Polarization and division in the United States have reached such a point that it threatens our strength domestically and overseas. According to an NBC News poll conducted in January 2022, 70 percent of Americans agree with the statement that “America has become so polarized that it can no longer solve the major issues facing the country” – up from 45 percent in 2010.

However, this century has also seen significant growth in local innovations in civic bridgebuilding—a movement comprised of local leaders, nonprofits, businesses, and philanthropic partners making dedicated collective efforts to address polarization. Civic bridgebuilding can address toxic polarization at its source by facilitating the creation and maintenance of lasting person-to-person relationships across differences and emphasizing a common purpose. Federal support for efforts to reduce polarization and engage communities in civic bridgebuilding would support this work as a key national priority. In fact, a recent report from the Bipartisan Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship points out that the U.S. government spends tens of millions of dollars through the National Endowment for Democracy trying to foster social cohesion and support civic bridgebuilding in other countries to strengthen democracy abroad — yet it does none of that work here in the United States.

Key features:
The bill would establish a non-partisan pilot program, led by an Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within AmeriCorps, focused on four core pillars:

• Administering a competitive grant program to support civic bridgebuilding programs across the nation, focused on supporting organizations and striving to address polarization in the United States;
• Supporting the training of AmeriCorps members in civic bridgebuilding skills and techniques;
• Supporting academic research on civic bridgebuilding, civic engagement, and social cohesion; and
• Activating a public conversation about the importance of civic bridgebuilding by directing AmeriCorps to serve as a convening and coordinating partner to the national civic bridgebuilding movement.
  
  

This bill will promote the ability of local communities to tackle sources of division while empowering participants and organizations with a foundation on which they can address contentious issues and ultimately, bridge divides.