Civic Language Perceptions Project
How Civic Language Unites, Divides, & Motivates American Voters
How to Talk About Democracy Under Pressure
New Findings from PACE’s Civic Language Perceptions Project
How to Talk Bridgey 2.0 translates fresh 2025 national data into practical guidance for communicating about democracy, civic life, and perceived threats in a precarious moment. Drawing on research with Americans across differences, this updated guide shows how language can either keep people engaged or quietly push them away and offers concrete lessons for choosing words that invite connection rather than close it off.
What This Guide Is (and Is Not)
How to Talk Bridgey 2.0 is a practical, data-informed resource for funders, practitioners, communicators, and civic leaders who want to engage broad audiences without flattening values or forcing false unity.
• It is about using language strategically to sustain connection
• It is not a list of “good” or “bad” words
• It is grounded in how Americans actually perceive civic language today
• It is not prescriptive about what you must say or fund
Talking bridgey is a skill, one that helps keep conversations open when stakes are high.
What’s New in Version 2.0
This update reflects a new national survey conducted in November 2025 with More in Common, allowing PACE to examine how civic language is changing over time and what that means for practice today.
New in 2.0:
• Fresh 2025 data on how Americans perceive civic and democratic terms
• A clearer, more direct measure of bridgeyness
• Evidence that many core civic terms are becoming more bridgey, not less
• New insights on how Americans prefer to talk about democracy and threats to it
• Expanded guidance on civic activation and engagement
Who This Guide Is For
• Funders shaping strategy and grantmaking
• Civic and democracy practitioners
• Communications and messaging professionals
• Researchers, journalists, and educators
• Anyone navigating high-stakes conversations about democracy
Watch the Launch
2.0 Webinar
Civic Language Perceptions Dashboard
PACE’s Civic Language Perceptions Project is an ongoing national research effort examining how Americans across differences understand civic and democratic language. Since 2019, the project has combined quantitative and qualitative research to help the civic field communicate more effectively.
"How to Talk Bridgey 2.0" Communications Toolkit
Help spread the word about PACE’s new How to Talk Bridgey 2.0 guide using our communications toolkit with sample newsletter language, social media drafts, and graphics.
About the Civic Language Perceptions Project
Methodology and FAQs
Learn more about the methodology used for the Civic Language Perceptions Project, including sampling, weighting, and survey design, and receive guidance for engaging with the research findings or publishing related content.
Check out the Survey Instrument
See the wording, format, and order of questions we asked participants.
More from the Civic Language Perceptions Project
CHECK OUT THE 2023 DATA
Explore the 2023 findings, learn more about the history of the Civic Language Perceptions Project, and explore the “How to Talk Bridgey 1.0” guide.
REQUEST MORE INFORMATION
Have a question that this page can’t answer? Email our team, who will reply within 24-48 hours.
Acknowledgments
PACE is grateful for the support of the partners that made this project and resource possible: the McKnight Foundation in 2023 and 2025, and the Rita Allen Foundation, Lumina Foundation, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation in 2023.
The lead author of the original How to Talk Bridgey resource is Amy McIsaac, Managing Director at PACE. This 2.0 version was created by Siri Erickson, Senior Director for Strategy and Learning at PACE, with guidance and support from Aly Ferguson, Amy McIsaac, and Shannon N. Green. Survey design and data analysis was led by Freg Duong, Senior Research Manager at More in Common. Graphic design was provided by Cameron Blossom.
PACE thanks all organizations who contributed to the analysis phase of the Civic Language Perceptions Project, especially our research partners at More in Common.