National Issues Forums Institute

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National Issues Forums Institute We envision a participatory democracy where public problems are resolved through deliberation.

We’re celebrating a big moment! 🎉 Our executive director, Cristin Brawner, took the stage as keynote speaker at the 10th...
10/13/2026

We’re celebrating a big moment! 🎉

Our executive director, Cristin Brawner, took the stage as keynote speaker at the 10th annual Civic Institute in Montevallo, Alabama, returning home to the beautiful city where she first developed her civic leadership skills.

The energy was high as local leaders gathered for panels, speakers, and interactive discussions around the theme “Past, Present, Forward: What’s Next, Alabama?"

Huge thanks to the David Mathews Center for Civic Life for hosting such an inspiring event!

Greensboro is asking a big question: "What’s next?" 👀Nearly 100 people came together to talk about the city’s future. We...
10/05/2026

Greensboro is asking a big question: "What’s next?" 👀

Nearly 100 people came together to talk about the city’s future. We love seeing the “What’s Next, America?” approach spark conversations that bring different perspectives to the same table — and, hopefully, keep the conversation moving toward action.

👏 Shoutout to North Carolina Campus Engagement and all the partners who helped make it happen!
📰 Read the story: https://greensborothread.com/events/a-dialogue-on-whats-next-for-greensboro/

09/28/2026

What happens when you give young people the space to shape the future of public education? 💬

At Wayne State University, Michigan students gathered to deliberate about what’s working in their schools, what needs to change, and what they can do about it during an Elevating Student Voices conference through the Institute for Strengthening Communities and Detroit CARES Mentoring.

They tackled topics from mental health support and teacher training to career exploration and hands-on learning.

🎥 Watch the video to hear directly from the students!
✍️ Learn more about the initiative here: https://nifi.org/nifi-detroit-education-deliberation/

What happens when you put a room full of people who care deeply about democracy in one place?✨ A LOT of good ideas.🧠 Som...
09/25/2026

What happens when you put a room full of people who care deeply about democracy in one place?

✨ A LOT of good ideas.
🧠 Some serious thinking about values, deliberation and the issues our communities need to talk about.
💬 Panel conversations with leaders in the field.
📝 Plenty of brainstorming for new NIFI issue guides.
😂 And, thankfully, lots of laughter, bonding and very good food, too.

This month, our Faculty Fellows gathered for their first in-person retreat. Together, they dug deeper into deliberation, explored their own values, learned from experts in the field, and began shaping ideas for new guides on issues where we need better, healthier and more productive public conversations.

We’re so excited to see where these conversations—and the guides that grow from them—go next. 👀

A huge thank-you to our cohort of thoughtful, passionate leaders, to The Madison Center for Civic Engagement for their partnership, and to University of Delaware's SNF Ithaca Initiative for hosting us!

LEARN MORE: https://shorturl.at/Q20nv

Photos: Maria Errico and Christine Fernando

Interested in talking to peers about organizing "What's Next, America?" initiatives? Join us TOMORROW for our "What's Ne...
09/23/2026

Interested in talking to peers about organizing "What's Next, America?" initiatives? Join us TOMORROW for our "What's Next, America?" community roundtable -- a special version on AI and deliberation!

Community leaders will tune in to swap insights, experiences, lessons, and questions as they prepare to organize their own conversations.

📅 6 p.m. ET, Sept. 24
🔗 Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/611xlbkVRoif9_fcVPwUtg #/registration

Interested in talking to peers about organizing "What's Next, America?" initiatives?NIFI will continue our "What's Next,...
09/21/2026

Interested in talking to peers about organizing "What's Next, America?" initiatives?

NIFI will continue our "What's Next, America?" community roundtable discussions this week as community leaders tune in to swap insights, experiences, lessons, and questions as they prepare to organize their own conversations.

Our next roundtable will be a special version on AI and deliberation!

📅 6 p.m. ET, Sept. 24
🔗 Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/611xlbkVRoif9_fcVPwUtg #/registration

🎉 It’s Constitution Day—and we’re putting democracy to action!Today, NIFI is proud to open applications for "Civic Actio...
09/17/2026

🎉 It’s Constitution Day—and we’re putting democracy to action!

Today, NIFI is proud to open applications for "Civic Action Grants" through the "What’s Next, America?" Community Grant Fund.

💰 $2,500–$5,000 grants
💬 For communities that have already started their "What’s Next?" conversations
🚀 To help turn ideas from those conversations into local, nonpartisan civic action

For those interested in learning more, NIFI will host a virtual informational session at 3 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 25.

Haven’t started your conversations yet? Our $1,000 Spark Grants for communities interested in starting "What's Next?" initiatives are still open, too!

👉 APPLY HERE: https://shorturl.at/eImts
👀 Read the press release: https://shorturl.at/V00Fb
🧠 Learn More: https://whatsnextamerica.com/whats-next-america-community-grant-fund/
✍️ Sign Up for Informational Session: https://shorturl.at/zHQHj

Both grants are awarded on a rolling basis. Let’s see what communities can do together. 💙

Happy Constitution Week! ✨📜🎉NIFI is celebrating with a special event on talking about values with nuance. This session w...
09/16/2026

Happy Constitution Week! ✨📜🎉

NIFI is celebrating with a special event on talking about values with nuance. This session will provide an overview and then a chance to participate in a "Talking About our Value with Nuance Process" with Martin Carcasson, director of the CSU Center for Public Deliberation.

📅 3 p.m. ET, Sept. 17
🔗 Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/X1SRaF4_Rkqc4qcDIAPIrQ #/registration

🎓 Students: Today is the last day to apply for the 6th SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue!Want to tackle some of the b...
09/15/2026

🎓 Students: Today is the last day to apply for the 6th SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue!

Want to tackle some of the biggest questions facing your campus? The SNF Ithaca Initiative is bringing students from across the country together to explore campus civility and AI.

📅 Oct. 30–31, 2026
📍 University of Delaware
💬 Small-group dialogue + collaborative problem-solving
🚀 Develop ideas and action plans to bring back to your campus
✈️ Travel, lodging and meals fully covered!

The dialogue is primarily for undergraduate students, though graduate students are welcome to apply.

👉 Apply here: https://shorturl.at/M6isM

Address

3601 Rigby Road, Suite 400
Miamisburg, OH
45342

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+19374347300

Website

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