Strengthening Communities Through Language

Language shapes how communities experience trust, belonging, and collaboration—often in ways we don’t intend. This session is designed for funders interested in strengthening trust, reducing risk, and supporting community problem-solving through more intentional language choices.

We’ll explore how language can either build connection or deepen division, drawing on insights from Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement’s Civic Language Perceptions Project and the Council on Foundations’ Building Common Ground research.

The session will feature perspectives from funders who have applied this research in their work, alongside national data on how Americans across geographies perceive civic language. Participants will reflect on how language shows up in their own grantmaking, communications, and convenings, and discuss practical ways to model collaboration across differences.  

Participants will learn which words connect and which polarize and will practice editing philanthropic communications using research-backed tools.

Speakers:

• Casey Campbell-Roth, Director, Strategy, Hattaway Communications
• Brandon Cox, Director of Communications, Council on Foundations
• Siri Erickson, Manager for Learning, Strategy, and Experimentation, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE)