Cortico Corporation
Project Title
As a one-time grant for project support of the American Conversation Project
Date
Jun. 04, 2026
Duration
12 months
Description
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary amidst strained trust in democratic institutions, this milestone presents an opportunity for democratic renewal. Cortico, a nonprofit associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Constructive Communication, fosters civic engagement by facilitating small-group conversations that promote transparency and drive action, building civic networks and empowering communities. With this grant, Cortico will expand the American Conversation Project (ACP) to leverage the nation’s most trusted civic spaces: public libraries. This library-centered initiative aims to establish a network of 50–75 libraries, hosting 100–200 structured community conversations. Using ethical, AI-supported analysis, ACP will identify common themes and build shared understanding across communities, while training library staff members to embed sustainable civic listening skills. By equipping libraries with a dedicated toolkit for facilitation and outreach, the project seeks to position them as amplifiers of local voices and normalize civic listening as a core function of democratic infrastructure.
Website
Project Title
For support of the “Real Talk” dialogues, empowering young people to bridge divides and engage meaningfully on critical issues
Date
Jun. 05, 2025
Duration
12 months
Description
Cortico, a nonprofit associated with MIT’s Center for Constructive Communication, fosters civic engagement by facilitating small-group conversations that encourage transparency and drive action, aiming to build civic networks and empower communities. With this proposed grant, Cortico, in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA), will host discussions at teen civic centers in up to 10 public libraries, focusing on small-group exchanges of ideas rooted in personal insights and experiences. Participants will use AI technology to analyze and interpret these dialogues, employing transparent tools to highlight overarching themes and amplify diverse voices. Cortico will also provide training to participants on curating and elevating these conversations, while supporting library programs to sustain community engagement. The recorded discussions will be featured on a dedicated website, offering a platform to explore common ground and connections among young people across ideological and geographic divides.
Website
Project Title
As one-time project support to build a pilot program to document, understand and share experiences of underserved communities and how they access trusted information sources around education
Date
Dec. 14, 2023
Duration
12 months
Description
Cortico, a nonprofit affiliated with MIT’s Center for Constructive Communication, builds civic networks through recorded small-group conversations that promote transparency and action. With this grant, Cortico will use its platform for social dialogue, to document marginalized families’ experiences with accessing education system information and trusted sources. Cortico’s researchwill provide the portfolio with recommendations for a strategy refresh of education news investments that reflect changes in technology and focus on the needs of families.