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NEW: Legislation from Collaborative and project stakeholder recommendations signed into law in Kentucky and Wisconsin! 

How we make a difference

Convergence drives solutions to critical challenges that would otherwise remain “stuck,” and the resulting societal impact improves lives. Deep divisions make it increasingly difficult for Americans to work together to solve our biggest challenges. For nearly two decades, Convergence has been bringing together leaders, doers, citizens, and experts across ideological, political, and identity lines. Using our time-tested collaborative problem-solving methodology, we build trusting relationships, identify breakthrough solutions, and form unlikely alliances for action on contentious issues. 

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Before our projects, 53% of participants said they were willing to partner with someone whose views they did not agree with. Afterwards, this had grown to 90%.

Participants Convergence Convened
500 +
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of participants reported their experience in a Convergence project was valuable as a participant and beneficial to their organization.

IMPACT AREAS

DEMOCRACY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

DEMOCRACY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Who are Convergence Participants?

Convergence projects are made up of leaders, doers, and experts spanning ideological, political, sectoral and cultural lines, many of whom have never been in the room together besides testifying to each other before committing to a Convergence initiative. Through our transformative process, they build trusting relationships as a foundation to identify breakthrough solutions and form unlikely alliances for long-term constructive change on seemingly intractable issues.

“This shared challenge, a desire to find real solutions, and a willingness to engage in constructive dialogue is the common ground on which our Collaborative stands. Convergence established a place of trust, respectful exchange, and led us through a process where we could explore ideas and ultimately forge a path forward… I praise [Convergence and the Collaborative] in seeing that this crucial issue of great complexity can be discussed, debated and evolved with the greatest of respect of understandable divergent perspectives and recognition of how important this matter is to the country's national policy direction. It is rarified air in which this civility and intellectual rigor comes together in such skilled guidance and respect.”
Jennie Chin HansenLong-Term Care Financing Collaborative Participant Immediate Past CEO, American Geriatrics Society
“I’ve seen Convergence at work as a former dialogue participant and now Board member. Dialogue by dialogue, they are fundamentally rebuilding the fabric of this country. As we all navigate the current moment of anxiety and uncertainty, I take great comfort that Convergence is driving authentic, productive and transformational dialogues that combat the deep divisions entrenched in our communities and inspire hope, drive sustainable change, and remind us of our shared humanity.”
Lindsay TorricoBuilding a Better Budget Process Participant and Convergence Board Member
“I think it’s probably one of the most meaningful things I’ve done in my adult life.”
Dr. Sherry Davis MolockProfessor at George Washington University
“It was refreshing to have friendly and in-depth discussions with people across the U.S. who work on the ground and on the policy development of factors that affect American families’ everyday lives. I especially appreciated starting our discussions with what we all believed it meant for families to flourish and realizing that we almost universally shared the same ideals. I learned a lot in the process, and I am thankful for that.”
Rachel GreszlerConvergence Collaborative on Supports for Working Families Participant and Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation
"When people are policy opponents and are fighting one another in the context of legislation, other advocacy efforts, it often is not the most condusive to building trust. What made the Health Reform Roundtable process work is that the parties in that process trusted one another. It didn’t mean that they necessarily agreed with one another. They might still hold diametrical opposed views about certain key issues but they could trust what they were hearing. If there was a potential agreement, it was genuine. There was no pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes."
Ron PollackHealth Reform Roundtable Participant, Founding Executive Director of Families USA
“It helped me find ways of expressing what I believe in in ways that are more -- that the people who are listening to me would be more receptive, than merely attacking, arguing...”
Gisèle HuffEducation Reimagined Participant and President of Gerald Huff Fund for Humanity
"Certainly the [Project] influenced the work that we did at Walmart, both in terms of how we tried to influence how Walmart dealt with, handled, managed its workforce, particularly frontline workers in stores and distribution centers... it helped crowd out other issues that would’ve taken our attention. Being in a place where others cared about and recognized importance of these issues armed me with the energy and the ongoing confidence to keep pushing for change. And helped me speak about those issues in a broader, more specific, more coherent way."
Ellie BertaniWorking Up Project Participant and Senior Director of Associate Experience at Walmart (at time of project)

Convergence Programs
Drive Real Change

CALFORNIA HEALTH REFORM INITIATIVE

Use arrows to navigate.
June 30, 2022

On June 30, 2022, California’s Governor Newsom signed legislation establishing the Office of Health Care Affordability. The Office was proposed by Asm. Wood (Assembly Bill 1130) and was included in Gov. Newsom’s budget, and mirrored the recommendation issued by Convergence’s California Health Reform Dialogue in March 2020.

June 2021

In June 2021, the legislation passed in the Assembly and was included in the Assembly budget bill.

