Democratic Engagement – PHENND

National Youth Takeover Day – Jun 27

hillarya — Sat, 23 May 2026 19:10:40 +0000

Young people are ready to shape their futures. Co-designed by the Civic Season Design Fellows and Youth250 Bureau, National Youth Takeover Day is a moment during Civic Season to celebrate and uplift youth leadership, spark conversation, and help shape what comes next.

National Youth Takeover Day is on Saturday, June 27.

Learn more here.

Webinar: Legal Landscape for Nonprofits for Nonpartisan Voter Engagement – Jun 3

hillarya — Sat, 23 May 2026 16:02:32 +0000

Nonprofit organizations play a crucial and legal role in civic engagement, strengthening both communities and democracy. In today’s highly politicized environment, it’s more important than ever to understand the legal landscape surrounding nonpartisan voter engagement – and what your organization can and should be doing.

Join this free national webinar for a timely conversation on the legal and policy context shaping this work. This session will help you:

Understand the voter engagement activities nonprofits can legally undertake
Navigate the broader legal and policy context shaping civic engagement
Get practical guidance on protecting your organization’s role in democracy

Date and Time: Wednesday, June 3, 3:00 PM

Learn more and register.

New Poll: Large Majorities of Americans Want Nonprofits to Facilitate Civic Engagement

hillarya — Mon, 18 May 2026 19:12:17 +0000

In Independent Sector’s most recent polling, Americans expressed strong support for nonprofit organizations facilitating civic engagement through activities like registering voters and educating communities about voting rights. 85% of Americans agree nonprofits should help people learn about issues impacting their communities, and 80% of Americans agree nonprofits should help people learn about candidates’ positions on the issues impacting their communities. 80% of Americans agree nonprofits should help people in their communities register to vote.

Read about more findings from the polling, learn about a new initiative to strengthen nonpartisan nonprofit voter engagement, and browse our social media toolkit to share facts with your network.

Webinar: Youth Town Hall on the Supreme Court and Student Voting Rights – May 19

hillarya — Thu, 14 May 2026 15:59:23 +0000

Last month, the Supreme Court issued one of the most consequential voting rights decisions in recent years. That’s why The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) is hosting a virtual town hall conversation to help break down the decision, answer questions, and discuss how communities can respond.

In the wake of the ruling, states have already begun advancing and passing new congressional maps that could further reduce representation for Black voters and other historically marginalized communities. What began as a single court case has quickly escalated into a nationwide redistricting fight with major implications for voting rights and democracy itself.

The event will feature:

A presentation from Evan Malbrough, AGF Program Manager for Impact, on the ruling and its implications
A live Q&A with civil rights attorney Yael Bromberg, Esq.
A community poll about how the AGF network wants to respond moving forward

Date and Time: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM

Defining Democracy Virtual Workshop: Reframing American Democracy – Jun 1

hillarya — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:01:09 +0000

On June 1, 2026, 4:30-6:30 PM, we are hosting another virtual event from the Defining Democracy series to connect you to resources from The 1619 Project and equip you with strategies for talking about American democracy with your students.

This free workshop for educators in any location will be focused on the different models educators have used to center the Black and Indigenous histories that are often erased when we teach about the shaping of the country.

Learn more and register.

The Promise of Higher Education And American Democracy

hillarya — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:47:51 +0000

A core mission of nearly every college and university in the United States is to develop the best habits of good citizenship among our students. They come to our institutions to prepare for careers, to more fully understand the world around them and imagine their best place in it, and to learn how to be great neighbors and effective citizens. Participation in elections is an important part of that personal development, which is why it is a priority for so many campus leaders.

Most students become eligible to vote in their first elections while they are enrolled at our institutions. We help them to register to vote, we encourage them to participate in elections, and we provide access to objective sources of information about issues and candidates, but we don’t tell them how or for whom they should vote.

In the past few years, we have seen efforts to make it harder for young people to participate in our democracy and access civic engagement opportunities. States have relocated polling places from public university campuses, as well as limited or curtailed initiatives to promote election participation at colleges and universities. Last year, the Department of Education issued a prohibition on using Federal Work-Study funds for nonpartisan voter registration initiatives. And just last month, the Department launched an investigation into Tufts University’s National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), which Tufts has conducted in collaboration with the National Student Clearinghouse since 2013.

The irony of these efforts to stifle student voting is that federal statutes require higher-education institutions to do this work. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended and the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 each include language about the responsibilities of colleges and universities to help their students register to vote and to understand their voting rights and the procedures for participating fully in elections.

