Our vision
A future where Oregon classrooms connect rural and urban experiences to build understanding, invite dialogue, and inspire meaningful civic collaboration.
About Common Ground
Understanding starts
with connection.
Rural and urban communities each carry knowledge, experience, and perspective the other needs.
Common Ground is an Oregon geo-civics education organization. We connect educators and students across Oregon’s geographic and cultural landscapes to build the understanding, dialogue, and civic skills that make real collaboration possible.
Founded in February 2026. Fiscally sponsored by the Rural Engagement & Vitality Center.
Our mission
Common Ground connects Oregon educators and students to the communities, issues, and perspectives that shape their state, building the civic understanding and collaborative skills that democracy demands.
Our approach
Learn civics through geography.
Every civic question happens somewhere.
Learn in place.
Stand in a community. Listen to the people who live there.
Start from what we share.
Explore resources no single community manages alone.
Understand what shapes our views.
Explore news, information, values, and beliefs.
Work through disagreement.
Build civil discourse and conflict resolution skills.
Follow along
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