Conference Overview
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’.”
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
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.
This year’s NMI will leverage our shared experience and knowledge, as we learn together in workshops, presentations, and panel discussions from our speakers and from one another. We encourage you to be a part of the discussions taking place online September 13, 14, and 15, as we begin bridging the divide.
For more information and to register, please visit our NMI 2022 website.
Sessions
"How to Have Better Political Conversations"
As polarization rises in the U.S. and beyond, people must manage political conflicts in their organizations, neighborhoods, and even families. While social science suggests that political animosity is rising in America and democratic norms are under threat, research also identifies a number of ways to productively intervene to help bridge divides and stabilize democracy. In this talk, Willer discusses techniques for navigating challenging political interactions, presenting cutting edge research on ways to have cohesive – rather than divisive – conversations on morally-charged political issues. Kristin Hansen, Executive Director, Civic Health Project will join Robb Willer, Director of Polarization and Social Change Lab at Stanford University, in conversation to talk about why and how the nonprofit sector is poised to play a leading role in bridging America’s divides, fostering greater social cohesion, and securing durable, “win-win” outcomes across a wide range of societal challenges we face.
"Deep Listening is Necessary for Social Change"
To engage in productive collaborations across real or perceived divides, those working in the nonprofit and social sector worlds need to identify authentic ways of communicating with stakeholders from different backgrounds and perspectives. Deep listening, which requires genuine curiosity about what another person is saying, is an approach to difficult conversations that allows people to be fully heard and more open to opposing views. Lead by Emily Kasriel, head of Special Projects, BBC World Service, and BBC’s Crossing Divides, this session will explore how to use deep listening to find common ground with those with different views by unpacking and examining the attributes and challenges of the process.
"Social Justice Organizations at a Crossroads"
Social justice organizations are at a crossroads. On one hand, leaders and staff are confronting some of the greatest challenges in decades: the rise of white supremacy, an ever-widening wealth gap, rolling back of voter protections, and the concentration of political and economic power in the hands of a small number of people. On the other hand, the organizations best positioned to address these issues are in crisis, with leaders being attacked, disagreement confused for trauma, and the ever-changing nature and expectations of work creating a challenging leadership terrain. What can grantmaking organizations do for themselves and the organizations that they support to better navigate this moment and support the creation of durable institutions for long-term social change? Join Carmen Rojas, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of The Marguerite Casey Foundation, Glen Galaich, chief executive officer of the Stupski Foundation, Dimple Abichandani, executive director of the General Service Foundation and Adrian Haro, CEO of The Workers Lab, for this important discussion
"How to Manage Internal Conflicts"
Leading effectively requires an awareness of how to approach conflicts within your organization. One important technique is adapting a healthy approach to internal debate and effective communication. This presentation will explore why group think, or toxicity, around issues are commonplace but can be challenged in an intentional and transparent manner. The discussion will explore how to identify the origins of conflict in various situations, as well as different types of conflict that occur within an organization: task-related, relationship driven, logistically motivated, and status related – the latter of which is quite common in the nonprofit word. Join Priti Pradhan Shah, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Work and Organizations at the Carlsen School of Management, University of Minnesota, for this solutions-oriented discussion about managing and resolving workplace conflict.
In-Person Workshop: "Cultivating Compassion, Belongingness and Health in Teams"
Vibrant human connection is central to our health as individuals, our efficacy in organizations, and our collective wellbeing as a society. During the workshop, participants will learn about the research, conditions, and real-life practices behind our deeply-rooted human propensity for connection—what works and what gets in the way—and have a chance to practice the skills to foster a culture of connection within their organizations and communities. These practices, part of a well-rounded leadership toolkit, can be applied to the stances of bonding, bridging, and healing. Participants will receive printed copies of the A Call to Connection primer from Einhorn Collaborative, Bridging Differences Playbook from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and the Brave Conversations framework from The People's Supper to refer to and practice after the summit.
"The Ties That Bind? What Social Media Companies are Doing to Fight Disinformation and Weaponization of Their Platforms"
Social media platforms often promise that their main purpose is to connect people from different backgrounds, to help create greater mutual understanding. Unfortunately, what we have seen over the past several years is an increase in the use of disinformation and “algorithmic bubbles” to dramatically exacerbate real or perceived divisions, making it even more challenging to have substantiative discussions between people of opposing points of view. What are social media companies doing to fight disinformation and the weaponization of their platforms, and is it working? More important, is it enough? Toussaint Nothias, Associate Director of Research at Stanford University’s Digital Civil Society Lab, will moderate this panel where speakers Nate Persily, the James B. Clatchy Professor of Law at Stanford University, Sarah Shirazyan, content policy manager, Misinformation and Algorithm, Meta, and Chris Roberts, Integrity and Authenticity Policy Lead, TikTok will come together to talk about the ongoing digital challenges that continue to inflame a divided world.
"Navigating Intergenerational Conflict"
More than ever before, people are remaining in their jobs later in life. It is becoming common for a span of up to 40 years to separate colleagues in the same workplace. Rather than a source of conflict, this vast difference in age can be an asset to an organization, as more youthful employees share their digital IQ with team members, while senior staff share their wisdom and experience. This session, led by Chip Conley, founder of the Modern Elder Academy and author, Wisdom at Work, will examine best practices for collaboration across generations in the workplace.
Case Study: "Businesses and Nonprofits Working Together to Help the Environment"
Farmers are under increased pressure to grow more food, as populations rise, and the environment shows increasing wear and tear. To reduce these pressures, the business world and nonprofits have come together in the area of sustainable agriculture. Kellogg Company and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) launched a partnership to install irrigation timers on more than 15,000 acres of land, primarily in the Arkansas Delta. TNC estimates this collaboration will conserve 9 billion gallons of water a year, simultaneously, helping local farmers expand food production. This panel will explore how Jason Milks, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Freshwater, The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas, and Wilbur Peer, Chief Operating Officer, The KKAC Organization came together to bring sustainable practices to the Delta region.
