It is a network of civic and educational organizations that recognizes the need for citizens to deliberate together about issues they care about before they make decisions. These local groups organize and plan deliberative forums about national or community issues that concern citizens. No two forums are alike. They range in size from small study circles to large gatherings modeled after town meetings.
Deliberative forums help people find the places where their values, interests, and goals overlap.
This helps create a public voice that determines public policy. Reports on the outcomes of the forums are shared with local, state, and national officeholders to give them insights into what the public is thinking. Citizens cannot act together until they decide together. By giving citizens a chance to deliberate about public issues, NIF offers them a place at the table where decisions that affect their lives are made.