The Building Civic Bridges Act was introduced in March of this year. This bill, which has broad bipartisan support, would authorize $25 million per year to formalize efforts with regard to civic bridge building. It will establish an Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within AmeriCorps to research civic bridge building and social cohesion, train AmeriCorps members on bridge-building skills, and support bridge-building efforts throughout the nation.
This bill would:
- Administer a grant program to support civic bridgebuilding programs across the nation - funding nonprofits, public institutions, schools, and religious groups, among others - that are striving to heal toxic polarization in the United States.
- Support the training of AmeriCorps members in civic bridgebuilding skills and techniques.
- Support research at colleges and universities on civic bridgebuilding, civic engagement, and social cohesion.
- And more.