Building Strategy
Building Social Trust
collaborative efforts
noun
Two or more organizations advancing shared goals, vision, and mission by learning and working together.
Our Why
Most Americans are exhausted by our divisions and are eager to engage across differences in their everyday lives. However, widespread loneliness and isolation, as well as distrust and fear, are making it easier to exploit our differences and harder for us to see our shared humanity. Working toward a more united America requires us to build social trust, the foundation for a culture of pluralism in which people of different backgrounds and beliefs live and work together peacefully.
Loneliness
noun
The subjective experience of social and emotional isolation, characterized by feeling a lack of meaningful social connections and support. People may have many connections and still experience loneliness. Loneliness is associated with a greater risk of adverse mental and physical health outcomes.
Isolation
noun
The objective state of having limited or no social interactions or connections with others. While isolated people do not have many connections, they may not experience loneliness. However, they do face a greater risk of adverse physical health outcomes.
Pluralism
noun
A worldview and practice that enables us to build a society where we’re able to live among, work with, and care about people who are different from us, including by race and ethnicity, faith, geography, generation, and political beliefs.
Our How
By supporting collaborative efforts across programs and practices, we seek to create the conditions and opportunities for neighbors to form healthy relationships and work together on problems of shared concern. We also address forces that undermine connection, including rising hate and extremism, as well as the harmful effects of technology on our relationships with one another.
Explore Our Building Work
A Framework to Strengthen Community Connection
How to Navigate Tense Table Topics During Holiday Festivities
All the Lonely People: Why Americans’ Isolation Is a Threat to Our Democracy
Using Questions as a Doorway to Reducing Divisions
Designing AI Systems for Social Connection and Human Flourishing
Action Guide for Building Socially Connected Communities
Join our partner networks and collaboratives
New Pluralists
Foundation for Social Connection
Social Trust
noun
Social trust is a belief in the honesty, integrity, and reliability of others.