Communicating Across Divides: A Facilitation Intensive
Join Resetting the Table (RTT) and the Council on Foundations for a training that offers a comprehensive framework for facilitating courageous and constructive communication across lines of difference.
Through this intensive training, philanthropic leaders will build advanced facilitation skills grounded in RTT’s rigorous, evidence-based framework for deepening connection, trust, and collaboration while addressing strong differences directly. Participants will also receive extensive hands-on practice, individualized coaching, and consultation to help apply these actionable tools in their leadership and work.
The training intensive includes an in-person opening retreat, five+ virtual training sessions in facilitation skills and troubleshooting interventions, customized practice sessions in pairs with RTT coaches, and 1:1 consultation on how to integrate tools and skills into individual participants’ unique contexts.
This training was last offered in 2025-26. Want to attend a future training? Add your name to our interest list and be the first to know when applications open.
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Who should apply?
Leaders of all levels from foundations and philanthropies that are current members or are eligible to be Council members and encouraged to apply. Applicants should demonstrate their interest in bridge-building training AND describe how they plan to implement what they will learn.
This training is limited to 18 participants. Applicants must commit to attending the opening in-person retreat and five virtual sessions. We expect to have many more applications than spots available.
Goals and Learning Objectives
Goals: Participants will gain greater capacity, confidence and hands-on experience in facilitating difficult, important communication across charged differences in their communities and work.
Participants who continue with optional training in April will receive further training in leading RTT’s flagship Speaking Across Conflict Workshop (SAC) and will be equipped to train others in the tools and skills for courageous and constructive communication across differences.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will learn and practice core facilitation skills for achieving collaborative conversations across differences (e.g., Following Meaning, Demonstrating Understanding, and Naming Differences).
- Participants will build capacity to use these skills to support participants and constituents to achieve connection and mutual receptivity while addressing differences directly.
- Participants will learn and practice an approach to troubleshooting challenging group dynamics.
- Participants will model meaningful dialogue across differences on important issues within a curated group of philanthropic leaders.
- Participants will learn concrete exercises they can replicate in their own arenas.
What is Resetting the Table?
Resetting the Table (RTT) equips leaders and communities with tools and skills to overcome toxic polarization and build social trust and cohesion in the U.S. Drawing from mediation and facilitation expertise, RTT has developed one of the most recognized frameworks and training programs for meaningful communication across differences of background and views. Through rigorous training, courageous dialogue, and rehumanizing media content, Resetting the Table transforms political differences into an engine of strengthened relationship, collective insight, and creative problem-solving. RTT’s programs have reached more than 90,000 participants, many of them philanthropists, higher education administrators, award-winning TV writers, faith leaders, and other multipliers positioned to make far-reaching culture change.
