Our Strategic Plan
Project 2026: Turning Theory Into Action
At the heart of Project 2026 is a transformative idea: democracy thrives when citizens are informed, engaged, and empowered. Our strategy rests on a bold but simple truth: the citizen is sovereign. And to renew American democracy, we must re-center the citizen in our political system—not just as a voter, but as an active co-creator of public life.
Our Theory of Change
Project 2026 is built on a systems-level understanding of how change happens. We draw from political science, complexity theory, behavioral psychology, and design thinking. But our foundation is older than any academic discipline—it’s the radical vision of the Declaration of Independence: that all people are created equal and endowed with rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
We believe that:
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The political system is a complex ecosystem, shaped by ideas, institutions, media, culture, and citizens themselves.
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Paradigm shift is essential—lasting change requires not just new policies, but new ways of thinking about power, responsibility, and citizenship.
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Change starts with clarity—citizens need a shared vision, accessible tools, and an entry point into democratic life.
Our Strategy: How We Move from Vision to Action
Project 2026 puts this theory into practice through an integrated seven-part strategy:
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Cast a Vision
Articulate a bold but practical vision of a thriving democracy where every citizen has the power and support to flourish.
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Understand the Paradigm
Surface the dominant assumptions that currently drive our political and economic systems—and introduce new mental models rooted in citizen empowerment, intergenerational equity, and collective well-being.
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Define the Challenge
Frame systemic problems—like disconnection, inequality, and apathy—as challenges we can understand and solve together, not just technical issues for experts.
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Organize Frameworks and Forums
Create organizing frameworks, national dialogues, and civic narratives that help people find their place in public life.
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Crowdsource & Deliberate
Engage citizens directly through participatory design, local pilots, AI-enhanced deliberation platforms, and crowdsourced policy development.
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Design Tools for Frictionless Engagement
Build and maintain digital and analog tools (like the Citizen Toolbox, Moonshot Press, and First 1,000 Days initiative) that lower the barriers to effective civic action.
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Monitor, Learn & Adapt
Track progress using dynamic well-being indicators, gather citizen feedback, and continually refine our approach—including evaluating unintended consequences.
Why System Change? Why Now?
Because the stakes are generational.
Democratic institutions are under strain. Social cohesion is fraying. And new technologies like artificial intelligence are reshaping everything from how we work to how we govern—faster than our systems can adapt.
We believe the best way to prepare for the future is to build it—together.
This is why Project 2026 invests in paradigm-level change. Not just better policies, but better systems. Not just better leaders, but more engaged citizens. Not just fixes—but a future worthy of the next 250 years of American self-government.
health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens." - Alexis de Tocqueville