BRIDGER INSTITUTE
A 9-month development program that empowers mid-career leaders to heal division through bridging.
JANUARY – SEPTEMBER 2026 | TWIN CITIES, MN
Polarization at work
drains time, money,
and relationships.
It’s time to bridge divides.
Does this sound like you?
Community Engagement: Your work requires you to serve all people (e.g. public education, healthcare, or public service), but ideological divides erode trust in decision-making, disrupt collaboration, and undermine nuanced dialogue.
Crisis response: You experience friction over whether, when, and how to respond to crises. Inaction and/or gridlock deplete team morale; outbound messaging generates unexpected conflict with the public.
Communication: You’re worried about saying the wrong thing or hitting an invisible third rail that might land you in hot water — internally, or publicly.
Decision-Making: You find that simple choices (like what kind of snacks for the break room) take on disproportionate significance in an environment where consumer choices represent alignment with “good guys” or “bad guys.” Meanwhile, big decisions feel existential in a climate where everyone with a phone and an opinion has a platform.
Public Relations: You face pressure to take or avoid public political stances. The line between your public life and private life feels blurry (especially with protestors chalking your driveway).
Retention: You find that there’s little room for a range of virtues or ideologies to co-exist — team members quit when the organization’s choices deviate from their most ardently held views.
Focus: Time is diverted from core work to mediate conflict or diffuse tension.
Why apply?
The Civic Bridgers Fellowship is a nine-month leadership program designed for seasoned professionals who want to heal divides, rebuild trust, and strengthen pluralism in their workplaces and beyond.
Through a mix of in-person convenings, virtual workshops, and self-paced learning, fellows gain research-informed tools and practical strategies for bridging divides. Participants also design and launch a real-world project that applies what they learn to their professional or community context.
Worried about the time commitment?
Take heart: Most meetings span the lunch hour (with lunch provided!) to maximimize your time and reduce lost work hours.
You’re 10+ years into your career.
You’re agile, reliable, and hungry to learn the advanced skills needed to transform division into collaboration.
THIS IS THE DEVELOPMENT YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.
HOW IT WORKS
A two-day, in-person orientation January 15-16, 2026 lays the groundwork for monthly development workshops spanning 9 months. Between sessions, Bridgers develop a capstone project, receive asynchronous training resources (proprietary podcasts, white papers, etc.) and network in cohorts.
TUITION
$2,500. Tuition goes towards meals, venues, materials, equipment, and program management. Payment is due in full prior to the start of the program. No refunds/deferrals.
EMPLOYER SUPPORT
Because of the time commitment, it is vital that Bridgers have the full support of their supervisor and employer. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the tuition and time commitment with their employer prior to applying; many employers offer financial support or cover the full tuition.
APPLICATION
October 1 to November 30, 2025
ORIENTATION (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily)
JANUARY 15 — The Science of Polarization
JANUARY 16 — Foundations in Bridging
WORKSHOPS (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
FEBRUARY 12 — Community Engagement (virtual)
MARCH 12 — Crisis Response (in person)
APRIL 16 — Communication (virtual)
MAY 14 — Decision Making (in person)
JUNE 11 — Public Relations (virtual)
JULY 16 — Staff Recruitment/Retention (in person)
AUGUST 20 — Focus (virtual)
SEPTEMBER 17 — Capstone Presentations (in person)