that philanthropy must invest in strengthening civic infrastructure, protecting the sector, and supporting movements, emphasizing that democracy depends on people’s ability to organize and act peacefully. Read more in the blog post below.

The Kettering Foundation will host the 2026 Summer Institute of Civic Studies at its Dayton, Ohio, campus from August 2 to 8, bringing together scholars, graduate students, and civic practitioners for an intensive interdisciplinary seminar on democracy, community, and civic engagement. The program combines structured seminar discussions with community visits in Dayton, grounded in the civic studies tradition established by leading democratic theorists. Participation is free, with need-based travel stipends available, and applications are open on a rolling basis through April 30, 2026. For an organization like NCDD whose mission centers on advancing dialogue and deliberation, the Summer Institute represents a meaningful convergence point where theory, practice, and cross-sector civic relationships are built simultaneously.

​National Civic League is partnering with Local Policy Lab and Spread the Vote to expand its democracy work, alongside programs like Civic Genius and the Center for Democracy Innovation. Local Policy Lab contributes a model for embedding resident voice into city governance as durable civic infrastructure, while Spread the Vote strengthens voter access and participation—together creating a continuum from ballot access to sustained civic engagement. This integration positions the League to scale inclusive, locally driven democracy solutions nationwide, advancing trust, equity, and institutionalized community participation.

​New America’s Political Reform Program, Democracy Notes, and CivicLex will host a virtual discussion on April 27, 2026 (11 AM–12 PM EDT) on the first fully locally run civic assembly in the U.S., organized by CivicLex in March 2026, with 30+ randomly selected residents to propose reforms to Lexington’s Urban County Charter. The assembly advanced three recommendations—raising council salaries, creating public accountability standards, and requiring Charter review every eight years—marking a milestone in locally led deliberative democracy without national facilitation. Speakers include Hollie Russon Gilman, Richard Young, Kit Anderson, and Lilly Bramley, who will share practical lessons, challenges, and insights for implementing civic assemblies at the local level.