C&S Unveils Bold Three-Year Plan to Spark 20 Million Young Civic Problem-Solvers by 2029

$25M in investments and national partnerships invite Gen Z to take part in shaping the country's future

PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute for Citizens & Scholars (C&S) today announced a bold three-year commitment to spark 20 million young people ages 14–24 to step up as civic problem-solvers by 2029—marking a major expansion of its work to help young people turn ideas into action in their communities.

The commitment builds on $25 million in philanthropic investment supporting C&S's existing, proven programs. That foundation reflects growing momentum around a simple belief: a strong, thriving country depends on people who can work through hard things together—and young people are ready to lead.

"Young Americans want to make a difference in their communities, and many are searching for ways to navigate today's cultural and political divides," said Rajiv Vinnakota, president of C&S. "Our bold commitment to reach 20 million young people is anchored by our signature initiative, College Presidents for Civic Preparedness. From that foundation, we're scaling a broader portfolio of programs and partnerships in communities and workplaces across the country to equip millions of young people with the civic skills to lead and solve problems together."

C&S's current college, community, and workplace programs are made possible through funding from leading philanthropic organizations, including Carnegie Corporation of New York, Einhorn Collaborative, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, One8 Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, and The Tepper Foundation. The organization also partners with national organizations to advance its mission, including DoSomething, More Perfect, Noodle, and YPulse.

These investments enable C&S to deepen and expand its existing work nationwide, providing the foundation for the organization's broader 20-million-young-people commitment.

Over the next three years, C&S will continue strengthening its work on college campuses, in communities, and in workplaces to help young people build and demonstrate three essential civic skills:

• Having Productive Conversations — Anchored in curiosity, respect, and active listening.
• Using Credible Information — Distinguishing and applying reliable sources of information.
• Collaborating to Create Solutions — Working together to define, explore, and address shared challenges.

On college campuses, C&S will partner with hundreds of college presidents and school leaders to build strong civic cultures where every student can practice essential civic skills. In communities, C&S will fund and coach thousands of young leaders in all 50 states, giving them the tools and pathways to create fresh civic solutions. In workplaces, C&S will pilot partnerships with 25 private sector companies to strengthen civic understanding and engagement at work; helping build more inclusive, collaborative workplaces that benefit both business and the country.

"We need young people who are developing skills to have dialogue across difference and are prepared to constructively engage in society. This commitment from C&S will give students structured opportunities to practice these skills on their way to becoming the next generation to lead our democracy," said Sian Leah Beilock, president, Dartmouth.

As part of today's announcement, the organization is also introducing a new name and brand—C&S—signaling a renewed focus on participation, collaboration, and shared responsibility. The name reflects the organization's belief in The Power of &: working across differences, connecting ideas to action, and building solutions together.

Looking ahead, C&S is creating and launching a new national participation platform in summer 2026—an open invitation for mission-aligned partners to join us in building and growing this effort together. Designed to make civic participation more accessible, meaningful, and achievable, the platform aims to engage 15 million young people by 2029.

"We keep telling young people the system is broken and then wonder why they don't show up. What if instead we gave them something to build? That's what excites me about this commitment. It treats young people not as problems to manage but as problem-solvers to unleash. Democracy isn't a spectator sport. It's a skill you practice, and 20 million more people practicing it is exactly what this moment demands," said Baratunde Thurston, Emmy-nominated host and comedian and co-creator of the award-winning How To Citizen podcast.

Together, this work positions C&S to scale proven programs, expand participation pathways, and ensure that millions of young people have meaningful opportunities to contribute to their communities—and to the country's future.

For more information about C&S and its 20-million-young-people commitment, visit http://www.cands.org.

About C&S

Founded in 1945 as the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, C&S (cands.org) sparks young people to help build a strong and thriving America. Guided by the Power of &, C&S is grounded in a simple belief: young people with ideas—not institutions with ideologies—make our country stronger. We meet young people where they are—on campuses, at work, and in their communities—creating clear pathways for discovery, collaboration, and fresh civic solutions. Across all of our work, C&S helps young people practice three essential civic skills: having productive conversations; using credible information; and collaborating to create solutions.

SOURCE C&S