The Art of Association

Heather Gerken is Flipping the Script at the Ford Foundation

What Ford’s new president is trying to do—and why it matters beyond Ford (870 words / 3.5-minute read)

Apr 22 • Daniel Stid

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We've Seen Worse—And Better

What American history teaches about hope, agency, and democratic renewal (770 Words / 3-minute read)

Apr 8 • Daniel Stid

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March 2026

Practicing Pluralism—A Conversation with Brian Hooks of Stand Together

Coalition-building, civic confidence, and the long game of pluralism in a disputatious republic (784 words / 3-minute read).

Mar 25 • Daniel Stid

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Rebalancing Democracy’s Leadership Pipeline

Why funders should invest less in moralistic advocates and more in leaders who organize communities and govern in the public interest (2,620 words …

Mar 16 • Daniel Stid

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February 2026

What Civic Renewal Actually Looks Like

A conversation with Charlie Brown of the Trust for Civic Life (225 Words / 1-minute read).

Feb 25 • Daniel Stid

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The Decline of the Republic–and Philanthropy’s Role in It

What Tocqueville warned us about, and why it matters now (2,120 words / 9-minute read).

Feb 17 • Daniel Stid

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An Invitation to a New Civic Future

We’re committed to a new civic future where people feel agency over their lives, where neighbors are connected through relationships of trust, and where…

Published on Connective Tissue • Feb 10

An SOS for the Republic

Citizens under strain in Minneapolis (1,375 words / 5-minute read).

Feb 5 • Daniel Stid

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January 2026

Trump's Voters Are Not a Cult

What new data reveals about the coalition behind his second term (1,463 words / 6-minute read).

Jan 20 • Daniel Stid

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December 2025

The Art of Association, Wrapped

The posts you engaged with most this year, and why they seemed to matter. Plus, a request for feedback heading into 2026 (967 words / 4-minute read).

Dec 23, 2025 • Daniel Stid

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The Laboratories of Democracy Need New Infrastructure

Why state capacity builders must look beyond Washington (1,915 words / 7.5 minute read)

Dec 12, 2025 • Daniel Stid

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November 2025

Decline Is Not Destiny

A Better Future is Possible for Philanthropy and Civil Society (460 words / 2-minute read)

Nov 24, 2025 • Daniel Stid

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