Conversation Project 2014 Request for Proposals: Discussion Leaders

The Conversation Project 2014 Request for Proposals: Discussion Leaders

Oregon Humanities is looking for people eager to traverse the valleys, mountains, and deserts of Oregon’s thirty-six counties, bringing neighbors, friends, and strangers together to exchange words and ideas. We want to work with conversation leaders with diverse perspectives from all walks of life who are curious and passionate about ideas, value listening, and are willing to lead active conversations. Conversation Project leaders are paid, independent contractors of Oregon Humanities and develop valuable skills through this experience.

What is the Conversation Project? The Conversation Project offers Oregon nonprofit organizations free, humanities-based, public discussion programs about provocative issues and ideas. Each program lasts sixty to ninety minutes and is led by conversation leaders who have been trained as facilitators, connect the subject to participants’ experiences and to the local community, and challenge attendees to think in new ways without advocating a particular viewpoint. We believe that hearing diverse perspectives not only broadens our understanding of the world but also makes our communities stronger.

In the first four years of the program, nearly 200 nonprofits across the state hosted more than 400 Conversation Project programs as stand-alone events, parts of series, and supplements to their regular programming. Conversations have explored the future of rural communities, life after war, land-use policies, censorship in literature, immigration, racial diversity in Oregon, reenvisioning the prison system, and the evolution of marriage, among many other subjects.

How does the program work?Nonprofit and community organizations, using the Conversation Project catalog, apply to host the programs of greatest interest to their communities. Host organiza-tions include libraries, community colleges, historical societies, service and civic groups, community centers, social service agencies, chambers of commerce, and others. Attendance varies but averages around twenty-five participants. Conversation leaders are independent contractors for Oregon Humanities and receive a $200 honorarium, as well as mileage reimbursement and a meal stipend, for each approved program. Hosts manage program logistics and provide lodging when the conversation leader travels more than fifty miles one-way for a program. Conversation leaders can anticipate presenting four to eight programs per year. Although they are not expected to accommodate every request, they must be willing to travel throughout Oregon year-round. Programs in the upcoming catalog will be available from November 1, 2014, through October 31, 2016.

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“In my travels throughout Oregon, whether in urban centers, ‘far flung’ farming towns, or ‘bedroom communities,’ I’ve found a citizenry that is engaged, alert, curious, and questioning: the world-traveler, the philosopher farmer, the activist, the artist, the veteran, the busy retiree, the all-around reader—they are everywhere in the state’s woodwork, and local nonprofits are doing the honorable job of providing gathering places for Oregon Humanities’ vibrant programs.”

—Conversation Project leader

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What kinds of topics are we seeking?We encourage proposals on any subjects that you think are important to Oregonians, from issues that dominate today’s headlines to broader subjects that may not make the front page but still affect our lives. You can see the current catalog of Conversation Project programs at oregonhumanities.org, but in thinking about your own proposal, please do not feel limited by the current roster of topics.

Conversation Project programs draw on the humanities subject areas that document past and present human experience, including but not limited to American studies, art history and criticism, ethics, history, literature, language, philosophy, political science, sociology, religious studies, cultural studies, and legal, cultural, and folk traditions. Programs are exploratory rather than explanatory: conversation leaders explore ideas with program participants, rather than simply presenting information or promoting a particular way of thinking.

What kinds of conversation leaders are we seeking?Conversation Project leaders come from every walk of life—they are teachers, writers, scientists, community leaders, and industry entrepreneurs. We want to work with people who have an interest in leading public conversations, a desire to engage with diverse public audiences across Oregon, a passion for the role of the humanities in daily life, and an understanding of a topic through experience, immersion, formal education, or professional training. Experience in facilitating public dialogue is preferable but not required; training will be provided. We are looking for people who can do the following:

• Create a comfortable and lively conversational setting that invites a variety of perspectives;

• Connect ideas to participants’ lives and local communities;• Present provocative ideas and challenge participants to think critically, without

advocating for a particular way of thinking or political agenda.

