Research

New research by the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution examines how national service and the bridgebuilding community can help build bridges across polarized lines of difference, increasing trust and collaboration across our divides.

A new study conducted by Starts With Us, the Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University, and Common Ground Committee found that hyper-partisan politicians received more than four times the news coverage bipartisan problem solvers did around the 2022 midterm elections.

Belonging is vital to our individual and societal health, but it can be notoriously difficult to measure. The Belonging Barometer report, recently released by Over Zero and the Center for Inclusion and Belonging at the American Immigration Council, provides a first-of-its-kind measure of belonging that is robust, accessible, and readily deployable in efforts to strengthen community resilience and social cohesion. It also shares findings from a national survey to give a baseline snapshot of the state of belonging in our country.

For parents, the nature and strength of their social connections are key determinants of their health and well-being, and in turn, their children’s development. New research, commissioned by Capita with support from Reach Out and Read Carolinas, draws attention to important issues facing parents of young children in North Carolina, including loneliness, social isolation, and lack of parental support. The findings aim to guide approaches to strengthen social connectedness for parents across age cohorts and around the country.

The power of our imagination has an impact on the state and direction of our democracy. Having positive visions of our shared future can give us a sense of agency and motivate us to work together to achieve mutually beneficial societal outcomes. The “Imagining Better Futures for American Democracy” report, a collaboration between Suzette Brooks Masters and the Democracy Funders Network, offers insights into the value of positive visioning, challenges to imagining better futures, and how we can overcome them.

Findings from a recent study by the American Association of Colleges and Universities indicate that community-engaged learning and civic engagement have positive impacts on students in six key areas, including personal and social responsibility, development of positive mindsets and dispositions, graduation and retention rates, learning gains, intellectual and practical skills, and career-related skills. However, more direct assessments of students' demonstrated skills are needed to complement what we know about these outcomes based on self-reported data.

Gen Z is considered to be the most ethnically and racially diverse generation in American history. So, what are their goals for the next stage of their personal and professional lives? What do they expect from older generations, institutions, and society at large? Check out the new research by Murmuration and the Walton Family Foundation to learn more about Gen Z’s values, priorities, political activity, and interests.

Informed by a nationally representative survey of 5,000 Americans, PACE’s Civic Language Perceptions Project seeks to understand people's perceptions of the language associated with civic engagement and democracy work.

Over the past decade, philanthropic collaboration has entered a new era of popularity and ambition. Driven by institutional and high-net-worth funders seeking greater impact by acting collectively and by leaders challenging traditional ways of working, the number of collaborative giving platforms has grown. With over $2 billion flowing annually to funder collaboratives working on a range of social, economic, and environmental issues—and that’s just from the funds who responded to the survey—The Bridgespan Group’s recent study sheds light on the changing landscape of these philanthropic partnerships.