Community Building
The Community Building Program strengthens the collective action of the Democracy R&D Network. Its purpose is to connect, support, and inspire members across regions, creating a vibrant global community rooted in trust, collaboration, and mutual learning.
Through this program, Democracy R&D fosters spaces where members can share their work, exchange insights, and co-create new projects. It connects practitioners, researchers, and advocates who are shaping deliberative democracy around the world—helping them learn from each other and amplify one another’s impact.
Objectives
The program focuses on:
01
Strengthen connections among network members and allies worldwide.
02
Foster active communication and collaboration across the network.
03
Encourage mutual aid, solidarity, and peer-to-peer support.
04
Spark new and more influential collaborative projects across regions.
05
Welcome new members, bringing fresh perspectives, assets, and energy to the network.
Key Activities
Regional Chapters and Meetings
Democracy R&D connects people globally, while recognizing the importance of regional spaces for reflection and collaboration. Regional meetings provide opportunities for members from the same area to:
- Share their ongoing work and experiences.
- Present new methodologies and local innovations.
- Reflect on regional challenges and opportunities.
- Plan collaborations and joint projects.
Currently, the network has several active regional chapters—including Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia. These chapters typically meet monthly, and all members belonging to a region are welcome to participate.
Network-wide Connections
Beyond regional activities, the program promotes global exchange through online gatherings, informal meetups, and collaborative initiatives that connect members working on similar issues across different continents.
Mutual Support and Collaboration
Through active communication channels, members can seek advice, find partners for projects, and offer support to others. The network staff make many introductions between members with similar interests, and it often makes a big difference. This sense of community not only strengthens individual work but also helps turn shared values into collective action.
Planned Developments
Strengthen inter-regional coordination to promote cross-chapter collaborations.
Create more spaces for informal connection and networking, such as member cafés or peer learning circles.
Develop a member directory and collaboration map to visualize the network’s global reach and facilitate new partnerships.
Continue supporting regional meetings and local initiatives, ensuring that community building remains inclusive and member-driven.
Get Involved
If you are part of a regional chapter or would like to join one, connect with the Democracy R&D team at team@democracyrd.org to find your regional contact point or start a new initiative.
Explore more
Get to know our work
Highlighted Projects
The network’s members work to increase civic lottery use, deliberation, and democratic reforms, locally to internationally. DRD’s areas of work are collaborative learning, community building, field building, and democracy change.
Get to know our Living Guidebooks
New Frontiers Project
We created three comprehensive and situationally-relevant living guidebooks on institutionalization, the Global South, and difficult issues
