Initiatives
We believe that realizing and reimagining democracy for the 21st century requires new models of collaboration that distribute leadership and skills development, enabled by new technology. Each of our initiatives is developed through multi-organization partnerships with a commitment to sharing knowledge and resources in the commons. We work across geographies to convene teams of engaged individuals, young and old, that value community service and democratic participation. Our intention with each project is to create opportunities for learning and development that enable team members to develop leadership skills, experiment with new technology and experience the power of organizing to make change happen.
Canada's Democracy Summit
DemocracyXChange is the annual summit for Canada’s emerging democracy sector to connect, learn and share. Its third meeting (DXC20) will be held in October 2020 with an ambitious, virtual program comprised of keynote sessions, workshops and networking opportunities.
DemocracyXChange is a unique engagement opportunity for a wide range of democracy practitioners including community groups, non-profits, civic-tech start-ups, academics, public servants, grassroots activists, private companies and members of the general public. Previous speakers include Maria Ressa, Chenjerai Kumanyika, Astra Taylor and Sarada Peri.
Visit DemocracyXChangeCo-Presenting Partners
Civic Campaign Toolkit
DemocracyKit is an initiative that uses technology to open access to information and tools to reduce barriers for individuals and teams working to drive change – whether through a run for office or launching a ground-up civic campaign. Community members contribute articles or templated resources under a creative commons licence and DemocracyKit provides self-guided courses on topics such as social media and data management along with videos where seasoned civic leaders provide personal reflections about their experiences. In the 2017/18 municipal election cycle, DemocracyKit forged a partnership with public libraries in Toronto and Ottawa to run a training series for new municipal campaign volunteers at branch locations across each municipality.
Visit DemocracyKitOpen Democracy Fellowship
Co-created by Open Democracy Project, the Fellowship will focus on supporting Canada’s emerging democracy sector through responsive community building activities that convene, connect and share knowledge with local changemakers, non-profits and public sector institutions.