"Building a Thriving Multiracial Democracy"
The political strife we are experiencing is largely about diversity. But the struggle as it has been unfolding fundamentally misunderstands something about American diversity: our differences are real, but they are not what divides us, they are our most impressive gift. Our differences are our ultimate strength, and the American people, in all our diversity, are our greatest asset. The time in which we live requires that we figure out how democracy can succeed where it’s never been tested–in the context of profound difference. In this session, Angela Glover Blackwell, founder in residence at PolicyLink, will explore how embracing our differences–acknowledged and equal–and seeing them as the principal source of our power and creativity, allows us to begin to create new and improved systems of governance and key institutions that will enable democracy to grow, stretch, and serve the interests of all.
In-Person Workshop: "Bridging is Systemic Change"
Independent Sector is committed to bridge building as the anchor of change, building community, and transforming institutions, in other to create a world where all people thrive. In this workshop, independent Sector will explain the foundations of how to begin this work and introduce two nonprofit leaders from their Bridging Fellows who have successfully implemented this work. Join Habib Bako, senior director, Community Building and Engagement, The Independent Sector, Imran Khan, CEO and co-founder, Embarc, and Celeste C. Smith, CEO of 1Hood Media for this inspiring workshop about impact and change.
In-Person Workshop: "Getting Proximate to Advance Real Change Together"
In this in-person workshop session, Amy Badiani, director of Community Engagement at Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2) will share examples and reflections from its Get Proximate initiative. The Get Proximate practices include confronting truth, deep listening, changing narratives, taking a strengths-based approach, and building a culture of empathy, all while honoring diverse community voices and leadership. Speakers Jennifer Bautista, Marriage and Family Therapist at One Life Counseling Center and Program Director at Una Vida, and Justin DeMartra, Educational Coordinator at Code Tenderloin, along with participants, will discuss aspirations, challenges, and the power of embedding Get Proximate in our work and impact.
Case Study: "Building Trust Between Organizations and the Communities with Whom They Work"
Organizations can only be effective if they can develop trust within the diverse communities with whom they work. But trust is not something that happens overnight– it must be earned and nurtured. Nick Lalla, co-founder and managing director of Tulsa Innovation Labs will discuss how his organization cultivated strong roots to the local community by holding ‘listening’ sessions with stakeholders and partnering with several well-regarded local institutions, including a community college and ‘Black Tech Street.’ Through these collaborations, Tulsa Innovation Labs were able to create an accessible pathway to a tech ecosystem spanning virtual health, cyber security, clean energy tech, and other areas, which connected the local underserved Native American and Black communities – the latter of which was especially important given Tulsa’s history and The Black Wall Street massacre. Nick Lalla will be joined by David Hall, managing partner, Rise of the Rest, an organization that helps to create tech ecosystems in cities other than the usual tech hubs of New York, Silicon Valley, and Boston. In a world where women get less than 2% of venture capital and Black entrepreneurs get less than 1%, cultivating trust and hope is critical when bringing the “American Dream” to tech entrepreneurs in underserved communities.
"Fearless Conversations in Divided Times"
Political polarization was named as a “top issue facing the country” by nearly three-in-ten Americans in a June 2022 poll by FiveThirtyEight and Congress is more divided that it’s been in the past 50 years according to the Pew Research Center. Daily headlines that lead with divisive topics like gun control, abortion, and climate change remind us how divided we are as a nation. So how do we go beyond our own political beliefs and policy choices to hear what the other side is saying? Join Monica Guzman, a bridge builder and author of “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times,” to learn how to have productive conversations with those with views different from your own, crossing partisan divides, and ultimately strengthening our democracy.
"Bridging the Board-Staff Relationship"
Differences of opinion and perspective aren’t only a challenge when working with individuals and organizations outside of your own. To effectively set objectives and determine priorities, it’s vital for the senior leadership of organizations and their boards to be able to effectively communicate with one another. But this process isn’t always obvious or easy, and there are a great many questions both sides need to address. How can board members provide effective, meaningful support to a leader and organization? What tools support authentic and productive relationships between a leader and board? How can leaders engage their board members in ways that are fulfilling and reinforcing to all? How can boards engage in generative conversations to explore possibilities without creating distractions from the mission? How can leaders best steward their boards through big decisions or unexpected shifts? How can board members best support leaders in times of difficulty, uncertainty, or transition? How can leaders and boards ensure they’re hearing divergent opinions and staying open to new possibilities? And perhaps most important, how can leaders and boards effectively work through differences of opinion? This discussion will feature Jonah Edelman, the co-founder and CEO of Stand for Children, and Anne Marie Burgoyne, the managing director of philanthropy at Emerson Collective. The pair will discuss their experiences, ideas, and perspectives on ways that leaders and boards can build meaningful relationships that amplify an organization’s potential.
Case Study: "Unexpected Political Collaboration on Immigration Policy"
In a world that seems more divided than ever, two organizations that are seen to be on opposite sides of the ideological divide in the United States came together to collaborate on immigration policy. Learn how they leaned into what they had in common in order to transcend differences, providing a case study demonstrating that pluralism makes it possible to achieve progress. Join Ali Noorani, program director for U.S. Democracy at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Zack Huffman, director, Free Speech and Peace at Stand Together, and Lauren Higgins, director of ecosystem strategy at New Pluralists, to learn how to bridge entrenched differences, collaborate, and realize a shared agenda.