February 2021

In February 2021, Assembly Health Committee Chair Jim Wood introduced independent legislation to create such an office.

January 2021

In January 2021, Governor Newsom included the Office of Health Care Affordability in the state budget, mirroring the recommendation from the Convergence Dialogue.

March 2020

In March 2020, Convergence’s California Health Reform Initiative recommended that California establish a new government entity to control health care costs and affordability.

WORKING UP

2021

Working Up: Dialogue participants weighed in with Congress and the Administration during the negotiation of Pandemic-response packages 2020 and 2021, on helping America’s workers and working families recover through strengthening supports, building pathways to better jobs and reconnecting displaced workers with jobs.

2020

In light of the economic collapse brought on by the pandemic, Convergence Working Up stakeholders came to Convergence in Spring 2020 seeking to reconstitute the stakeholder table together with some new voices to make a difference supporting recovery for America’s workers. In addition to short-term coordination about relief efforts, they identified two areas ripe for Convergence’s methodology:

(1) how to reduce silos between community colleges, corporations, and governments to create more effective skilling/quality jobs pathways for workers (Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better jobs) and

(2) how to effectively resource and deliver childcare, paid leave, and other supports for working families (Convergence project on Supports for Working Families).

2018

In 2018, Dialogue participants proposed by consensus that private businesses embrace a set of actions to support upward mobility for their workforces, including greater access to higher education, career pathways initiatives, and predictable scheduling. Companies like McDonald’s and Walmart
expanded their investments in workers as a result.

REENTRY READY

August 2021

From August to December 2021, Convergence provided convening support as public, nonprofit and foundation leaders and experts in Baton Rouge collaborated to develop a Reentry Navigation System to support individuals returning to Baton Rouge from incarceration. 

July 2021

In June 2019, Convergence’s Reentry Ready Project issued a report highlighting the need for coordination across various services and domains involved in prisoner reentry to aid a successful transition back to society.

November 2020

In November 2020, stakeholders began organizing a pilot project in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to coordinate reentry support systems and to build the evidence base for utilizing this approach in other locations.

EDUCATION REIMAGINED

2022

Education Reimagined involves hundreds of educators, policy advocates, students, and other leaders who are working together to collectively advance a transformational vision and spread learner-centered education innovation, which is now present in over 120 learning environments across the country. Visit The Education Reimagined Map for info about the learning environments they are engaging. In 2022, the organization received an anonymous $6 million grant.

2019

In 2019, Education Reimagined grew from a Convergence Dialogue with the same name among ideologically diverse education leaders to an independent organization widely recognized as a leader in an emerging movement focused on learner-centered education.

BUILDING A BETTER BUDGET PROCESS

November 2021

The House passed, with broad bipartisan support, H. Con. Res. 44, the Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution, introduced by Representatives Kathleen Rice (D-NY) and Andy Barr (R-KY). The resolution requires the Comptroller General to present the report in an annual joint hearing of the House and Senate Budget Committees and open to all Members of Congress. The resolution aligns with the recommendation advanced by the Select Committee. 

November 2020

In November 2020, the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress embraced a range of budget process reforms recommended by the Convergence-facilitated group and included them in its report to Congress. The Select Committee aims to advance the bipartisan proposals in the 117th Congress.

October 2020

In October 2020, the Select Committee issued a report, with unanimous bipartisan support, that included 97 recommendations to make Congress work better for America. One chapter of the report, “Reform the Budget and Appropriations Process,” outlines the Committee’s recommendations for improving the budget process. The proposals incorporate most of the elements of the Building a Better Budget Process consensus recommendations, including a Fiscal State of the Nation report that would allow Members of Congress to “have access to nonpartisan information about the many factors contributing to the nation’s debt and deficit in order to develop sound fiscal policies and meet our long-debt and deficit reduction.”

September 2019

In November 2020, Dialogue participants testified before the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. 

May 2018

In May 2018, Dialogue participants testified about their recommendations to the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform.

February 2018

In February 2018, Convergence’s Building a Better Budget Process project developed practical, politically realistic proposals to improve the process Congress uses to manage the federal budget. The proposals received significant, immediate attention from the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform.

LONG-TERM CARE FINANCING COLLABORATIVE

July 2021

The pandemic highlighted the need for additional work focused on America’s outdated systems for caring for older adults. In July 2021, Convergence launched a new Dialogue on Reimagining Care for Older Adults, involving nursing home operators, home and community-based service providers, representatives of the caregiving workforce, and more. The Dialogue will advance ideas to transform the system of care to allow more Americans to age at home or thrive in a setting best suited to their needs. 

July 2021

In July 2021, legislation to create a public catastrophic plan based on the Convergence agreement was introduced in Congress by Rep.Tom Suozzi (D-Y). Three Convergence Dialogue participants were members of the five-person advisory group that designed the Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act.

