2025 National
Change Lab

Baltimore, MD

October 14–16

Now, more than ever, we need one another to tackle the isolation and disillusionment in our nation. Together, we will continue our work to reinvent civic life for a new generation. Every community across the country faces unique challenges and demands solutions tailored to local needs. In the face of national division and local disconnection, Change Collective Members shine brightly as they combat political polarization, bridge divides, and address the pressing issues in their communities.

As a result, we are going to change a few things for this year’s National Change Lab, including inviting ALL Change Collective Members from Chicago, Detroit, Jackson, Memphis, and San Antonio to join us in Baltimore, MD to learn, strategize, and fellowship!

At the 2025 National Change Lab in Baltimore, we will honor and uplift the remarkable work happening in communities nationwide. We’ll dive deeper into community work and leadership by analyzing, identifying, and sharing key trends and best practices to create lasting change and better manage the friction between difference and change.

Our program will include a kickoff reception on Tuesday, October 14 with two full days of programming on Wednesday, October 15 and Thursday, October 16. 

We look forward to having YOU join us in Baltimore for a few incredible days of learning, community-building and fun!

Register Now
Membership

Program Agenda

Tuesday, October 14: 6:30pm–8:30pm ET

Opening Reception

A reception to celebrate the kickoff of the 2025 National Change Lab. The evening will include heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and community building across the Change Collective’s five cities.

Breakfast

Opening Remarks

Civic Action Plan Lightning Talk from Change Collective Members

Change Collective Taskmaster: Teams

Civic Round 1: Managing Friction & Leading in Uncertain Times (Breakout Workshops)

From Uncertainty to Action: How Change-Makers Anticipate, Adapt, and Shape Emergent Solutions 

Civic Coach: Alec Chapa 

Workshop Description: Uncertainty makes planning and collective action difficult — obscuring pathways, making resources feel unreliable, throwing partnerships into question — but it’s not total chaos, and neither is it without hidden opportunities. Successful changemakers don’t just react to shifting conditions, they anticipate possible shifts, discern amongst them, and prepare for reasonable risks, while staying agile to adapt in real-time to what cannot be predicted. In this session, we’ll explore how strategic thinking and collaborative negotiation can lead a project to success even when the future is unclear, and how emergent solutions are the fruits available to those who engage collaboratively with others during uncertainty. 

Collaboration and Influence (Spring 2025 Fellows Only)

Civic Coach: Naseem Khuri 

Workshop Description: This session will provide a framework for participants to engage on these terms, enabling them to anticipate and prepare for challenges in order to act decisively in key moments that shape outcomes for the better. This session will also cover practical methods for soliciting early stakeholder buy-in when key puzzle pieces may be missing, and how to insulate agreement against the winds of evolving conditions. Participants will walk away with guiding frameworks to refine and persist in their initiatives, prepared to turn dissidents into allies and give shape to disarray.  This workshop will give changemakers the opportunity to reflect on and improve how you use a skill that’s critical in any professional setting: how to collaborate with others. It will directly address the need for changemakers to productively address a key tension: managing your own interests while managing relationships with those around you.

Lunch & Keynote Conversation

Civic Round 2: Deep Dive: Case Studies in Community Work (Breakout Workshops)

The Third Space: Case Studies of Connection and Collaboration Redefining What’s Possible

Civic Coach: Alec Chapa

Workshop Description: This session provides an in-depth look at real-world initiatives to unpack the efficacy of the collaborative. We’ll delve into case studies that showcase key methods for driving grassroots initiatives forward, whether in a hostile environment or a friendly but disorganized one. The session focuses on two main initiatives: one launched a food waste project that diverted one million pounds of food waste from landfills to create an organic resource supporting a circular food economy; the other addresses the historical transformation of a divided, war-torn island nation entrenched in conflict toward openness and reconciliation. After reviewing these case studies, with opportunities for questions and live discussion, the session will end with a workshop where participants will be encouraged and supported in applying these lessons to their own work.

Pluralism in Practice: Storytelling Potluck 

Civic Coach: Maio Buenafe 

Workshop Description: Maio Buenafe (she/they/siya), the founder and visionary of the Unlearning Community School, will collaborate with participants to build a shared understanding and common foundational language of Pluralism. You’ll enhance your ability to navigate conflict through storytelling grounded in critical positionality to cultivate conscious relationship building which develops relational awareness and collective responsibility. In turn, you’ll integrate pluralism into a capacity-building strategy by co-creating a Pluralism “toolbox” that draws from the lessons of the facilitator and other fellows’ experiences.

