CONVERGENCE CENTER FOR POLICY RESOLUTION

LEARNING LAB: LEARNING LAB INSPIRES AND EQUIPS LEADERS TO USE AND APPLY OUR COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING METHODOLOGY THROUGH A SERIES OF CUSTOMIZED WORKSHOPS, TRAININGS, AND ONLINE LEARNING. THROUGH THE LAB, WE EMPOWER LEADERS FROM VARIOUS SECTORS, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT, ACADEMIA AND BUSINESS, WITH TOOLS AND APPROACHES TO ADDRESS COMPLEX ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS. THESE OFFERINGS LEVERAGE LESSONS LEARNED FROM OUR 15+ YEARS OF CONVENING COLLABORATIVES BY HELPING LEARNERS UNDERSTAND WHAT DRIVES DIVISION, BEGIN CULTIVATING A PROBLEM-SOLVING MINDSET, AND TEACHING EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE DIALOGUE AND COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING ON EVEN THE TOUGHEST ISSUES. IN 2024, WE:- CONDUCTED SEVERAL WORKSHOPS TO BRING OUR TOOLS AND APPROACHES TO LEADERS ACROSS THESE SECTORS.- BEGAN BUILDING A NEW ONLINE LEARNING CURRICULUM CALLED CONVERGENCE COMPASS.- STARTED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES TO BRING THE CONVERGENCE APPROACH TO LOCAL LEADERS.- COHOSTED BRIDGING DIVIDES IN CORPORATE AMERICA, A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SERIES.- RELEASED FROM CONFLICT TO CONVERGENCE: COMING TOGETHER TO SOLVE TOUGH PROBLEMS, A BOOK CO-AUTHORED BY CONVERGENCE LEADERS ROB FERSH AND MARIAH LEVISON.CONVERGENCE COLLABORATIVES: AT THE HEART OF OUR WORK IS OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMING, CONVERGENCE COLLABORATIVES, WHERE WE ARE TACKLING SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES FACING OUR NATION TODAY, INCLUDING CHILDCARE, HEALTH EQUITY, AND TRUSTWORTHY ELECTIONS. OUR COLLABORATIVES BRING TOGETHER LEADERS ON ALL SIDES OF ENTRENCHED ISSUES TO BUILD TRUST, DEVELOP SOLUTIONS AND CREATE UNLIKELY ALLIANCES TO CATALYZE IMPACT. ONCE PARTICIPANTS UNCOVER THAT THEY HAVE SHARED GOALS AND VALUES AND ONLY DISAGREE ABOUT HOW TO ACHIEVE THOSE SHARED GOALS AND VALUES, THEIR CONFLICT TRANSFORMS FROM A DESTRUCTIVE ONE TO A CONSTRUCTIVE ONE THAT CAN PUSH THINKING TO NEW LEVELS AND PRODUCE BREAKTHROUGH INSIGHTS. PARTICIPANTS IN OUR COLLABORATIVES ARE OFTEN SURPRISED AND DELIGHTED BY THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY BUILD, THE CONSENSUS THEY FIND, THE UNEXPECTED COALITIONS THEY FORM, AND THE ON-THE-GROUND RESULTS THEY ACHIEVE. OUR TRACK RECORD INCLUDES SPURRING CONSENSUS AND ACTION ON SOME OF THE MOST DIVISIVE ISSUES OF OUR TIME, INCLUDING THE COST OF HEALTH CARE, FAMILY POLICY, DIGITAL DISCOURSE, GUNS AND SUICIDE PREVENTION, FEDERAL BUDGET PROCESS, NUTRITION AND WELLNESS, AND K-12 EDUCATION.CONVERGENCE COLLABORATIVE ON SUPPORTS FOR WORKING FAMILIES: COMING TOGETHER AGAINST A BACKDROP OF HISTORIC POLARIZATION, THIS CROSS-PARTISAN, CROSS-SECTOR GROUP OF FAMILY POLICY LEADERS FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING THE FLOURISHING OF LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. IN 2024, WE:- RELEASED ITS BLUEPRINT FOR ACTION ALONGSIDE A BIPARTISAN EVENT AT THE U.S. SENATE CO-HOSTED BY SENATOR BILL CASSIDY (R-LA) AND SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-NY).- HELD AN EVENT AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION THAT CENTERED ON A PANEL DISCUSSION ON HOW THE COLLABORATIVE REACHED CONSENSUS AND THE FOUR AREAS OF COMMON GROUND FOR WORKING FAMILIES.- AS PART OF THE ACTION PHASE OF THE PROJECT, PUBLISHED CALLS TO ACTION TAILORED FOR EACH SECTOR (PHILANTHROPY, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, EMPLOYERS, AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS) AND CONTINUED MEETINGS FOCUSED ON THE CHANGING POLICY LANDSCAPE AND CHANGES TO THE ADMINISTRATION.- LAUNCHED A SPIN-OFF PROJECT ON CHILDCARE IN KENTUCKY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KENTUCKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

SOCIAL FACTORS OF HEALTH (SFOH): CONVERGENCE HAS LONG BEEN FOCUSED ON THE CHALLENGES OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING THAT ARE FACED BY AMERICANS, WHICH INCLUDES QUESTIONS AROUND DISPARITIES IN OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS, DECLINING MENTAL HEALTH, AND INADEQUATE SYSTEMS OF CARE FOR FAMILIES AND AGING POPULATIONS WHO NEED THEM. OUR COLLABORATIVE ON SOCIAL FACTORS OF HEALTH IS WORKING TO CREATE THE BEST POLICY ENVIRONMENT FOR LOCAL EFFORTS AND PARTNERSHIPS TO IMPROVE HOUSEHOLD AND COMMUNITY HEALTH BY ADDRESSING SOCIAL FACTORS OF HEALTH. IN 2024, WE:- COMPLETED THE DISCOVERY AND DESIGN PHASE WITH A REPORT SUMMARIZING KEY FINDINGS TO GUIDE THE COLLABORATIVE.- PUBLICLY RELEASED ITS BLUEPRINT FOR ACTION ALONGSIDE A VIRTUAL WEBINAR AND IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC CALLS TO ACTION TAILORED BY SECTORS: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITIES, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.- RELEASED TWO INDIVIDUAL PAPERS BY COLLABORATIVE MEMBERS: SUPPORT HEALTH PLAN INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL FACTORS OF HEALTH AND STRENGTHENING THE DATA ECOSYSTEM.