In this episode, Kristen Cambell interviews Charlie Brown, Executive Director at Trust for Civic Life. They discuss the Trust's new civic entrepreneur grant cycle -- an initiative sure to push the field forward -- and how the Trust is uniquely doing "pre-politics" work. If you're curious about the cutting edge of philanthropic investment in civic life, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Kristen Cambell interviews Cary Simmons, Director of Community Strategies at Trust for Public Land. They discuss how parks are uniquely positioned to promote a democracy larger than politics and reduce polarization.

PACE's overarching theme in 2024 was 'Democracy is Larger than Politics.' Across 12 salon gatherings and hundreds of funder participants, Amy McIsaac is here to share our biggest learnings and still-lingering questions. If you're looking for a 50,000 foot, meta-analysis of how foundations are navigating the tension between strenghtening democracy and engaging in politics heading into 2025, you'll want to listen to this episode.

In this insightful episode, Kristen Cambell engages Nichole Argo of TogetherUp Institute and Scott Hutcheson of E Pluribus Unum in a thought-provoking discussion about the needed work of fostering belonging and building inclusive communities. They explore the power of relationships, norms, and local action in creating lasting change. This conversation offers valuable perspectives and encouragement for democracy defenders grappling with the 2024 election results, emphasizing the importance of bridging divides and empowering individuals to shape a more inclusive society.

This election season has been so turbulent and divisive, it's easy to forget that we are more than just our votes. In this episode, Kristen interviews Jason Mangone, US Executive Director of More in Common. They discuss the (often underappreciated) role of religious faith in US politics, including its role in informing our political engagement. You'll walk away from the episode with a more holistic view of your neighbors, and why their multifacated identities cannot be reduced to their ballot.

In this episode, PACE's Siri Erickson interviews Deborah Schachter, Director of Public Policy at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation along with two reps from the Foundation's grantees, Laura Brill of the Civics Center and Olivia Zink of Open Democracy. Together, they discuss their collaborative (and highly successful) efforts to improve the number of young voters in New Hampshire -- including what's working and the challenges they're facing.

In this episode, Kristen sits down with Mariah Levinson and Robert Fersh, authors of the new book, "From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems" (Wiley, 2024). Among a number of topics and stories, they discuss the kind of philanthropic and non-profit leaders our divided country needs -- when few seem willing to come together across deep differences to solve big problems.

This episode explores a collaborative project aimed at fostering a pro-democracy agenda among conservatives. Guests Scott Warren and Matt Germer share insights on their efforts to engage right-leaning individuals in meaningful conversations about election trust and democratic principles, highlighting the importance of intra-partisan dialogue in strengthening democracy across the US.

In this episode, Kristen introduces the Democracy Futures Project, a new initiative from PACE launching in Fall 2024. Given the threats to democracy in 2024, why is PACE launching a project to address democracy in 2050? Hear the answer in this episode.

In this episode, Kristen talks to Sanobar Chagani, Democracy Projects Coordinator at EveryLibrary, about the crucial role of libraries in democracy with a focus on promoting civic engagement, preventing political violence, and combating misinformation. The discussion highlights the importance of librarians in election administration, civic education, and identifying and combating misinformation, with a particular focus on their role in underrepresented communities.