Questions? Contact Director of Programs Jennifer [email protected] (503) 241-0543, ext. 118 or toll free: (800) 735-0543, ext. 118813 SW Alder Street, Suite 702 Portland, Oregon 97205 oregonhumanities.org

“Conversation Project discussion leaders are privileged to experience each community’s unique capacity for civic inquiry, discussion, and even disagreement. Though I’ve lived here almost a decade, I never truly felt like an Oregonian until I got involved in the Conversation Project. In many ways, I feel that my work with the Conversation Project has made me a true citizen of this magnificent state. What an honor.”


How to design your Conversation Project programPrograms should last between sixty and ninety minutes, enough time to provide participants with a substantive learning experience and, in the process, engage in meaningful dialogue. Good conversations are the result of planning and flexibility. The goal isn’t to painstakingly time the questions, flow, or shape of the conversation so that you can control it, but to get the discussion going and then feel comfortable when it develops naturally and dynamically. Programs should not be designed around identifying immediate solutions to problems or coming to consensus, but rather around inviting people to think in fresh ways, hear from one another, and better understand a subject’s complexity. Here are a few things to keep in mind when developing your program:

• Design your program to complement your subject and your strengths as a facilitator.• Inspire curiosity, but don’t try to be exhaustive in covering your subject.• Firmly root your program in the humanities and readily invite a variety of perspectives.

Incorporate questions, short texts, and/or media to encourage active discussion and critical thinking.

• Consider starting out by inviting personal anecdotes or connections to the topic, perhaps in pairs or groups of three, so that participants engage with the subject without feeling they need any special knowledge.

• Strive for flowing group conversation among participants, which isn’t the same as a Q&A.

Oregon Humanities is committed to providing interactive discussions beyond the typical presentation and Q&A format, and therefore does not consider lecture- or performance-based programs as suitable for the Conversation Project. Be creative in designing your program. You might consider the following:

• Design a program that can be offered both indoors and outdoors (depending on weather) if conducive to your subject matter (e.g., a local history program was offered as a bike tour).

• Craft a program that could be tailored to a particular venue, such as a coffee shop, bar, public park, or museum.

• Lead a discussion based on a short reading or film clip, or incorporate other types of media.

Many programs explore complex and timely issues, and controversy can arise that requires strong facilitation skills and a commitment to objectivity and open-mindedness. Because the Conversation Project is supported by federal funds, we cannot consider proposals that advocate for a particular opinion or political agenda.



“I have been grateful for the conversations I have had thus far, and if that was it, I could leave quite satisfied that this was one of the top five experiences I have participated in.”




About Oregon HumanitiesOregon Humanities connects Oregonians to ideas that change lives and transform communities. More information about our programs and publications—which include the Conversation Project, Think & Drink, Humanity in Perspective, Idea Lab Summer Institute, Public Program Grants, and Oregon Humanities magazine—can be found at oregonhumanities.org. Oregon Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and a partner of the Oregon Cultural Trust.

How to applyOregon Humanities invites Oregonians who meet the criteria in this request for proposals to apply online at oregonhumanities.org to have their program considered for the Conversation Project catalog. Programs in this catalog will be available from November 1, 2014, through October 31, 2016.

Join Oregon Humanities program staff for a webinar on developing a strong Conversation Project proposal on Wednesday, February 19 at 11 a.m. Webinar registration information and sample successful proposals are available on our website.

The deadline for proposal submissions is March 14, 2014.

Based on an initial proposal review, we will select candidates for virtual or in-person (in Portland) interviews, which will be held in mid to late April 2014. Individuals ultimately selected to be Conversation Project leaders are required to attend a facilitator training and program orientation in Portland on June 27, 2014, for which Oregon Humanities will cover travel costs.

Conversation Project 2014 Request for Proposals: Discussion Leaders

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