The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has announced the launch of a philanthropic collaborative that will invest $10 million annually to address America’s crisis of polarization within communities.

A sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropic Advisors, the Trust for Civic Life grew out of a 2020 American Academy of Arts and Sciences report, Our Common Purpose (84 pages, PDF), which offers an overview of challenges, strategies, and recommendations to inspire a fresh collective commitment to democratic citizenship. Recommendations include: achieve equality of voice and representation through our political institutions; empower voters in a lasting way; ensure the responsiveness of our political institutions; dramatically expand the capacity of civil society organizations that foster “bridging” across lines of difference; build civic information architecture that supports common purpose; and inspire a culture of commitment to American constitutional democracy and one another. Initial funding partners include Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Stand Together, and Omidyar Network.

Through the trust, grants will support civic entrepreneurs who are introducing innovative programs in their communities and civic hubs, such as community foundations, business groups, and art associations, that are creating the conditions for those entrepreneurs to succeed. The first set of grants will focus on rural areas and small towns, including the Black Belt, central Appalachia, the southwest border, Tribal communities, and those going through economic or demographic transition.

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