To uphold our promise to society, philanthropy must be a leader in seeing our shared humanity and working together for the greater good. Positive change doesn’t always come easily, especially in times of division and mistrust. It often requires action from a broad coalition of people and groups who sometimes disagree. The magic happens at the intersections where we can build common ground. The Council is working to be that intersection, a place where you can find fellow travelers who may see the path differently yet still want to reach the same destination.
Building Common Ground is one of the three core pillars of the Council's work.
What we're doing
We’re committed to bringing the best of what already exists to our members through partnerships and threading best practices into existing Council work, including through internal capacity building work with Resetting the Table. Our programming will facilitate peer learning, amplify bright spots, and cultivate leaders who can learn and scale this work across the country. For example:
- Learning Across Differences Ideas Forum, a quarterly virtual discussion series that highlights leading thinkers and their ideas for how we can come together, not apart.
- On April 23, Council was joined by More in Common and the Walmart Foundation for an in-depth discussion of new More in Common research that explores questions related to social connection and offers actionable insights for how philanthropy can play a pivotal role in rebuilding the connections that sustain a thriving, pluralistic society. Watch: The Connection Opportunity
- On May 21, we conversed with political scientist Daniel Hopkins, author of “The Increasingly United States: How and Why American Political Behavior is Nationalized” as we explore how polarization has developed over time, including its origins, the nature of it, and ways we might productively navigate it in an increasingly divided world. Watch: Understanding Polarization
- On September 23, join us for a discussion with John Hopkins professor Hahrie Han, author of “Undivided: The Quest for Racial Solidarity in an American Church.” Dr. Han will reflect on heartset: who do you need to be to bridge divides with others?
- October, TBD
- An eight-month Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort offered in partnership with the Greater Good Science Center (April-November);
- A bi-monthly peer learning circle for Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort Alumni entitled Leading Across Differences;
- Coming Together, Not Apart, a three-publication series exploring philanthropy's involvement in developing the heartset, mindset and skillset to lead collaboratively across differences, specifically:
- Part 1: How Philanthropy Supports Connection in a Time of Dangerous Division;
- Part 2: Inside the Work of Turning Conflict Into Collaboration; and
- Part 3 is scheduled for spring/summer 2025;
- Opportunities to engage in conversations at our Leading Locally conference (June 2025); and
- Biennial sector-wide convenings on how to connect and collaborate across difference. After a successful launch of Building Together in 2024, we are now planning Building Together 2026. We are accepting pre-proposals for concurrent sessions through July 10.
Get Involved
We hope our members will apply what they are learning through their engagement with us to the work they do in community, whether that is by facilitating and participating in interactions that decrease polarization or directly funding work to build common ground.