2018

In 2018, Convergence’s Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative contributed to the creation of a major new computational model to analyze the budgetary impacts of long-term care reforms and forged a unique agreement in support of catastrophic long-term care insurance.

  • On June 30, 2022, California’s Governor Newsom signed legislation establishing the Office of Health Care Affordability. The Office was proposed by Asm. Wood (Assembly Bill 1130) and was included in Gov. Newsom’s budget, and mirrored the recommendation issued by Convergence’s California Health Reform Dialogue in March 2020.
  • In June 2021, the legislation passed in the Assembly and was included in the Assembly budget bill.In February 2021, Assembly Health Committee Chair Jim Wood introduced independent legislation to create such an office.
  • In January 2021, Governor Newsom included the Office of Health Care Affordability in the state budget, mirroring the recommendation from the Convergence Dialogue.
  • In March 2020, Convergence’s California Health Reform Initiative recommended that California establish a new government entity to control health care costs and affordability.
  • In light of the economic collapse brought on by the pandemic, Convergence Working Up stakeholders came to Convergence in Spring 2020 seeking to reconstitute the stakeholder table together with some new voices to make a difference supporting recovery for America’s workers. In addition to short-term coordination about relief efforts, they identified two areas ripe for Convergence’s methodology:
    1. how to reduce silos between community colleges, corporations, and governments to create more effective skilling/quality jobs pathways for workers (Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better Jobs); and
    2. how to effectively resource and deliver childcare, paid leave, and other supports for working families (Convergence project on Supports for Working Families).
  • In 2018, Dialogue participants proposed by consensus that private businesses embrace a set of actions to support upward mobility for their workforces, including access to higher education, career pathways initiatives, and predictable scheduling programs. Companies like McDonald’s and Walmart expanded their investments in workers as a result.
  • In November 2020, stakeholders began organizing a pilot project in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to coordinate reentry support systems and to build the evidence base for utilizing this approach in other locations.
  • In June 2019, Convergence’s Reentry Ready Project issued a report highlighting the need for coordination across various services and domains involved in prisoner reentry to aid a successful transition back to society.
  • Education Reimagined involves hundreds of educators, policy advocates, students, and other leaders who are working together to collectively advance a transformational vision and spread learner-centered education innovation across the country. Visit The Education Reimagined Map for info about the learning environments they are engaging. In 2022, the organization received an anonymous $6 million grant.
  • In 2019, Education Reimagined grew from a Convergence Dialogue with the same name among ideologically diverse education leaders to an independent organization widely recognized as a leader in an emerging movement focused on learner-centered education.
  • In November 2021, the House passed, with broad bipartisan support, H. Con. Res. 44, the Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution, introduced by Representatives Kathleen Rice (D-NY) and Andy Barr (R-KY). The resolution requires the Comptroller General to present the report in an annual joint hearing of the House and Senate Budget Committees and open to all Members of Congress. The resolution aligns with the recommendation advanced by the Select Committee.
  • In November 2020, the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress embraced a range of budget process reforms recommended by the Convergence-facilitated group and included them in its report to Congress. The Select Committee aims to advance the bipartisan proposals in the 117th Congress.
  • In October 2020, the Select Committee issued a report, with unanimous bipartisan support, that included 97 recommendations to make Congress work better for America. One chapter of the report, “Reform the Budget and Appropriations Process,” outlines the Committee’s recommendations for improving the budget process. The proposals incorporate most of the elements of the Building a Better Budget Process consensus recommendations, including a Fiscal State of the Nation report that would allow Members of Congress to “have access to nonpartisan information about the many factors contributing to the nation’s debt and deficit in order to develop sound fiscal policies and meet our long-debt and deficit reduction.”
  • In February 2018, Convergence’s Building a Better Budget Process project developed practical, politically realistic proposals to improve the process Congress uses to manage the federal budget. The proposals received significant, immediate attention from the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform.
  • The pandemic highlighted the need for additional work focused on America’s outdated systems for caring for older adults. In July 2021, Convergence launched a new Dialogue on Reimagining Care for Older Adults, involving nursing home operators, home and community-based service providers, representatives of the caregiving workforce, and more. The Dialogue will advance ideas to transform the system of care to allow more Americans to age at home or thrive in a setting best suited to their needs.
  • In July 2021, legislation to create a public catastrophic plan based on the Convergence agreement was introduced in Congress by Rep.Tom Suozzi (D-NY). Three Convergence Dialogue participants were members of the five-person advisory group that designed the Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act.
  • In 2018, Convergence’s Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative contributed to the creation of a major new computational model to analyze the budgetary impacts of long-term care reforms and forged a unique agreement in support of catastrophic long-term care insurance.

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