Today, society seems more divided than ever. Talking with someone who holds an opinion different from our own has become a potential minefield to be avoided at all costs. The war in Ukraine increases the possibility of a bipolar world, while partisan rhetoric in the United States exacerbates the sense that we are a split nation.
But the opportunity for bridging these and other divides may be greater than we think.
Opinion polls in the United States and Europe find that the majority of people actually hold similar views on the need to address a variety of issues – from strengthening our democracies, to addressing wealth disparity and inequality, to saving the planet from environmental ruin. And we know that to address these and other issues effectively, we must be able to communicate with a broad array of individuals with different points of view and build consensus.
How do we encourage greater cooperation and collaboration in what can feel like an increasingly divisive world?
Finding common ground isn’t limited to external work. To achieve impact, foundations or board members and the leadership teams of the nonprofits they fund or work with need to understand one another’s priorities and goals. Program teams and the communities with whom they serve must be able to communicate openly and effectively.
As the saying goes, “It isn’t ‘them or us,’ it’s ‘us and them’ or simply ‘we’.”
In this spirit,
Stanford Social Innovation Review presents Nonprofit Management Institute 2022, “Bridging the Divide.”
This year’s convening will seek to empower and inspire leaders of social change to bridge real or perceived divides of all types, whether it is within your organization, your community, or society at large.
Over the course of three days, we will explore issues such as:
- • The vital role of civil society institutions in finding common ground
- • How to address problems that arise between nonprofits and the constituents they serve
- • Ways to facilitate collaboration in a politically divisive environment
- • The importance of equity in an increasingly inequitable era
- • Leveraging the science of deep listening to create a foundation for social change
- • Combatting disinformation in a politicized environment
- • How boards and nonprofit leadership can transcend differences
... among others
Join Us In-Person, or Virtually...
As the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s NMI will be a HYBRID conference and will include virtual guest speakers and attendees, as well as live presentations and engaging in-person workshops.
We hope you will join us on
September 13-15, 2022
