National Institute for Civil Discourse

What National Institute for Civil Discourse does

The National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit civic organization founded in May 2011 in the aftermath of the Tucson shooting that killed six people. It is headquartered at 1 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 850, Washington, D.C., and maintains institutional ties to the University of Arizona via its primary email domain ([email protected]). NICD's mission is to reduce political polarization and promote constructive engagement across the American political spectrum, and it operates a portfolio of six programs: Common Sense American (a grassroots advocacy platform), Engaging Differences (online video dialogues featuring board members), Golden Rule 2020 (faith-community engagement), the NICD State Legislative Program (bipartisanship workshops for state legislators), the NICD Research Network (academic research on political discourse), and Divided We Fall (a documentary series). The Common Sense American program reports over 53,000–85,000 members spanning all 50 states and D.C., with a self-reported partisan mix of Republicans 26%, Independents 45%, Democrats 24%, and Other 5%.

NICD does not operate a proprietary technology product. Its core offerings are programs and content rather than software; the underlying technology footprint consists of six independent program websites, social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook), and a podcast feed on Mixcloud/Anchor. The organization's governance structure is its defining institutional asset: former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton serve as Founding Chairmen, former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle (Democrat) and Trent Lott (Republican) and former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman serve as Co-Chairs, and board members such as Katie Couric add public-facing reach.

The business model is donation-based: NICD generates revenue through charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and potentially government grants, and provides all programs and content free of charge. There is no pricing model, no commercial product, and no disclosed revenue figure. NICD is privately held (nonprofit), headquartered in Washington, D.C., and serves ordinary Americans, state legislators, and faith communities across the United States.

Name

National Institute for Civil Discourse

Legal name

National Institute For Civil Discourse

Website

https://nicd.arizona.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The National Institute for Civil Discourse is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded in 2011 that runs six civic-engagement programs — including a 53,000+ member grassroots platform, state-legislator bipartisanship workshops, a faith-based initiative, and a documentary series — to reduce political polarization across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a nonprofit organization, NICD generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and potentially government grants. The organization operates on charitable contributions to fund its civic engagement programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NICD is a nonprofit civic engagement organization that delivers programs to reduce political polarization and promote constructive political dialogue in the United States. Its portfolio includes Common Sense American (grassroots advocacy platform, 53,000+ members across all 50 states and DC), Engaging Differences (online video dialogue program featuring board members), Golden Rule 2020 (faith-community initiative reaching thousands of churches), the State Legislative Program (Building Trust through Civil Discourse workshops for state legislators), the NICD Research Network (support for academic research), and the Divided We Fall documentary series.

Product overview

National Institute for Civil Discourse operates a portfolio of civic engagement programs focused on promoting civil discourse and bipartisan collaboration across American political life. The core offerings include Common Sense American (a grassroots advocacy platform with over 53,000 members across the political spectrum), Engaging Differences (an online video dialogue program featuring prominent board members), Golden Rule 2020 (faith-based dignity initiative), NICD State Legislative Program (bipartisan workshops for state legislators), NICD Research Network (academic research support), and Divided We Fall (documentary series). These programs work together to engage citizens, faith communities, elected officials, and scholars in constructive political dialogue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Common Sense American: Grassroots platform with over 85,000 members advocating for common-sense policy solutions in Congress, drawing supporters from Republicans (26%), Independents (45%), Democrats (24%), and Others (5%).
• Engaging Differences
• Golden Rule 2020
• NICD State Legislative Program
• NICD Research Network
• Divided We Fall

Products and services

• Common Sense American Grassroots policy advocacy platform engaging Americans across the political spectrum to champion common-sense policy solutions in Congress, with 53,000+ (also referenced as 85,000+) members across all 50 states and DC (Republicans 26%, Independents 45%, Democrats 24%, Other 5%).
• Engaging Differences Online video program featuring NICD board members including Katie Couric, Tom Daschle, and Christine Todd Whitman reminding Americans to engage differences constructively through brief, interactive segments.
• Golden Rule 2020 Faith community engagement program that reaches thousands of churches across the theological and political spectrum to promote greater dignity and respect in politics, with congregations emphasizing how we treat others—including those who disagree—as an important moral issue.
• NICD State Legislative Program Program that increases bipartisanship, collaboration, and civility in state government through the Building Trust through Civil Discourse workshops, created by, led by, and tailored for state legislators; aims to inspire future congressional leaders.
• NICD Research Network Academic research network supporting scholars in research and teaching on political and social discourse civility, creating a body of knowledge on the history of American political and social discourse and methods to improve it.
• Divided We Fall Documentary series (docu-series) that shows ordinary Americans wrestling with what it truly means to be an American, the divides that prevent it, and what can be done to bridge those gaps.

Quantifiable outcome

• 53,000+ members from all 50 states and DC
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Public Agenda: Nonpartisan research and public engagement organization focused on democratic deliberation — directly comparable to NICD Research Network's role in producing evidence-based civic programming.
• More in Common: Nonprofit that researches and addresses the 'exhausted majority' through community programs, narrative campaigns, and grassroots organizing — a near-direct peer in the U.S. depolarization space.
• Braver Angels: National depolarization organization running red/blue dialogue workshops and skills trainings — directly comparable to NICD's State Legislative Program and Common Sense American in mission and methodology.
• Listen First Project: Storytelling and listening-based nonprofit that bridges divides through shared narratives — directly comparable to NICD's Divided We Fall docu-series approach.
• Institute for Civility in Government: Small nonprofit advocating for civility in politics and public life — narrow but direct peer to NICD in promoting respectful political engagement.
• America Indivisible (formerly No Labels): Bipartisan political movement pushing for cross-party governance solutions — directly comparable to NICD's Common Sense American advocacy model targeting independents and disaffected partisans.

Emerging players

• StoryCorps: National oral-history nonprofit that uses recorded dialogue to foster understanding across difference — comparable to NICD's Divided We Fall in using personal storytelling as a bridge-building tool.
• BridgeUSA: Student-led organization building cross-partisan dialogue on college campuses — comparable mission to NICD's Engaging Differences program but focused on the next generation of civic participants.

Broad incumbents

• Points of Light: Large civic-engagement nonprofit mobilizing volunteers and service — overlaps with NICD's grassroots civic mission but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• National Civic League: Long-established civic-reform nonprofit (founded 1894) with broader scope than NICD — comparable civic-engagement mission but wider portfolio and longer history.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NICDInstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalInstituteForCivilDiscourse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-university-of-arizona

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Institute for Civil Discourse