Why Civic Discourse is a Necessary Part of Campus Life

hillarya — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:42:40 +0000

For many college students, political discourse creates unease on campus, but the divide between certain groups is only becoming greater. What can institutions do to foster nonpartisan civic discourse on college campuses?

Clare Antesberger, ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge intern and student at Rhodes College, has a few ideas.

Read the article.

Realizing Democracy: Online Summer Voting Rights Course and Democracy Training – Jun 22 – Jul 28

hillarya — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:39:18 +0000

ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is excited to announce a partnership with Bard College this summer!

College students from across the nation can apply for a synchronous online summer course, “Student Voting, Civil Rights, and the Practice of Democracy,” for three transferable undergraduate credits and an opportunity to receive a certificate on “Voting Rights & Democracy Training.”

Applications are considered on a rolling basis. Priority deadline is May 1 and the final deadline is May 27.

Apply for the course here.

Reach out to vote@bard.edu with any questions.

2026 Pledge to Vote, ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge

hillarya — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:35:37 +0000

Pledging to do something means you’re more likely to follow through with the task, including voting! Make sure your campus community has committed to voting in this year’s midterm elections by sharing our Pledge to Vote tool now.

Studies show that you’re more likely to complete an action if you’ve already made a public commitment to it. That’s why we built this pledge — as a way for you (and your friends and family!) to maintain accountability when it comes to voting.

Not only does voting help your community, but pledging to vote helps your college campus, too.

Civic Participation at Every Level: Join National Voter Education Week 2026!

hillarya — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:31:31 +0000

Local, state, and federal elections are connected, and participation at every level helps shape communities. Partner with National Voter Education Week (October 5-9) to educate your community on the importance of voting in every election. Help strengthen voters’ feeling of ownership across all levels of government.

Find out how you can get involved here.

ALL IN Virtual Action Planning Workshop – May 13

hillarya — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:27:29 +0000

This session will cover the basics of action planning while providing an overview of key action planning resources, timelines, and tips for starting a new or updating an existing action plan. The ALL IN team will also provide updates on changes to the scoring process and how campuses can earn recognition for their action plans in 2026.

This is the perfect first step for new or experienced action planners to set your plan and your campus voting coalition up for success.

Date and Time: Wednesday, May 13, 2:00 PM

As a reminder, the next deadline to submit your 2026 Action Plan is Sunday, May 31.

ALL IN Resident Life Toolkit & Democratic Engagement Webinar – Jun 10

hillarya — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:10:16 +0000

The ALL IN team is offering conversation space for campus contacts to explore the possibilities of uplifting nonpartisan opportunities in residence halls across the country.

This conversation will focus on integrating nonpartisan civic engagement resources and programming into residence halls. In this session, participants will:

hear key updates from ALL IN team members;
preview tips included in the new ALL IN toolkit; and
learn tips and tricks from fellow staff and administrators who have integrated civic engagement resources into residence halls.

Date and Time: Wednesday, June 10, 2:00 PM

Zoom Event: How Are We Practicing Democracy This Year? – Apr 23

hillarya — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:45:59 +0000

Join us for an engaging conversation, How Are We Practicing Democracy This Year?, on Thursday, April 23, 1:00 PM.

In a year when democratic engagement feels more important than ever, how are colleges and universities helping students practice democracy in meaningful ways? Join us to explore how higher education institutions are practicing democracy on campus through student engagement, civic learning, nonpartisan voter participation, and constructive dialogue. Experts from guides.Vote, ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Unify America, and GivePulse will kick off the conversation with their perspectives and resources, followed by an open, community-driven dialogue focused on ideas, challenges, and opportunities—building momentum toward the nation’s 250th anniversary and midterm elections.

Zoom Event: 2026 Student Voting Honor Roll Roundtable – Apr 22

hillarya — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:09:16 +0000

ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge has recognized 168 students from across the country who worked tirelessly throughout 2025 to support their campuses with institutionalizing nonpartisan civic engagement and increasing college student voter participation in the 2026 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll.

These students were at the forefront of supporting their peers with registering to vote, sharing nonpartisan resources, and ensuring that eligible college students across the country had the information they needed to cast informed ballots.

Watch this brief video to learn more about why these students are ALL IN to support their classmates’ civic engagement.

Join us for the 2026 Student Voting Honor Roll Roundtable on Wednesday, April 22 at 1:00 PM ET to hear from these student leaders about their nonpartisan civic efforts. We encourage you to invite members of your campus community, faculty, staff, and, of course, students, to participate in the Roundtable.

”Democracy How?” 1619 Impact Grantee Reflection (La Unique Bookstore and Cultural Arts Center in Camden, NJ)

hillarya — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:36:12 +0000

The following reflection was written by Veronica Jones, recipient of the 2025 1619 Impact Grant. Jones and her team at the La Unique Bookstore and Cultural Arts Center in Camden, New Jersey, facilitated a community engagement project exploring the focus theme of Democracy.

