Daily Resource Highlight - 3/07/2022

Posted by on March 07, 2022 at 4:40 PM

Below are the highlights and featured resources of this past week’s Daily* Resource.

March 1, 2022 -  Feeling Helpless about Ukraine? Let’s Control Our Controllables

The Bridge Alliance is laser-focused on our nation’s citizens and government. That’s why I haven’t said much about the alarming situation in Ukraine; I would be speaking from a place of ignorance. Several members of our community, though, have addressed the situation:

If you’re like me, though, you are feeling anxious to act. If so, the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University is accepting applications for its Visiting Fellows Program (deadline is March 13). The Institute is dedicated to strengthening global democracy, which feels pretty relevant to the situation. This isn’t an opportunity to get involved in the conflict, but it is an opportunity to work with leaders at one of the most prestigious research universities in the world to support democratic institutions at home and abroad.

And if you aren’t able to make that kind of commitment, Citizen University has six great ideas on how you can become a civic catalyst today. Or you can sign up for Civic Genius’ new program “It’s Your America,” where you will have the opportunity to meet with other members of your community for guided deliberation to solve the nation’s most pressing problems.

March 3, 2022 - Turn-Key Member Organization Seeking a Leader

When my wife and I were looking for our first house, I heard the phrase “turn-key” a lot. As in a house that was ready to be moved into with few – if any – repairs needed. That’s obviously the ideal situation, since you don’t need to factor in the cost of the “work needed” when bidding on the place.

Civic Spirit is a turn-key member organization. Its CEO Lindsay Bressman is stepping down this year, and they are looking for a new Executive Director. That ED will take over an organization with funders, partnerships, and a golden reputation. In essence, the main thing the new leader will have to worry about is leading Civic Spirit through a growth phase. To stretch the house metaphor a bit more, all the furnishings are in place, and the next owner gets to build an extension.

Other member organizations, meanwhile, are also continuing full steam ahead. For instance, Public Agenda released several videos from its Community Voices for Health initiative. These short videos give a glimpse at how local leaders are partnering with Public Agenda to bolster public engagement infrastructure in underserved communities throughout the country, including Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Indiana.

And FairVote continues to see success in its effort to promote Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). In 2021, two million voters cast ranked ballots across 141 elections, most notably in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary.  This year, FairVote anticipates that 10 million voters will have the opportunity to cast a ranked ballot.

Our movement is making tangible gains and the results are being seen by more and more Americans. We can’t wait to see what’s next as the proverbial “house” we’re building together progresses from enticing blueprints to a turn-key home accessible for all Americans.

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