Resources – Moderating Forums:
National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI)
National Issues Forum Institute
https://www.nifi.org/
Process
Issue Forum Process (National Issues Forums Institute) [NIFI] [PDF]
(Edited by Johanna Reed Adams, Ph.D., State Community Leadership Development Extension Specialist, University of Missouri Extension)
http://www.4-h.org/Programs/Citizenship/Rural-Youth-Development/YCLS-Issue-Forum-Process.dwn
This is a practical, 5-page overview of the National Issues Forum process. While developed for youth in the 4H program, it provides a concise orientation for any new NIFI forum moderator.
Moderating Deliberative Forums – An Introduction [NIFI] [PowerPoint]
http://ncdd.org/rc/item/10788
“This 26-slide powerpoint, Moderating Deliberative Forums – An Introduction,was released from National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) in February 2016. The powerpoint explains the basics of deliberation, the roles of a moderator, and other gems of advice for running a National Issues Forums. Below you can a little more from NIFI ofwhat the power point contains and a link to the powerpoint, or find it directly on NIFI’s main site here.
https://www.nifi.org/en/groups/powerpoint-presentation-moderating-deliberative-forums-introduction
Moderator and Participant Questionnaires
https://www.nifi.org/en/post-forum-questionnaires
Common Ground for Action [Online Platform]
"Common Ground for Action is an online platform for deliberation sponsored by the Kettering Foundation starting in 2013, who partnered with Conteneo, a creator of serious decision-making games, to co-develop the forum. Kettering and Conteneo collaborated from scratch to create a unique online forum that engaged participants and produced an authentic deliberation space, which was then tested through the National Issues Forums (NIF) network." -- http://ncdd.org/rc/item/9672
NIFI Issue Guides
Recent Releases
Climate Choices: How Should We Deal with the Challenges of a Warming Planet?
https://www.nifi.org/en/issue-guide/climate-choices
Making Ends Meet: How Should We Spread Prosperity and Improve Opportunity?
https://www.nifi.org/en/issue-guide/making-ends-meet-how-should-we-spread-prosperity-and-improve-opportunity
Health Care: How Can We Reduce Costs and Still Get the Care We Nee2
https://www.nifi.org/en/issue-guide/health-care
Over the Edge: What Should We Do When Alcohol & Drug Use Become a Problem to Society?
https://www.nifi.org/en/issue-guide/over-edge
Historic Decisions: A New Land: What Kind of Government Should We Have?
https://www.nifi.org/en/issue-guide/historic-decisions-new-land
All NIFI Issue Guides
https://www.nifi.org/en/nifi-materials
Additional Issue Guides from the NIFI Blog, 2016:
Economic Vitality: How can we improve our communities?
https://www.nifi.org/en/groups/issue-guide-economic-vitality-how-can-we-improve-our-communities
Human Trafficking: How Can Our Community Respond to This Growing Problem?
[An issue guide from Maricopa Community Colleges (Arizona) Center for Civic Participation]
https://www.nifi.org/en/groups/human-trafficking-how-can-our-community-respond-growing-problem-issue-guide-maricopa
Minnesota Contacts
NIFI Network Partners: https://www.nifi.org/en/network-partners
[Scroll down to Minnesota: Augsburg College, St. Cloud State University, Winona State University]
Greg Gidden, Hennepin County Library - St. Louis Park (MN), , 612-543-6143
[For upcoming public forums, contact Gidden or see Hennepin County Library Events Calendar: http://www.hclib.org/programs/events-calendar]
Mary Ann Van Cura, Librarian and Independent Contractor, Minneapolis (MN), , 612-760-0118
Compiled by Mary Ann Van Cura, , for the Minnesota Facilitators Network (MFN) Program, 4/14/2016