National service and AmeriCorps are “perfectly positioned” to help tackle America’s toxic polarization crisis and our ability to solve shared challenges, according to No Greater Mission. No Greater Means, a new working paper from Converge CEO David Eisner and longtime civic leader John Gomperts. 

Eisner and Gomperts – bipartisan leaders of AmeriCorps under former Presidents Bush (‘43) and Obama, respectively – argue that connecting and collaborating across polarized divides, work known as bridgebuilding, would add an important dimension to national service and would make it a force in helping reduce the anger and mistrust that threaten to tear our country apart. Our Common Purpose recommendation 6.1 aims to establish a universal expectation of a year of national service. 

Between June 19 and July 4, 400 communities took part in Civic Season, an initiative created by Made by Us, an OCP Champion, that mobilizes citizens and cultural institutions to discover our shared history. Caroline Klibanoff, Executive Director of Made by Us, celebrated the program's growth.

FairVote, an OCP Champion, called New York City’s second election cycle with ranked-choice voting a success. OCP recommendation 1.2 would expand ranked-choice voting. 

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), an OCP Champion, named eight members of Congress winners of its sixth annual democracy awards for extraordinary public service. 

The American Exchange Project, an OCP champion, offers free domestic exchange trips to high school seniors to promote cross-partisan engagement. 350 students in 34 states participated this year, including a group that spent one week in Gloucester, MA. 

Why should we value constitutional democracy? What exactly is broken about American democracy today? What are the most important strategies for reconnecting people to their civic power? Danielle Allen answers these questions and more in her latest column. 

A federal appeals court ruled that Mississippi’s lifetime voting ban violates the U.S. constitution. OCP recommendation 2.7 would restore voting rights to citizens with felony convictions.  

New York City will fund 46 projects to address community needs that were selected through the city’s first ever participatory budgeting vote. OCP recommendation 3.4 would expand participatory opportunities at the municipal and state levels. 

The National Governors Association launched a new initiative, Disagree Better, to address political polarization by encouraging constructive dialogue and healthy conflict resolution. OCP Strategies 4-6 aim to bridge partisan divides. 

Citing the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Washington Post examined what is fueling the visceral feeling many Americans have that their government does not represent them. 

Eight social entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions that build civic trust and inclusive democracy in the U.S. will receive $100k and coaching from New Profit, a venture philanthropy organization. Apply here by September 6.

A More Perfect Union, an OCP Champion, and Power the Polls are hosting an information session to teach organizations how to recruit poll workers to address critical election staffing gaps.  

DATE: September 7, 2023 | 2:00 PM EST | Register here  

Creating Citizens, an education initiative at The Commonwealth Club, invites you to join a virtual panel event with educators across the nation to learn new possibilities for making civics education relevant and impactful.  

DATE: September 7, 2023 | 6:00 PM EST | Register here  

Citizen University, an OCP champion, is accepting applications for its Youth Collaboratory Winter 2024 and Spring 2024 cohorts. The Youth Collaboratory is a six-month experience for budding civic catalysts who want to learn how to build and circulate power. Apply here by September 17.

American Promise, an OCP Champion, is co-hosting the American Democracy Summit in Los Angeles on September 27-29.

Date: September 27-29, 2023 | Register here