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** Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship Returns to Phoenix, AZ
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On February 3, the Our Common Purpose team, together with the Arizona Civic Life Partnership, will host a full day of programming ([link removed]) in Phoenix, Arizona to highlight the inspiring work Arizona community leaders are undertaking to build a more resilient civic culture and renew a commitment to constitutional democracy. The program will include a panel discussion featuring Stephen Heintz (Rockefeller Brothers Fund) and Eric Liu (Citizen University), cochairs of the American Academy’s bipartisan Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship ([link removed]) , and Commission member Steven Olikara (Millennial Action Project), followed by a reception that will bring together leaders from Arizona’s public, private, and nonprofit sectors to learn about this important work.

Read more about the full day of events in Phoenix here ([link removed]) .


** In the News
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** Civic Education, Civic Infrastructure, and National Service Receive Significant Boost from Congress
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December 22, 2022 – The year-end omnibus bill, passed by Congress on December 22, includes a significant increase in funding for K-12 civic education, from the current $7.75M to $23M. The bill also includes robust investments in public spaces that bring Americans together, as well as $1.3 billion for AmeriCorps ([link removed]) , a 14% year-on-year increase. Read this press release ([link removed]) from CivXNow, an OCP Champion, on what the federal funding means for civic education. And check out this synopsis ([link removed]) from Reimagining the Civic Commons highlighting a handful of examples of the many civic infrastructure projects supported by this federal
funding.

The Our Common Purpose report calls for increasing investment in civic education (Recommendation 6.5 ([link removed]) ), dramatic expansion of America’s bridging capacity through investment in civic infrastructure (Strategy 4 ([link removed]) ), and creating a universal expectation of national service (Recommendation 6.1 ([link removed]) ).


** The Atlantic: Why We Need Civics
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January 22, 2023 – In an op-ed ([link removed]) published by The Atlantic, Richard Haass argues that the most urgent threat to American security and stability stems not from abroad, but from internal political divisions that jeopardize the future of American democracy and even the United States itself. According to Mr. Haass, the way to bridge these divides is through civic education: “For a people to understand and appreciate its collective identity is a matter of teaching, not biology,” Mr. Haass writes.

Read the op-ed here ([link removed]) .


** Upcoming Events
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** Civic Genius Presents: "Lessons from South Africa: Moving Beyond Toxic Polarization in America"
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Civic Genius, an OCP Champion ([link removed]) , is partnering with Beyond Conflict to host an in-person conversation THIS WEEK with Mohammed Bhabha and Roelf Meyer, two legendary leaders who helped negotiate the end of apartheid in South Africa. The conversation will focus on how Americans can develop skills for moving beyond toxic polarization. Strategy 4 ([link removed]) of Our Common Purpose calls for a dramatic expansion of America’s civic bridging capacity.

DATE: January 27, 2023, from 11:15AM – 1:00 PM EST | The City Club of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH | Reserve a spot here ([link removed]) .


** GOOD TO KNOW
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Citizen University Requests Proposals for a Global Learning Project about Civic Culture

Citizen University, a nonprofit co-founded by Eric Liu, cochair of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship ([link removed]) , is seeking a contract researcher or research team for a 9–10-month project that will explore global practices of building a stronger civic culture. The first part of the project will take the form of a major research initiative, and the second part will include learning exchanges to connect with select global practitioners in person. Interested parties should email Brooke Prieskorn at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) by January 31 to schedule a 30-minute exploratory conversation. Proposals are due by March 24.

Read the RFP for the Civic Culture Global Research Project here ([link removed]) .

Read the Project Brief here ([link removed]) .
Extended: 'Bridging Divides' Grant Opportunity Deadline

The deadline to submit a grant proposal for the Strengthening Democracy Challenge (SDC) ([link removed]) , a joint project between academics and practitioners to crowdsource interventions to reduce anti-democratic attitudes, has been extended to March 1, 2023. Grants of up to $50,000 will be allocated on a competitive basis to new or existing teams of practitioners and researchers. To learn more about the application process, please see the call for proposals here ([link removed]) . For additional updates related to the Strengthening Democracy Challenge, please see here ([link removed]) .
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