What IF… Your Community Had a Discussion Club? The Interactivity Foundation Is Looking for Hosts

The Interactivity Foundation, a national civic organization dedicated to strengthening everyday democracy through structured community discussion, has launched a nationwide Discussion Club initiative and is accepting host applications through July 12, 2026. The program connects six to twelve consistent community members in monthly in-person conversations on topics ranging from mental health and loneliness to immigration and civic life, with hosts receiving facilitation training, community resources, and a $1,000 stipend to support participation. By combining accessible structure, practical facilitation tools, and a national host network, the initiative offers a replicable model for building social trust and dialogue capacity at the grassroots level. This work aligns directly with NCDD's mission to deepen civic engagement and expand the reach of dialogue and deliberation practice across American communities.

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Across the country, neighbors, colleagues, and friends are hungry for meaningful conversation — the kind that builds genuine connection rather than reinforcing division. The Interactivity Foundation, a national organization whose mission is to bring people together in discussions that expand imagination, build social trust, and strengthen the everyday skills of democracy, is launching a nationwide network of community discussion clubs and is actively seeking hosts to lead them. With a host application deadline of Sunday, July 12, 2026, this is a time-sensitive opportunity for dialogue practitioners, community organizers, educators, and civic leaders ready to bring structured conversation into their neighborhoods and networks.

Modeled loosely on the book club format but centered entirely on conversation, IF Discussion Clubs bring together six to twelve consistent members once a month to explore topics that matter to their communities — from mental health and loneliness to immigration, food, masculinity, and death and dying. The Interactivity Foundation provides facilitation guides and conversation cards to help groups get started; hosts supply the community. Clubs must be in-person and U.S.-based, and hosts commit to organizing monthly discussions for approximately one year. To support that commitment, each host receives a $1,000 stipend to use for food, transportation, childcare, or whatever best supports their club's participation. Hosts also receive basic facilitation training and become part of a growing national network of discussion leaders working toward a shared goal: rebuilding social connection through sustained, structured dialogue.

​For NCDD members, this initiative represents something worth paying attention to — not just as a recruitment opportunity, but as a model. The Interactivity Foundation's approach reflects a core belief in the field: that dialogue skills are democratic skills, and that the most durable civic infrastructure is built at the community level, one conversation at a time. Whether you are a seasoned facilitator looking to seed new discussion spaces or a community member ready to host for the first time, the Discussion Club program offers a structured, supported entry point. Upcoming info webinars are scheduled for June 18, July 24, and August 20, 2026, and Collaborative Discussion Coach Trainings are available in July and August for those seeking deeper facilitation development. Apply, register, or learn more at https://interactivityfoundation.substack.com/p/what-if-we-created-discussion-clubs.