The Democracy How? project engaged 400 Camden County, New Jersey, students, teachers, and community members with the issues surrounding democracy and the African American experience through the lens of The 1619 Project. We explored these themes through a variety of community engagements generating intellectual discourse about democracy and the intersection of race and slavery in the United States’ founding documents. As a Camden County community member, former educator, and educational leader, I was able to bring together a wide network of educators and educational leaders who are committed to this work. Using La Unique Bookstore and Cultural Arts Center as our home base, we were able to use a grassroots, intergenerational approach to exploring 1619 themes, build community locally, and even expand to other states.

Higher Ed’s Role In Protecting Youth Voting Rights And Democracy

hillarya — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:52:17 +0000

As we approach our 250th anniversary as a country, we face persistent low voter turnout and declining trust in our institutions. Where do we go from here to ensure all Americans can and will make their voices heard at the polls? Jonathan Becker and Yael Bromberg have some insight.

As we approach the 250^th anniversary of the birth of the nation, every day proves that we are in the midst of a constitutional crisis to define the nation’s identity. America was born and re-born of political and physical violence, giving way to Independence, the First Reconstruction following the Civil War, and the Second Reconstruction, which catalyzed in the passage of its crown jewel: the Voting Rights Act of 1965. With a new shadow of entrenchment enveloping the nation, it serves to recall the civic ethos and action which overcame prior anti-democratic impulses.

Voter Engagement Efforts Should Reach Online Students Too

hillarya — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:51:19 +0000

When people hear of campus voter engagement efforts, they typically picture voter registration tables, motivational speakers, and get-out-the-vote giveaway items (t-shirts, stickers, bags, etc.). While these are still some of the most visible ways to make students aware of an upcoming election, they should not be the only nonpartisan methods that colleges and universities use to help students prepare to vote.

This is especially true at community colleges, which tend to offer significantly more online courses than four-year institutions. Nearly half of all community college courses were offered online during the 2023–2024 academic year. A majority of these were online asynchronous courses, which have no class meeting times and instead offer students pre-recorded lecture videos. These asynchronous courses remain quite popular with students given the flexibility they provide. I know this first-hand as an instructor at San Diego Mesa College, where many of my online students are working full-time, raising children, or caring for an elderly family member. Some of these students may seldom step foot on our campus and naturally, miss out on the traditional voter engagement efforts that typically occur in person.

Building Political Homes for Youth: supporting young people’s democratic belonging and civic engagement.

hillarya — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:49:10 +0000

A political home is a space where young people can imagine, participate in, and build a better future, grounded in relationships built on accountability with each other and with supportive adults. Political homes allow youth to learn, grow, exercise their civic potential, and be a part of collective action-taking.

Learn about five key elements for organizations that want to support young people’s democratic belonging and civic engagement.

Youth Lack Community Connections that Are Critical to Civic Engagement

hillarya — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 17:00:26 +0000

Past Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) research has examined the importance of community connections to civic and political participation. We’ve also heard directly from young people about how valuable opportunities to connect are, especially in the absence of third spaces where young people can build community. Civic life is tied up in young people’s social and community lives, and understanding how young people are building community is vital for mapping pathways to civic participation and belonging.

At the same time, social structures and norms are still recalibrating in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which interrupted important periods of development for today’s youth. To understand the impact that may be having on youth civic engagement, we asked young people in our 2024 post-election survey about their in-person interactions with their community. While online communities and interactions have been important ways for young people to explore their identities, develop civically, and use their voices, online and in-person interactions don’t have equal and universally positive effects on well-being. Notably, some research suggests that in-person connections have stronger positive impacts (Kroencke et al, 2023).

This analysis furthers our understanding of young people’s in-person interactions and how they intersect with their civic behaviors and attitudes, ultimately demonstrating the urgency of supporting pathways for young people to build these connections and communities.

Participants Needed: Students Learn Students Vote Coalition (SLSV) Research Project

hillarya — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 20:30:19 +0000

The University of Northern Iowa, Weber State University, and Students Learn Students Vote Coalition (SLSV) are leading a research project to assess student learning outcomes in nonpartisan voter engagement programming through Spring 2027. The team is looking for campus vote coordinators who will incorporate four learning assessments into their nonpartisan programming this fall. Campus coordinators who participate will receive $500 upon completion of the study requirements.

To register your interest in participating, please fill out this short form.

To learn more about the project or to ask questions, please email Clarissa Unger at clarissa@slsvcoalition.org.