Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort
Apply for the Leadership Cohort
Applications open January 20, 2025.
Are you looking for a supportive community of funders to help you build constructive dialogue and understanding across differences? You’ll get just that with the Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort.
The Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort is a facilitated virtual learning experience meeting monthly from April thru November, hosted by the Council on Foundations in partnership with the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley (GGSC). This course will support the work of the Council's Building Common Ground Strategic Pillar.
Facilitated by GGSC Senior Fellow Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, the discussions will center on science-backed skills covered in the GGSC’s Bridging Differences online course, which offer research-based strategies for bridging differences with colleagues, peers, and grantees.
Along the way, you’ll take in real-world case studies and connect with your peers on challenges, successes, and lessons learned.
About the Program
You can watch the recording of our 2024 webinar, How Philanthropy Is Investing in Belonging, Bridging, and Building Common Ground, or our 2023 webinar, From Polarization to Collaboration: Philanthropy’s Role in Bridging Differences.
Cohort Alumni:
Alumni of the Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort continue to engage with each other and remain involved in bridging efforts through the Council.
2024 Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort Alumni
2023 Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort Alumni
Learning Objectives
- Develop a deeper understanding of the science-based practices to bridge differences.
- Connect with leading researchers, fellow philanthropy practitioners, and other nonprofit sector leaders who are doing this work, ideally identifying new collaborators and confidants on your journey.
- Develop new skills and knowledge to inform your philanthropic work.
Cohort Facilitator
Dr. Allison Briscoe Smith
Senior Fellow
Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley
Program Details
Members of the Cohort will:
- Meet on monthly 2 hour Zoom calls where they will learn from guest instructors, including leading practitioners and researchers, and connect with other participants in smaller-group discussions and creative exercises.
- Complete the self-paced eight-module Bridging Differences online course.
- Have access to optional office hours with our facilitator and other participants
- Opportunity to receive a certificate upon completion of the course.
- New in 2025: Additional skills session with Resetting the Table.
Schedule
- Orientation – April 8, 2025, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. ET
- Session One: Intro to Bridging Differences – April 29, 2025, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Office Hour 1 (optional) – May 13, 2025, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET
- Session Two: Challenge Your Views – May 27, 2025, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Leading Locally in-person Pre-conference Meetup (Optional) – June 10, 2025
- Session 3A: Active Listening – June 17, 2025, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Session 3B: Naming Differences (Facilitated By: Resetting the Table) – July 15 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET
- Session Four: Compassionate Speaking – July 29, 2025, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Session Five: Recognize Shared Identities and Values – August 26, 2025, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Office Hour 2 (optional) – September 16, 2025, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET
- Session Six: Identify Common Goals – September 30, 2025, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Session Seven: Intergroup Contact – October 28, 2025, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Office Hour 3 (optional) – November 4, 2025, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET
- Session Eight: Closing and Takeaways – November 18, 2025, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Speakers
Speakers for 2025 are forthcoming.
Eligibility
The cohort is open to individual staff members and teams from foundations and philanthropies. Given the size of the cohort, preference may be given to applicants from Council on Foundations member organizations.
It is a good fit for individuals and teams who are already working to foster more constructive dialogue, relationships, and understanding across lines of difference AND those who want to get started.
Cost
The Council aims to make our programming available at rates that are accessible to a wide range of organizations. For this leadership cohort, we have adopted a sliding scale structure to allow participation from foundations of different sizes. Council members who participate in this cohort will pay in tiers, according to their Council organizational dues amounts. The costs will be made available with the application in January 2025.
Group Registration
Participants who register with one or more colleagues from their organization will receive a 10% discount on each registration. Each participant must submit an individual application.
FAQs
The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society. Its multimedia resources, including its online magazine, Greater Good, reach well over 1 million people each month. The Greater Good Science Center's Bridging Differences initiative identifies and spreads the top research-based strategies for fostering more constructive dialogue, relationships, and understanding across group lines, including through its popular Bridging Differences Playbook and related online course.
Individuals from nonmember organizations are invited to apply and will be fully considered for a place in the program.