The Influence Process 

Civic Coach: Naseem Khuri

Workshop Description: Building upon the concepts introduced in the “Collaboration and Influence” workshop, this session emphasizes the ‘how’ over the ‘what.’ It broadens the scope from individual challenging conversations and presents two essential questions to consider when aiming to effect change within our communities: who are the appropriate stakeholders and which processes and structures are most effective to employ? Through practical tools and an engaging activity, this session offers guidance on these questions.

Civic Action Plan Lightning Talk from Change Collective Members

Keynote Conversation

Evening Reception & Dinner

A special dinner that will include a communal meal, drinks, and remarks.

Breakfast

Keynote Conversation

Civic Action Plan Lightning Talk from Change Collective Members

Change Collective Taskmaster: Problem-solving

Community of Practice Session: Digging into the issues across cities

Change Collective Members will listen, learn, and engage with leaders across multiple cities on issues facing their communities along with shared best practices and potential solutions.   

Lunch & Keynote Conversation

State of the Issue Presentations

Change Collective Members will present in groups to stakeholders on issues facing their communities.    

Choose Your Own Adventure: Baltimore

Option 1: Guided tour at a Baltimore art museum
Option 2: Baltimore naval history tour
Option 3: Historic guided tour of Baltimore

Closing Reception

Agenda subject to change. 
Exact locations and details will be available closer to the event. 

FAQ

What days should I travel into Baltimore and when should I leave?

Programming starts Tuesday (10/14) at 6:30pm ET and concludes on Thursday (10/16) at 4:30pm ET. Please plan to arrive in Baltimore by Tuesday morning or afternoon, and leave Baltimore Thursday evening or Friday morning. If you have any specific questions or requests about your travel dates, please email our travel manager at [email protected].

The hotel room block covers a total of three nights, which includes Tuesday, October 14, Wednesday, October 15 and Thursday, October 16.

After you complete the registration form, you will receive a confirmation email from us with your registration confirmation and instructions on how to book your own travel within 24–48 hours of registering. If you have not received this email after 24–48 hours of registration, please reach out to us at [email protected]

We will try our best! On the registration form, we ask this very question to communicate to our venues and caterers. Please let us know ahead of time through the form so we can make sure all proper accommodations are met for you.

Smart casual! We will be both indoors and outdoors for our programming, so please make sure to bring a light jacket or sweater when we’re inside, and comfortable walking shoes for when we are outside. We will also have a photographer at different portions of programming (you know us, we love photos!).

The average daily temperature in Baltimore generally ranges from a high of 68°F to a low of 50°F in October, with moderate humidity and rain. Please make sure to dress accordingly!

Right here on our registration website! We will continue to update this page as we approach the event. You should also check your email regularly, as we will communicate key details to attendees through there.

All meals and travel expenses for the DURATION of our programming (including travel to and from BWI airport) will be covered by the Change Collective. This includes Tuesday dinner, Wednesday breakfast/lunch/dinner, and Thursday breakfast/lunch. Any out-of-pocket expenses (Ubers, food, alcohol) outside of our event programming is not eligible for reimbursement.

We will run charter buses to and from BWI airport to your assigned hotel at regular intervals on arrival day (Tuesday, 10/14) and departure day (Friday 10/17). You will be assigned a charter bus per your flight’s arrival time. Look out for an email from us on your bus assignment at a later date! For transportation to our various event venues and cohort activities during the day, we will provide charter buses for the entire group to travel together. Some activities will also be within walking distance from the event venue and hotel (10–15 minute walk).

We absolutely encourage any personal travel for those who want to explore the Baltimore/DMV area! We will happily cover your flight to and from Baltimore so long as the pricing for the day you choose to travel is within our price range. Please note, you will be responsible for finding your own hotel accommodations for any additional nights outside of our hotel room block.

Unfortunately, once they have been confirmed, all travel bookings are FINAL and cannot be changed. If you have already booked your travel and find that you cannot make it anymore, please reach out to [email protected] ASAP to let us know. If you have NOT booked your travel with us yet and you feel like your travel plans may change due to personal circumstances, please reach out to us and we can work with you on booking a flexible option!

Please contact us at [email protected] with your request and why you cannot make the event anymore. We will reach back out to you with next steps. Please note: canceling your registration and travel booking is irreversible and you will not be allowed to register again.

Photo Release

By entering any event or program of Civic Nation, you are entering an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur.

Your entry and presence at the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with Civic Nation and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news, and advertising.

By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video, or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media.

You understand that all photography, filming, and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent.