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President Biden's 2024 Budget Prioritizes Strengthening American Democracy

In his Fiscal Year 2024 budget, President Biden includes significant investments to strengthen American democracy that are consistent with the recommendations in the Our Common Purpose report. The President’s budget proposes $5 billion in new election assistance funding, $1.5 billion for AmeriCorps, and $73 million to support American history and civics education programs. Strategy 2 of Our Common Purpose focuses on empowering voters, in part by increasing funding for election administration to make voting more accessible. Recommendation 6.1 seeks to expand funding for service programs like AmeriCorps. And recommendation 6.5 calls for investments in civics education.

Learn more about the President’s Budget here.

In the News

New Mexico Voting Rights Act heads to Governor's Desk

New Mexico’s legislature approved legislation that would expand voting accessibility by restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals, adopt automatic voter registration, and designate Election Day as a school holiday. Strategy 2 of Our Common Purpose focuses on empowering voters by making voting easier and more accessible.

Read about New Mexico’s bill here. Learn more about Strategy 2 of Our Common Purpose here.

Richard Young: What are you doing to be a better citizen?

Richard Young of CivicLex writes in the Lexington Herald Leader about the critical importance of civic learning to creating informed and engaged communities, which also leads to more fulfilling lives. In December, Lexington, Kentucky became the first Our Common Purpose Community. As part of this partnership, the city of Lexington will build new ways for the public to engage in local government and will support the growth of civic education opportunities for residents of all ages.

Read the full op-ed here. Learn more about the OCP Communities Project here.

Tackling Political Polarization: The Researchers Trying to Bridge Divides

In a news feature published by Nature, Saima May Sidik surveys the landscape of researchers experimenting with interventions that aim to tackle political polarization. Strategy 4 of Our Common Purpose centers on expanding civic bridging capacity.

Read the full story here.

Danielle Allen: The House was Supposed to Grow with the Population. It didn't. Let's fix that.

In her second piece in a series for The Washington Post that will draw from the recommendations in the Our Common Purpose report, Danielle Allen, cochair of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, makes the case for enlarging the U.S. House of Representatives. The first recommendation of Our Common Purpose calls for enlarging the House of Representatives.

Read the full op-ed here. For more, read the American Academy's report, The Case for Enlarging the House of Representatives, here.

Upcoming Events

A More Perfect Union: Jewish Partnership for Democracy 2023 Public Kickoff

On April 19, the Jewish Partnership for Democracy, a network of nearly 100 Jewish organizations working to strengthen American democracy, will host a virtual gathering to launch the next phase of its work. The meeting will bring together Jewish institutions and democracy scholars to discuss ongoing efforts to increase civic learning, cultivate the practice of democracy, ensure free and fair elections, and promote ideological pluralism. Register now to save your spot!

DATE: April 19, 2023 | 2:00 PM EST | Register here

GOOD TO KNOW

New America Accepting Applications for US@250 Fellowship

New America is now accepting applications for its inaugural class of US@250 fellows. Ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, New America’s US@250 initiative seeks to commemorate our nation’s founding by advocating for a reimagination of the American narrative. The US@250 fellowship offers funding and resources for professionals, practitioners, and creatives working on projects that seek to tell a more comprehensive American story.

Apply for the fellowship here. The deadline to apply is April 14, 2023.

RCVRC Decal Contest

The Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center (RCVRC) has launched a contest to design RCVRC’s new official decal. RCVRC is looking for pre-teens and teens ages 10-18 years old to submit designs for the decal by April 1, 2023. The winning design will be used on a variety of RCVRC’s organizational materials in 2024.

Learn more about the contest here.

The American Academy is Hiring!

The American Academy of Arts & Sciences is accepting applications for two new job openings within the American Institutions, Society and the Public Good (AI) program area:

Program Director for American Institutions, Society, and the Public Good

Government Relations Officer

Please share these exciting opportunities with your network. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.

The Our Common Purpose team is grateful for your continued support. We wish everyone a happy and healthy Spring season!

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

136 Irving St

Cambridge, MA 02138-1929

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